Enabling and Setting Up Branches in HirePOS

This guide provides a complete checklist for enabling the Branches module and moving from a non-branch HirePOS setup to two or more operational branches.

It also includes a shorter process for adding another branch when branches are already in use.

Enabling the Branches module does not automatically move your existing items, stock or transactions into the branches you create.

Each new branch starts as an empty operational location. Existing records remain unassigned until they are allocated or updated.

If items and active transactions are not assigned correctly:

• Items may not appear available at the required branch.

• Incorrect availability or double-booking warnings may appear.

• Sales-stock quantities may be inaccurate.

• Purchases may update stock at the wrong location.

• Revenue and other branch reports may be incomplete.

• Maintenance and inspection availability may be misleading.

Once branch-based records are in use, returning HirePOS to its previous non-branch structure is difficult and may not completely restore the original behaviour.

Complete this process as a controlled cutover. If possible, choose a time when normal transaction entry and stock movement can be limited.

Use an unrestricted Administrator account for the setup and verification. A user restricted to one branch may be unable to see records that remain unassigned or belong to another branch.

Decide and prepare the following:

• The name and purpose of every initial branch

• Which branch represents the business’s original physical location

• Which branch will be the global default

• The physical location of every hire item and sales-stock quantity

• Each branch’s address and contact details

• Each branch’s ABN or NZBN, where applicable

• Each branch’s banking details

• Staff default branches

• User branch or state restrictions

• Xero tracking categories or MYOB jobs

• Branch-specific payment or integration settings

• How active bookings, invoices and other transactions will be allocated

• Whether completed historical records will remain under No Branch

• Whether HirePOS Support will be needed for bulk allocation

Record or export your existing item quantities and current transactions before starting. This provides a reference for checking the completed setup.

1. Go to Setup > Preferences > Modules.

2. Enable Branches.

3. Save the changes.

Enabling the module makes branch setup and branch fields available. It does not migrate any existing records.

1. Go to Setup > Branches.

2. Select New Branch.

3. Enter the branch name.

4. Enter a short branch code if it will be used for online-store, website-booking or API allocation.

5. Complete the branch address, phone and email details.

6. Enter the branch ABN or NZBN where applicable.

7. Enter branch banking details if documents for this branch should show a different bank account.

8. Configure any available accounting tracking, payment, SMS or delivery integration settings.

9. Save the branch.

10. Repeat for every initial operational location.

The first branch is not automatically the original business or a replacement for the previous non-branch level. If the business now operates from two locations, it will normally require two branch records.

Open the branch that should be used as the system-wide default and enable Default Branch.

Only one branch can be the global default.

The default helps prefill branch selections but does not move existing records into that branch.

1. Go to Setup > Staff.

2. Open a staff member.

3. Select the staff member’s Default Branch.

4. Save the changes.

5. Repeat for each relevant staff member.

A staff member’s default branch can be used when new invoices and purchase orders are created. It may take precedence over the global default branch.

Where a staff member is associated with a login user, ensure their email addresses match.

Do not enable user branch restrictions until the staff default branches have been checked.

A singular hire item has a Quantity For Hire of 1.

To allocate one manually:

1. Go to Setup > Items.

2. Open the item.

3. Select its branch from the Branch dropdown.

4. Save the item.

Repeat this for every singular hire item.

For a large number of singular items, the Items CSV importer can update them in bulk:

1. Prepare an Items CSV containing the item code and branch name.

2. Go to Setup > Items.

3. Select Options > Import Items CSV.

4. Match existing items using Item Code.

5. Map the branch column to Branch.

6. Preview and verify the updates before importing.

The branch value must match the branch name in HirePOS.

A bulk hire item has a Quantity For Hire greater than 1.

1. Go to Setup > Items.

2. Open the bulk hire item.

3. Open Branch Quantities or Serial Tracking beside Quantity For Hire.

4. Enter the quantity held at each branch.

5. If serial tracking is used, assign each serial-tracked unit to its branch.

6. Confirm that the combined branch quantities equal the item’s total Quantity For Hire.

7. Save the changes.

Repeat for every bulk hire item.

There is no standard direct CSV mapping for separate bulk hire quantities at each branch.

