1. Confirm the people and entities
Start with the practice client list. Check legal names, entity types, key contacts and any duplicate records before the group becomes the reference point for other work.
Record which person or entity is the primary contact for each job. A group name alone does not tell the team who can answer a question about a particular company or trust.
2. Draw the current relationship map
Map the people, companies and trusts as they are now. Label the relationships you can verify and leave uncertain connections for review rather than presenting a guess as fact.
If an adviser wants to discuss a new structure, keep a proposed view separate from the current record. That distinction makes the meeting easier to follow and avoids changing source information before a decision.
3. Link files and correspondence
Find the client folders in the firm’s document system and agree on the filing location for incoming correspondence, working papers and signed documents. Keep that document system as the source of truth.
Test the path from one active job to its relevant folder. If the next person needs several searches, the connection is not yet useful in practice.
4. Give the first recurring job an owner
Set up the next BAS, accounts or review job with an owner, due date and reviewer. Add the client context needed to start, including any group relationships that affect the work.
A manager should be able to answer three questions from the shared view: what is next, who owns it and what is waiting on the client.
5. Hand over by walking the path
Ask a second team member to open the group, find the current map, move to the active job and reach the supporting document. Their hesitation is a useful test of the setup.
Correct the few points that slow that handover. A small, dependable client-group view is worth more than a detailed diagram nobody trusts.
