{"id":29763,"date":"2026-04-22T17:03:01","date_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:03:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/?p=29763"},"modified":"2026-04-22T17:03:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T16:03:03","slug":"franchise-accounting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/franchise-accounting\/","title":{"rendered":"Franchise accounting: An in-depth guide"},"content":{"rendered":"<header class=\"entry-header has-dark-background-color entry-header--standard entry-header--has-illustration entry-header--has-illustration--standard\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__row row align-center\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-lg-7 col-xlg-6 entry-header__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"component component-single-header\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-header__misc text--subtitle text--uppercase text--small\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/category\/money-matters\/\" class=\"entry-header__link\">Money Matters<\/a>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"entry-title-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"entry-title\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFranchise accounting: An in-depth guide\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"entry-header__description\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tBuying into an established business model clearly has benefits. However, whilst much of the franchise model is pre-decided, that doesn&#8217;t mean the bookkeeping side is on autopilot.\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"single-post-details container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-04-22T17:03:01+01:00\">22 April, 2026<\/time><\/span><span class=\"reading-time\"> min read<\/span>\n\t\t<button\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\tclass=\"social-share-button button button--icon button--secondary js-social-share-button\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-title=\"Franchise accounting: An in-depth guide\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-url=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/franchise-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\tdata-share-text=\"Please read this interesting article\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__share-label\">Share<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-label\" hidden>Copy Link<\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"social-share-button__copy-tooltip\" aria-hidden=\"true\" hidden>Copied<\/span>\n\t\t<\/button>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t<\/header>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author has-dark-background-color alignfull\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"co-authors\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"entry-author-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"entry-author\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/author\/laurencematone\/\">\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"40\" height=\"40\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2026\/03\/Profile_LM-350x350.jpeg\" class=\"entry-author__image\" alt=\"Laurence Matone\" \/>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"entry-author__name\">Laurence Matone<\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchise model comes with unique financial challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are royalties and fees to consider, and an operational separation between the franchisor and franchisee that doesn&#8217;t occur in regular business models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A proper understanding of these dynamics will help you stay on top of financial processes and maintain transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both franchisor and franchisee can benefit in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s explore what makes franchise accounting different from other multi-entity corporate structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Here&#8217;s what we&#8217;ll cover:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><ul><li><a href=\"#h-how-does-the-franchise-model-work\" data-level=\"2\">How does the franchise model work?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-is-franchise-accounting\" data-level=\"2\">What is franchise accounting?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-what-are-the-main-franchisor-accounting-challenges\" data-level=\"2\">What are the main franchisor accounting challenges?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-benefits-of-the-franchise-model\" data-level=\"2\">Benefits of the franchise model<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-franchise-accounting-isn-t-the-same-as-managing-subsidiaries\" data-level=\"2\">Why franchise accounting isn&#8217;t the same as managing subsidiaries<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-the-importance-of-software-for-franchise-accounting\" data-level=\"2\">The importance of software for franchise accounting<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-mastering-franchise-accounting-for-long-term-success\" data-level=\"2\">Mastering franchise accounting for long-term success<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-how-does-the-franchise-model-work\"><strong>How does the franchise model work?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A franchise model is a business strategy where a company (the franchisor) grants individuals or groups (the franchisees) the rights to operate a business under its brand, using its established business model, products, and services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well-known examples of franchise businesses are McDonald&#8217;s, Subway, KFC, Costa Coffee, Greggs, Specsavers, and Domino&#8217;s Pizza.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchise model involves various fees and obligations that support both parties in maintaining a successful business relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s a quick run-through of the main components:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-initial-franchise-fee\"><strong>Initial franchise fee<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchisees typically pay a one-time payment to the franchisor, securing their right to operate the business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This includes the right to use the franchisor&#8217;s brand name, access to the business model, initial training, and setup of the franchise location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The value of the fee varies widely depending on the brand, industry, and market potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-franchise-royalties\"><strong>Franchise royalties<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Royalty fees are regular payments made by the franchisee to help cover the franchisor&#8217;s ongoing support, such as marketing, brand development, and system-wide innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They finance efforts to maintain and grow the brand, which ultimately benefits the franchisees using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Royalties are usually a percentage of the franchise&#8217;s gross sales or, in some cases, a flat fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-territorial-rights\"><strong>Territorial rights<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Restricting the franchisee to a specific area prevents oversaturation of the market, as the presence of one outlet too close to another could reduce profitability for both.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, it protects each franchisee from direct competition by the same brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-brand-standards-and-guidelines\"><strong>Brand standards and guidelines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchisors enforce specific rules and guidelines that franchisees must follow to maintain brand consistency and quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This will typically include branding standards such as logo usage, store design, and marketing materials, as well as rules on product quality, customer service protocols, and cleanliness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-is-franchise-accounting\"><strong>What is franchise accounting?