For a large item list, use the advanced custom-field preparation process and ask HirePOS Support to complete the branch allocation:

Import Bulk Hire Item Quantities by Branch

The process is not complete until HirePOS Support confirms that the temporary quantities have been moved into the Branch Quantities or Serial Tracking records and verified.

Stocked sales items require a separate stocktake quantity for each branch.

After all initial branches have been created:

1. Go to Setup > Branches.

2. Open a branch.

3. Enable Populate Branch Last Stocktake Dates/Qty’s on Save.

4. Save the branch.

This is normally a one-time setup process. Although the option is selected from one branch, it creates missing sales-stock records across the configured branches.

It does not copy or divide the previous business-wide stock quantity. Missing records are initialised with zero quantity, so a real branch stocktake is still required.

The option can also be useful later when many new sales items have been added without branch stocktake records. It does not replace existing stocktake records.

For each branch:

1. Physically count the sales stock held at the location.

2. Go to Setup > Sales Stocktake.

3. Select the branch.

4. Create a new stocktake.

5. Enter, scan or import the counted quantities.

6. Preview the stocktake.

7. Check the quantities and branch.

8. Select Commit All.

9. Repeat for the next branch.

Future invoices, received purchase orders, adjustments and transfers must use the correct branch for sales stock-on-hand figures to remain accurate.

Once hire items have been correctly allocated, assign the relevant current and future sales/hire records to their branches.

Prioritise:

• Current on-hire invoices and contracts

• Future bookings and reservations

• On-hold transactions with active dates

• Other non-cancelled records that currently or later reserve hire stock

• Quotes and estimates if Include Quotes is enabled for availability

To update a record:

1. Open the quote, booking, invoice or contract.

2. Select the correct branch.

3. Save the record.

4. Review its availability warnings.

Changing the invoice branch does not:

• Reassign its items

• Change associated payments

• Change maintenance or inspection records

• Create a branch transfer

The record will begin checking availability against the branch selected on it. If the required items have not been allocated to that branch, availability warnings may appear.

Credit notes do not consume hire availability.

Completed historical invoices do not have to be allocated before branches can be used.

Choose one of the following approaches.

This is generally acceptable if the business understands that:

• Earlier sales remain reported under No Branch.

• The history of the original physical location consists of its new branch activity plus the older No Branch activity.

• New transactions must be consistently assigned to branches.

HirePOS Support can bulk-allocate existing records to one nominated branch. This can make historical reporting for the original location easier.

This is a broad bulk update and is not intended for selectively dividing individual historical transactions among several branches. Contact HirePOS Support to discuss the required scope and allow time for the update.

Purchase orders should be assigned to the branch receiving the stock.

Review:

• Open purchase orders

• Partially received purchase orders

• Recently received purchase orders where stock levels must be attributed correctly

Be careful when changing the branch on a purchase order that has already received sales items. Changing the branch moves the associated received-stock effect from the previous branch to the new branch.

For example, changing a purchase order containing four received items from Branch A to Branch B reduces Branch A’s calculated stock by four and increases Branch B’s stock by four.

Confirm where the stock was physically received before changing the branch.

Payments have their own branch and are not automatically tied to the invoice branch.

An invoice for Branch A can legitimately have a payment recorded against Branch B, such as when the customer pays at a different physical location.

Changing an invoice’s branch does not change its payments.

Review existing payments where branch reporting is important. New payments may default to the logged-in user’s staff branch, but users should still check the branch before saving.

If separate PIN Payments accounts are used for different branches, review the dedicated Branch-Specific PIN Payments Accounts guide before processing or storing cards.

Active maintenance records and unfinished inspection checklists can affect item availability.

Prioritise records that are:

• Currently active

• Pending with no confirmed finish date

• Scheduled for future dates

• Associated with items required for upcoming bookings

Older completed maintenance and inspection records can generally be reviewed or cleaned up later if required for branch reporting.

For bulk hire items, check that the maintenance Service Branch or Inspection Branch matches the location whose availability should be affected.

For singular hire items, active maintenance or inspections can affect the item’s availability regardless of the branch selected on the maintenance or inspection record.

After branch defaults, stock allocations and active records have been reviewed:

1. Go to Setup > Preferences > Restrictions.

2. Enable the required branch settings for:

   • Invoices and related sales/hire records

   • Payments

   • Purchase orders

   • Maintenance and inspections

3. Save the changes.

These restrictions prevent new records from being saved without a branch.

