Operating Unit
An Operating Unit (OU) represents a business unit or office (e.g., Corporate HQ, Regional Office, Franchisee, Warehouse). Define OUs, assign users, enforce data access by hierarchy, and control external API visibility.
Prerequisites
- Admin role (only Admins can create or edit OUs).
- An active subscription plan that includes multiple OUs (OU count limits are defined by your package).
- Corporate OU should exist (or be created first) if you plan a hierarchical structure.
Create an Operating Unit
- Go to System Settings → Organization → Operating Units.
- Click New Operating Unit.
- Complete the fields (Unique Code, Name, Type, Address, Contact details, etc.).
- If this is the top-level entity, set Type = Corporate OU.
- (Optional) Choose a Parent OU to place this OU in the hierarchy.
- Set Public Visible based on whether this OU’s details should be exposed via REST API to external consumers.
- Click Save to create the OU.
Tip: Use a short, standardized Unique Code (e.g., HQ, DXB, YYZ-WH1) to simplify filters, imports, and API calls.
Field Reference
| Field | Required | Description | Examples / Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unique Code | Yes | Short identifier for the OU. | DXB, TORWHI, NEWARK |
| Name | Yes | Display name of the OU. | “Corporate HQ”, “Dubai Regional Office”, “Toronto Warehouse 1” |
| Type | Yes | Defines the OU category and position in hierarchy. | Corporate OU (top level), Regional Office, Franchisee, Warehouse, etc. |
| Parent OU | No | Places the OU under another OU (for hierarchy & access). | Set only if not Corporate OU. |
| Address | No | Street, city, state/province, zip/postal, country. | Used on documents and for localization. |
| Phone | No | Primary contact number. | Include country code. |
| No | Primary contact email. | Used for notifications, documents, and API returns. | |
| Public Visible | Conditional | Controls whether OU details are exposed to external REST APIs. | On=visible to external API; Off=internal only. |
| Status | Yes | Active/Inactive toggle; inactive OUs cannot be selected in transactions. | Use deactivate for seasonal closures or consolidation. |
Hierarchy & Data Access
- Corporate OU is the root (top of hierarchy) and can access data for all OUs beneath it.
- OUs are hierarchical: a higher-level OU can access data of its descendant OUs.
- Use hierarchy to segment operations (e.g., country → region → warehouse) while preserving consolidated reporting at the top.
Important: Changing an OU’s parent affects visibility and reporting rollups. Review user access and integrations after re-parenting.
Assign Users to an OU
- Open System Settings → Users & Access → Users.
- Select a user and open the Organization / OU tab.
- Choose the user’s Primary OU and any Additional OUs if applicable.
- Save changes. The user’s data access now follows OU hierarchy + assigned roles.
Tip: Combine OU assignment with role-based permissions for granular control (e.g., Warehouse Manager vs. Read-only Auditor).
Activate / Deactivate an OU
- Go to System Settings → Operating Units and open the target OU.
- Toggle Status to Inactive to prevent new transactions and selection.
- Review dependent objects (users, locations, rate cards, workflows) and reassign as needed.
- Click Save.
Troubleshooting
“Cannot create another OU”
Your subscription package may limit the maximum OU count. Check Billing & Subscription for limits or upgrade your plan.
“User cannot see data for a child OU”
Confirm the user is in a parent OU (or explicitly assigned), has the correct role, and that the child OU is Active.
“OU details appear in external API when they shouldn’t”
Set Public Visible to Off (internal only) and clear any cached responses in downstream systems.
FAQs
- Who can create or edit OUs?
- Only users with the Admin role.
- How does “Public Visible” affect APIs?
- When enabled, this OU’s metadata (e.g., code, name, contact) can be returned by the platform’s REST APIs to authorized external clients.
- Can I move an OU under a different parent?
- Yes. Re-parenting updates hierarchy and thus data visibility and rollups—review user access and integrations afterward.
- What happens when I deactivate an OU?
- It becomes unavailable for new transactions and selection. Historical records remain for audit and reporting.