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise accounting refers to the process of managing financial transactions and records of a franchise business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The definition is straightforward enough, but accounting for franchise operations means dealing with a range of unique revenue streams, like initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and advertising contributions from franchisees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As you can imagine, this significantly impacts the accounting processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, revenue tied to the franchise agreements needs to be recognised, and shared costs between the franchisor and franchisees need to be allocated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another important aspect of franchise accounting is that part of your financial data becomes decentralised, which adds a layer of complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There will be multiple franchise locations\u2014each with its own income and outgoings\u2014to consider when tracking and consolidating financial data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Accounting standards include specific rules for the franchise model, particularly around reporting franchise-related revenue and expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, if you&#8217;re involved in franchise accounting, you&#8217;ll need to take a different approach to comply with standards like UK GAAP or IFRS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It also means you may need franchise accounting software tailored to franchise operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider a solution that integrates seamlessly with the different accounting methods or platforms used by the various businesses in the franchise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-what-are-the-main-franchisor-accounting-challenges\"><strong>What are the main franchisor accounting challenges?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As the franchisor, you bear the brunt of the added accounting complexity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s break down the main challenges:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-revenue-recognition\"><strong>Revenue recognition<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The challenge here is mainly one of timing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You have to administrate payments from multiple external sources, including initial franchise fees, ongoing royalties, and other revenue streams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This increases the risk of errors and delays when tracking and recording entries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-compliance-with-financial-reporting-standards\"><strong>Compliance with financial reporting standards<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Standards like UK GAAP or IFRS have specific guidelines for reporting franchise-related revenues and expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There may also be tax implications that differ from traditional models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-expense-allocation\"><strong>Expense allocation<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As a franchisor, you will need to allocate costs accurately between franchise development, training, and marketing support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You must also distinguish between shared costs and those specific to you and your franchisee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Missteps here can lead to financial inaccuracies and strained relationships with your partners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-disputes\"><strong>Disputes<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ll want to make sure you have clear contracts and effective dispute resolution mechanisms to prevent discrepancies over things like royalty calculations and cost-sharing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-of-the-franchise-model\"><strong>Benefits of the franchise model<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t let the complexity put you off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The model has a strong foothold in the business landscape, which can only mean that both franchisors and franchisees find it appealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s quickly go through some of the reasons why:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-for-the-franchisor\"><strong>Benefits for the franchisor<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-rapid-expansion\"><strong>1. Rapid expansion<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Each new franchisee helps you expand quickly without the need for significant capital investment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchisees take on the cost of setting up and operating new outlets. And if multiple franchisees launch simultaneously, the market penetration of your brand is greatly accelerated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-increased-revenue\"><strong>2. Increased revenue<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You can quickly generate revenue through the initial franchise fees, ongoing royalty payments, and rapid sales growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The recurring fees provide a steady income stream that supports business growth, innovation, and marketing efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-economies-of-scale\"><strong>3. Economies of scale<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As your franchise network grows, you can leverage bulk purchasing and shared resources to cater for multiple franchisees, getting more for your money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bulk ordering will also help you negotiate better terms with suppliers, reducing marketing expenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-franchisee-s-local-knowledge\"><strong>4. Franchisee&#8217;s local knowledge<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Your brand offering often needs to be adapted to satisfy regional preferences and cultural nuances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchisees automatically take care of that, bringing valuable local knowledge and community connections that would otherwise take you years to accumulate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-5-reduced-operational-burden\"><strong>5. Reduced operational burden<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The franchisee can manage operational tasks such as hiring staff, training their teams, and managing inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, you&#8217;re freed up to focus on strategic initiatives, such as brand development, research and development, and supporting the overall network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-6-risk-mitigation\"><strong>6. Risk mitigation<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Because franchisees invest their own capital in opening and running their locations, you are less exposed to the financial risks associated with each new outlet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, this model distributes business risk across the network, making your overall operation less vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-benefits-for-the-franchisee\"><strong>Benefits for the franchisee<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-proven-business-model\"><strong>1. Proven business model<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As a franchisee, you&#8217;ll have instant access to a tested and proven