Agency Configuration

Agency configuration is used to configure various aspects of an agency and its agents.

Access

To access a the configuration page for a particular agency select it from the 'Adviser groups' (agencies) menu.

Agency Bindings

A product provider will typically use an identifying ID/code within their files to identify an agency. For any agency that identifying ID will typically be different for each product provider. It is therefore necessary to perform a once of 'binding configuration' for each agency/product provider combination.

These are known as 'Product provider bindings' and are configured by clicking on the button of the same name in the agency configuration screen. A dialog box will appear allowing the user to add/edit/delete bindings between the agency and various product providers.

When processing a file, if a 'rectifiable issue' is raised it is usually caused by either a missing agency binding or a missing agent binding. If it is a missing agency binding then copy the identifying ID from the message and create a new agency binding for the appropriate product provider and paste the identifying ID into the 'Agency ID' field.

Agents and Agent Bindings

Ageny bindings are similar to Agency bindings but they occur at the level of the agent.
Sometimes an agent binding issue may be for an agent that has not yet been created so a new agent must be created. If an agent binding issue is for an existing agent then a new binding needs to be created for that agent. Simply click on 'Bindings' button in that agent's row to add a new binding for the agent/product provider.

Creating a new Agent

To create a new Agent:

1. Click 'Create new person'
2. Fill in the details of the new person. First and last name fields are mandatory. Email address will be useful if available.
3. Click Save.
4. Locate the newly created row for the new person and click on the 'Roles' button on the right of that row.
5. Click 'Add role' and choose 'Financial adviser' from the drop down list then press Save.

You have now created a new person with the 'Financial adviser' role. You will notice that there is a 'Bindings' button and a commissions button ("CM:") on the same row.
The 'Bindings' button is used as described above in 'Agents and Agent Bindings'.
The 'CM:' commissions button is used to set specific agent commissions if defaulting to the agency's default commission rate is not applicable. The agency's default commission is 100% but this can be changed.