If sales stock is physically managed by location, ensure Disable Sales Stock Control at Branch Level is not enabled under the miscellaneous preferences.

After each staff member’s default branch has been confirmed:

1. Go to Setup > Preferences > Users.

2. Open the required user.

3. Enable the restriction to the user’s default branch or state.

4. Save the changes.

5. Ask the user to log out and back in.

Restricted users may be unable to see unassigned records or records belonging to other branches. Use an unrestricted Administrator account for final migration checks.

Do not assume the setup is complete because the branches and visible stock quantities look correct.

1. Go to Sales/Hire > Find Sales/Hire.

2. Use the cog menu to display the Branch column.

3. Use a suitable date range.

4. Sort or filter the Branch column.

5. Review records with a blank branch.

6. Confirm that all current and future availability-affecting records are assigned correctly.

1. Go to Setup > Items.

2. Display the Branch column.

3. Sort or filter the list.

4. Review singular hire items without a branch.

There is no complete standard report showing all bulk hire quantities that remain unassigned.

Ask HirePOS Support to reconcile each item’s total Quantity For Hire against the quantities allocated to branches, particularly after a large migration.

The Hire Stocktake screen only shows stock already allocated to the selected branch. It cannot confirm that every bulk quantity has been allocated somewhere.

Run the applicable sales-stock-on-hand reports by branch and compare the results with the physical quantities at each location.

1. Go to Home > Payments > Find Payments.

2. Clear the Branch filter.

3. Select a sufficiently broad date range.

4. Sort the displayed Branch column.

5. Review payments with a blank branch.

Run Reports > Purchase Orders > Purchase Orders by Branch.

Purchase orders without a branch appear in a blank branch group.

1. Go to Home > Maintenance Records.

2. Clear the Service Branch filter.

3. Sort the Branch column.

4. Review active records with a blank branch.

There is no reliable standard aggregate screen for finding every inspection checklist without an Inspection Branch. Ask HirePOS Support for assistance if existing inspections require a complete reconciliation.

Before completing the cutover:

• Create or inspect a booking for each branch.

• Confirm that it checks the correct branch’s hire availability.

• Test a known double-booking scenario.

• Preview an invoice or quote for each branch.

• Confirm the branch name, address, ABN/NZBN and banking details.

• Check any custom invoice, quote or docket templates.

• Confirm that purchase orders use the correct branch.

• Confirm that sales-stock quantities change at the correct branch.

• Check payment branch defaults.

• Test General user branch restrictions.

• Run hire stock, sales stock and sales reports by branch.

Correct any unexpected results before normal processing resumes.

When adding a branch to an existing multi-branch HirePOS setup:

1. Plan the new branch and its required details.

2. Create the branch.

3. Configure its identity, banking, accounting and integration settings.

4. Assign relevant staff and configure user access.

5. Use Branch Transfers to move existing hire or sales stock from another branch.

6. Allocate any newly created bulk hire quantities.

7. Establish the branch’s sales-stock opening quantities.

8. Assign relevant bookings, invoices and purchase orders.

9. Enable or confirm branch-required restrictions.

10. Test documents, availability, payments, stock and reporting.

Use Branch Transfers when existing physical stock moves between established branches. This preserves the movement history instead of simply replacing the previous branch allocation.

Depending on the features your business uses, also review:

• Xero tracking categories

• MYOB jobs or tracking categories

• Branch-specific PIN Payments accounts

• Bank accounts and payment defaults

• Online store branch filtering

• Website bookings and API branch codes

• SMS settings

• Delivery integrations

• Custom reports and document templates

• Reminder branches

Maintenance reminders have an independent Reminder Branch. A new reminder defaults to the logged-in user’s staff branch, not the maintenance record’s Service Branch. Check the Reminder Branch when creating reminders for work at another location.

After setup:

• Check the branch on new transactions.

• Receive purchases into the correct branch.

• Use Branch Transfers when stock physically moves.

• Keep staff defaults and user restrictions current.

• Review branch stock and sales reports regularly.

• Check branch allocation when troubleshooting availability or stock discrepancies.

A consistent branch selection process is essential for reliable availability, stock control and reporting.