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An Admin or System Admin can add a new entity to FloQast from the Admin Settings (Gear Icon). There are two different methods to add new entities.
1. Entity Setup Wizard
The easiest way to create an entity in FloQast is to use the guided Entity Setup Wizard. This can be opened from the Entities page in your Admin Settings by clicking Add Entity.
This will open up the Entity Setup Wizard, which will walk you through entity creation step by step.
The first step is to fill in the entity's details:
- Entity Name: This will be the name that is displayed in FloQast for the new entity. A corresponding folder will be built in your Cloud Storage underneath your root FloQast folder. It will be named FQ - Entity Name. Please note that certain special characters are prohibited from your entity name. Your new entity name should also be unique from any pre-existing entity names.
- Workflow: You can select which of your workflows you would like this entity to be placed in.
- Frequency: You can select if you would like this entity's folders to be created on a Monthly or Quarterly basis. Please note that Quarterly is only available for entities in a Non-Close Workflow.
- Year End: This is the fiscal year-end of the new entity. The FYE of your other entity(s) will be filled in here, but you may change it if this new entity differs.
- Start Period: This will be the first month created in FloQast (and cloud storage) for this entity. You may back-date your entity up to 2 years. You may not future-date the entity (i.e. if you wanted your entity to begin in some future month, you would need to revisit the Admin Settings and create your entity at that time)
- Calendar Type: This will be the calendar type your entity uses; you can choose from the Standard Calendar, the Non-Close Calendar, or Retail Calendar. This article breaks down the calendar settings in more detail.
Next is the new entity's Integration Settings. Here, if you are connected to multiple ERPs, you can select the Integration you would like the new entity to use. It will also show you the date of the most recent sync with your Cloud Storage provider, as well as the account synced with FloQast.
After that, you will be taken to the step of applying a template for your entity.
If needed, you can click View Templates to get started, where FloQast has provided a set of mapping documents for your convenience.
You can choose one of our Best Practice Templates, download a blank template to fill out, or download the template from one of your existing entities. If needed, here is a helpful article covering the Mapping Document process in detail.
Once you select a template, you can upload that file and FloQast will pull in the folders, Checklist Items and Reconciliations.
Finally, you will be able to review all of this information, as well as the folders, the users who will have access to the entity, and the amount of Checklist Items and Reconciliations being created, and then you can finish your new entity.
At this point, the entity creation will run in the background, and FloQast will alert you when complete.
2. From an existing Entity's Settings
The other method is to make the entity manually from another Entity's settings, not using the guided setup wizard. Once in the Admin Settings, select Entities, click Manage to the right of one of your existing entities and then scroll down to the Add New Entity Section.
You will be asked to fill in multiple fields:
- Entity Name: This will be the name that is displayed in FloQast for the new entity. A corresponding folder will be built in your Cloud Storage underneath your root FloQast folder. It will be named FQ - Entity Name. Please note that certain special characters are prohibited from your entity name. Your new entity name should also be unique from any pre-existing entity names.
- Workflow: You can select which of your workflows you would like this entity to be placed in.
- Frequency: You can select if you would like this entity's folders to be created on a Monthly or Quarterly basis. Please note that Quarterly is only available for entities in a Non-Close Workflow.
- Year End: This is the fiscal year-end of the new entity. The FYE of your other entity(s) will be filled in here, but you may change it if this new entity differs.
- Start Period: This will be the first month created in FloQast (and cloud storage) for this entity. You may back-date your entity up to 2 years. You may not future-date the entity (i.e. if you wanted your entity to begin in some future month, you would need to revisit the Admin Settings and create your entity at that time)
- Calendar Type: This will be the calendar type your entity uses; you can choose from the Standard Calendar, the Non-Close Calendar, or Retail Calendar. This article breaks down the calendar settings in more detail.
After that, you can click Create New Entity, upload your Mapping Document, and your new entity will be created.
What ERP Settings will my new entity inherit?
Your new entity will inherit the ERP of the entity that you are currently viewing. When you are on the Manage Entities page, you will always be clicked onto one entity in particular. If you are viewing an entity connected to NetSuite ID 12345, the new entity will be connected to NetSuite ID 12345. The same goes for Intacct. In most cases, this is perfect- you will want your new entity to inherit your existing connection to NetSuite/Intacct.
What if I upload my TB manually?
If you manually upload your Trial Balance to FloQast (or rely on FloQast Connect to deliver your Trial Balance to FloQast) then your new entity will be considered a "TB Upload" entity. FloQast has written a special script to read the format of the Chart of Accounts and Trial Balance that you provide via Excel/CSV. When you create a new entity, it will inherit the script of the entity you are viewing and therefore your COA/TB format will be expected to mirror those files of the existing entity. This can be easily updated if the new format differs- please contact support@floqast.com and provide redacted files for formatting.
What if I use QBO or have an Intacct Console Setup?
If you use QBO, have an Intacct Console setup with multiple clients, or generally need to add a new entity with a brand new ERP connection, you may choose the "Select Different Credentials" button and choose the ERP desired. The UI will include a new section to enter your new ERP credentials:
Can I base my new entity on an existing entity?
Absolutely! You will specify the folders, checklist items, and reconciliations for your new entity by using a Mapping Document. The Mapping Document can be made completely from scratch. But it can also be configured to mirror an existing entity. The Mapping Document is essentially a side-by-side combination of your Checklist Template and Reconciliation Template, which are exportable via the Manage Checklist and Manage Reconciliations tabs, respectively.
What must be included on a Mapping Document for the upload to succeed?
You will need at least one folder, one checklist item, and a frequency specified for that checklist item. Anything less than that (i.e. a blank template) will result in an error creating your entity.
Can I include reconciliations on the Mapping Document?
Yes, if you rely on one of our ERP integrations (NetSuite, Intacct, or QBO) then you may include reconciliations on your initial upload. This is because we have your Chart of Accounts on file from the integration.
If you are a TB Upload client, then reconciliations will NOT be recognized from your mapping document. This is because we do not have your Chart of Accounts on file until you upload it to FloQast. After this has been uploaded, you may import reconciliations or add them individually using the Add Account drop-down menu.
Who gets access to new entities?
The following individuals will inherit access to the new entity: The Admin/System Admin that created it, any user whose email appears as a preparer/reviewer on the Mapping Document, and the person indicated as the "First User/Main Admin" from your original setup. If someone needs access but does not fit these qualifications, you can always edit the Entity Assignments on the Manage Teams page!