Add, Revise, View Agency Structure

The structure of the agency as maintained on the system may be viewed or revised through this option. Up to 32 agencies and 32 branch offices per agency may be installed. Up to 32 departments may also be installed to span all agencies in the firm. One agency, one branch, and one department are automatically installed on the system. You may, however, revise this mandatory structure.

This document is separated into the following sections. Please read through them carefully and contact Applied Systems Accounting Support if you have questions about the process or implications of revising your agency structure.

• Organizational Structure
• What Should We Add: An Agency, Branch, or Department?
• View Agency Structure
• Revise Agency Structure
• Add an Item to the Agency Structure

Adding an agency, branch, or department to TAM is a simple process; however, there are many things to consider before entering these new divisions. Applied Systems suggests that you map the agency structure that you want on paper before revising your structure. This way, you have an idea of what you want the structure to look like before you make changes in the system.

Note: Once an agency, branch, or department is added in the system, it cannot be removed!

Organizational Structure

Agency

Agency code 1 is mandatory. You can define up to 32 agencies to reflect your organizational structure. Agency values are 1-9 and A-W. These are assigned in order by the system.

Branch

Branch code 1 is mandatory. For each agency, you can define up to 32 branches to reflect your organizational structure. Branch values are 1-9 and A-W. These are assigned in order by the system.

Department

Department code 1 is mandatory. You can define up to 32 departments to reflect your organizational structure. Department values are 1-9 and A-W. These are assigned in order by the system.

What Should We Add: An Agency, Branch, or Department?

Agency

Each agency is considered a separate legal entity in the system. You cannot make journal entries between agencies.

• The system replicates your entire Chart of Accounts for the new agency. You can add or change accounts for each agency manually.
• The agency name can be pulled into form letters, invoices, memos, and reports.
• You can have a different fiscal year for each agency. When you run Month-End, it closes the month for all agencies at the same time.
• You can have a separate Balance Sheet for each agency.
• You can restrict user security for selected agencies. When you add an agency, users with Administrator rights default with access.
• You cannot have an agency without a branch or department. One of each is added by default. These can be revised after adding the agency.

Branch

With a branch, you can track expenses for separate offices/locations.

• The system replicates your income and expense accounts for the new branch.
• Any account that exists in the agency will also exist for the associated branches; branches do not have a separate setup.
• The branch name can be pulled into ACORD forms, formletters, invoices, memos, and reports.
• You can produce a separate Income Statement for each branch.
• You can restrict user security for selected branches, but when you add a branch, users with Administrator rights have access by default.

Department

With a department, you can track your income based on lines of business. For example, you can have a separate department for personal lines, commercial lines, and any other lines of business.

• The system replicates your income and expense accounts for the new department.
• You can run separate Income Statements for each department.
• You can restrict user security for selected departments, but, when you add a department, users with Administrator rights have access by default.
• Policies (not customers) are assigned to departments.

View Agency Structure

1. At Home Base, click Utilities.
2. On the Utility Manager screen, open the Accounting folder.
3. Open the Setup folder and select Add, Revise, View Agency Structure.
4. Click the arrow to continue.
5. Select Install Agency Structure and click Next.
6. Highlight items in the treeview to view agency, branch, and department information in the fields on the right side of the screen.
7. Click Cancel to exit.

Revise Agency Information

1. At Home Base, click Utilities.
2. On the Utility Manager screen, open the Accounting folder.
3. Open the Setup folder and select Add, Revise, View Agency Structure.
4. Click the arrow to continue.
5. Select Install Agency Structure, then click Next.
6. Highlight the item in the treeview you want to revise and click Revise. The fields on the right side of the screen are enabled.
7. Revise the information in the fields.
8. When you are finished, click OK to save your changes.
9. Click Cancel to exit.

Add an Item to the Agency Structure

1. Have all users exit TAM.
2. Click Start > Programs > Applied Systems/Applied Utilities > Utility Manager.
   
   Note: TAMCloud clients should instead click Start > Programs > Applied Utilities > Utility Manager.
3. Sign into Utility Manager.
4. On the Utility Manager screen, open the Accounting folder.
5. Open the Setup folder and select Add, Revise, View Agency Structure.
6. Click the arrow to continue.
7. Click Install Agency Structure, then click Next.
8. Click Add.
9. On the Choose Item screen, select the item you want to add, and then click OK.
10. Enter information for the new agency, branch, or department into the enabled fields on the right side of the screen, and then click OK.
11. Click Cancel to exit.