business model, reducing the uncertainty and trial-and-error often associated with new ventures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This established framework includes everything from operational processes to customer service protocols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-2-brand-recognition\"><strong>2. Brand recognition<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You can leverage the franchise&#8217;s existing brand reputation and customer base from day one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This instant brand recognition provides a competitive advantage and a faster path to profitability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-3-training-and-support\"><strong>3. Training and support<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchisors typically provide training in areas like operations, product knowledge, and customer service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes this is complemented with ongoing support in marketing, technology, and business development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-4-easier-financing\"><strong>4. Easier financing<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Lenders are often more willing to provide financing to franchisees due to the reduced risk associated with a proven business model and established brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your franchisor may also have prior relationships with financial institutions, saving you the trouble of negotiating favourable loan terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-why-franchise-accounting-isn-t-the-same-as-managing-subsidiaries\"><strong>Why franchise accounting isn&#8217;t the same as managing subsidiaries<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise accounting is just one example of multi-entity accounting, which can include models like parent-subsidiary relationships, Joint Ventures (JVs), and branches or divisions within a group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within that list, the JV model is the one closest to the franchise model, as both involve contractual relationships between two independent parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But even then, there are some major differences:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-profit-vs-revenue-sharing\"><strong>Profit vs. revenue sharing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the JV model, partners divide profits (or losses) based on their ownership stake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the franchise model, each party measures the direct value of the relationship in terms of revenue, which for the franchisor includes fees and royalties from the franchisee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-risk-distribution\"><strong>Risk distribution<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>JV partners share risk in proportion to their respective share of the venture. But in a franchise, the franchisee typically takes most of the operational risk, with the franchisor focusing on brand support and system-wide growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the case of subsidiaries, branches and divisions, these are all &#8220;internal&#8221; entities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As such, the parent can dictate the financial practices each unit must follow (something a franchisor can&#8217;t do with a franchise partner).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, there may be transactions between these internal entities and the parent company, or between sister entities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The parent has to make sure money entering the organisation is not counted every time it is transferred internally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, each of these internal entities can rely on the parent company&#8217;s accounting and financial management systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise partners don&#8217;t have that benefit and must manage compliance and reporting on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-the-importance-of-software-for-franchise-accounting\"><strong>The importance of software for franchise accounting<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can streamline accounting for franchise business operations with software that automates processes and generates consistent financial reporting across multiple locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A good solution will help you manage royalties and fees, tracking and processing the periodic payments from each franchisee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These solutions are primarily of benefit to franchisors and owners of the entire operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But they can also be invaluable tools for franchise bookkeeping, helping simplify and automate financial processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Choosing the franchise model is a leap of faith for franchisors and franchisees alike.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But managing the financial side of your business accurately and transparently is significantly easier with dynamic franchise accounting software.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider financial solutions that integrate easily with other systems, like your CRM and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/sage-business-cloud\/sage-accounting\/features\/stock-management\/\">inventory management software<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That way, you&#8217;ll ensure seamless data flow across your operations, giving you real-time insights and enhancing decision-making processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-mastering-franchise-accounting-for-long-term-success\"><strong>Mastering franchise accounting for long-term success<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Franchise accounting is a unique and relatively complex subset of multi-entity accounting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The distinguishing feature compared to the standard corporate model is that it involves interactions with a partner outside of your organisation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It comes with specific financial challenges and requirements, such as royalties and franchise-based regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it&#8217;s a well-established business model that can be mutually beneficial for franchisors and franchisees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Both parties can take advantage of specialised tools and expert guidance to help ensure smooth business operations and profitable outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n<section class=\"more-topics alignfull has-grey-light-background-color wp-block-sage-post-topics\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-4\">\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"more-topics__title h2\">Browse more topics from this article<\/h3>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12 col-lg-8\">\n\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"post-tags__list\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-finances\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness finances\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-performance\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness performance\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/business-support\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tBusiness support\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/financial-education\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFinancial education\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"post-tags__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/tag\/midsized-business\/\" class=\"post-tags__link button button--secondary\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMidsized business\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n<div class=\"alignfull wp-block-sage-related-posts\">\n\t<section class=\"related-posts card-grid has-dark-background-color\">\n\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--featured h1\">Explore more wisdom<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-0 post-15795 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-accountant-accounting tag-accountant-automation tag-brexit-business tag-business-finances business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business card-post--is-clickable\"\n>\n\t<div class=\"card-post__media-wrapper\">\n\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1440\" height=\"810\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-1440x810.