How it runs for franchise owners
A LedgerBPO setup specialist builds or migrates the file, connects POS, bank, merchant and payroll feeds, writes bank rules for recurring drafts such as royalties and rent, and runs the first month in parallel before the old system is retired.
What is accounting software setup and migration?
Accounting software setup is the configuration of a new ledger: chart of accounts, tax codes, bank feeds, items, users and apps. Migration is moving existing books from another platform or spreadsheet into that ledger so history, open items and balances carry across. Both end with a file that agrees to the old records and is ready for live posting.
What we handle for franchise owners
- Franchisor chart of accounts loaded with a class or location per unit
- Sales items and tax codes mapped to the agreement's gross-sales definition
- Clearing accounts for each POS, processor and delivery platform
- Bank rules for royalty, ad-fund, rent and technology drafts by unit
- Historical balances migrated and the first month run in parallel
The KPI that matters here
Setup complete and the first parallel month closed within 30 days of access.
Franchises compliance notes
Franchisor royalty reporting
Your agreement defines gross sales for royalty purposes, and the definition often excludes sales tax and refunds but includes gift-card redemptions and delivery orders. We keep the ledger's sales accounts aligned to that definition so the weekly upload and the monthly royalty statement reconcile without manual adjustments. Any dispute is documented with POS exports the franchisor can trace.
Marketing-fund and local advertising reporting
Brand marketing-fund contributions are a separate percentage from royalties and many agreements also require a minimum local advertising spend, often 1 to 2% of gross sales, with proof on request. We track both in their own accounts and keep invoices attached so the annual attestation is a report, not a search.
Audit rights and record retention
Franchise agreements commonly allow the franchisor to inspect books and POS data, and to charge the audit cost to you if under-reporting exceeds a stated threshold, frequently 2 to 3%. Every sales entry carries its source document in LedgerDesk so an inspection can be answered from the file.
Multi-state sales tax and payroll
Units in different states carry different sales-tax rates, filing frequencies and payroll registrations. We track liabilities by unit and state, prepare the workings, and your registered preparer files; we do not file on your behalf.
Franchises software we work in
More for franchise owners
Other services for franchises
Software setup and migration in other industries
Frequently asked questions
Should a franchisee use QuickBooks Online Advanced or Xero?
Use whichever your franchisor mandates or supports; where you have a choice, QuickBooks Online Advanced offers classes and locations together plus custom reporting fields that suit multi-unit operators, while Xero's tracking categories work well for smaller groups. We set up either. The brand's reporting template and your CPA's preference usually settle the question.
Can you migrate books from a previous bookkeeper or system?
Yes, we export historical data from QuickBooks Desktop, Sage, spreadsheets or a prior online file, clean the chart of accounts to the brand standard, bring in opening balances by unit and reconcile them to bank statements before go-live. The old system stays available for reference. Your CPA signs off the opening balances before ongoing bookkeeping starts.
What integrations does a franchise setup include?
POS sales feeds from Toast, Square or your mandated system, merchant and delivery-platform clearing accounts, payroll mapping from Gusto, ADP or Paychex by unit, bill capture through Dext or Bill.com, and bank feeds for every account. Each integration is tested with real data during the parallel month, and the payment processor reconciliation service for franchise owners takes over from there.
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