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"man in office\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/08\/GettyImages-1325244864-1-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"card-post__content\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__label\">Recommended<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T15:28:18+01:00\">2 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__title-link\"\n\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/what-is-account-reconciliation\/\"\n\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tAccount reconciliation: What it is and best practices\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"card-post__description\">\n\t\t\t\tAn important account reconciliation guide including the basics, best practices, and why account reconciliation is essential for businesses.\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row related-posts__non-featured\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"related-posts__heading related-posts__heading--more h4\">More on this Topic<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-1 post-30300 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-financial-education business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business industry-food-beverage\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/ultimate-guide-to-restaurant-accounting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2022\/04\/GettyImages-1330025921-1440x810.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T12:04:35+01:00\">2 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">12 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tRestaurant accounting: The essential guide\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-2 post-30293 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-money-matters tag-bookkeeping tag-financial-education business_type-small-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/subledger-vs-general-ledger\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1385092066-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-06-02T10:49:02+01:00\">2 June, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">9 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tSubledger vs general ledger: Key differences made clear and why they matter\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-3 post-30283 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-strategy-legal-operations tag-business-finances tag-financial-education business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/strategic-budgeting\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-768x478.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-944060494-1300x810.jpg 1300w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-27T15:12:53+01:00\">27 May, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">10 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tStrategic budgeting explained: the finance team&#8217;s role in long-term planning\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col col-6 col-lg-3 card-grid__item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<article\n\t\tclass=\"card-post related-post related-post-4 post-30275 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-growth-customers category-money-matters category-strategy-legal-operations tag-grow-business tag-inventory tag-midsized-business tag-performance-management tag-supply-chain business_type-small-business business_type-medium-sized-business\"\n>\n\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\tclass=\"card-post__link\"\n\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/sales-order-management\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t<figure class=\"card-post__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"684\" height=\"384\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-684x384.jpg\" class=\"card-post__image\" alt=\"\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-684x384.jpg 684w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-981641138-1215x810.jpg 1215w\" sizes=\"auto, (min-width: 48em) 250px, (min-width: 30em) 100vw, 100vw\" \/>\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"card-post__meta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"posted-on \"><time class=\"entry-date published\" datetime=\"2026-05-27T14:12:06+01:00\">27 May, 2026<\/time><\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"card-post__meta-text\"><span class=\"reading-time\">7 min read<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<p class=\"card-post__title h5\">\n\t\t\tWhat is sales order management: How to optimise sales order processing\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t<\/article>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Buying into an established business model clearly has benefits. However, whilst much of the franchise model is pre-decided, that doesn&#8217;t mean the bookkeeping side is on autopilot.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1911,"featured_media":16304,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sage_video":false,"post_featured_image_hide":false,"sage_hide_published_date":false,"sage_hide_read_time":false,"sage_hide_share_buttons":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[135,180,124,127,159],"business_type":[4,3],"lilypad":[],"context":[],"industry":[],"persona":[71,73,74,75],"imagine_tag":[91],"coauthors":[752],"class_list":["post-29763","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-money-matters","tag-business-finances","tag-business-performance","tag-business-support","tag-financial-education","tag-midsized-business","business_type-small-business","business_type-medium-sized-business"],"sage_meta":{"region":"en-gb","author_name":"Laurence Matone","featured_image":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/10\/2023\/09\/GettyImages-1355237717.jpg","imagine_tags":{"91":"Growing business"}},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Sage Advice UK","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29763","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/1911"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29763"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29763\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29767,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29763\/revisions\/29767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/16304"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29763"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"business_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/business_type?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"lilypad","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/lilypad?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"context","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/context?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"industry","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/industry?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"persona","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/persona?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"imagine_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/imagine_tag?post=29763"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sage.com\/en-gb\/blog\/api\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=29763"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}