---
key: create-a-branch
title: Create a branch
audience: staff
section: administration
routes: ["/settings/org/branches", "/settings/org/branches/context"]
permissions: ["branches.read"]
features: ["settings.org.branches"]
since: 0.0.1
updated: 0.0.1
status: published
summary: Add a branch for each location that owns its own work and staff, give it a code, colour and capabilities, then pick the default, archive or restore it.
keywords: [location, office, depot, second shop, multi-location, franchise, branch code, default branch, archive branch]
related: [give-a-team-member-branch-access, choose-the-branch-for-work, set-how-records-are-numbered, set-the-address-search-area]
---

In the sidebar, open **Administration**, then choose **Branches** under **Company**. The page address is `/settings/org/branches`.

A branch is a company location that owns its own work and staff. Each work order, project, task, booking, quote, invoice, payment, time entry and mileage trip belongs to one branch of its own. A customer's branch is only their home branch: it is the starting point for new work, and a customer from one branch can still have work done by another. See [[choose-the-branch-for-work]].

## Before you start

- Anyone whose role can read branches can open the page. Creating, editing, archiving and restoring are separate permissions; ask your admin if a button is missing.
- If the page says "This feature is disabled by organization entitlements.", your plan does not include branches, so everything belongs to your one location.
- Whether work is split by branch at all is part of your plan too. When it is off, everything lives on the default branch and nobody sees a branch picker on their work.

## Steps

1. On the **Branch list** tab, press **New branch**.
2. Type a short **Code** (for example "main") and a **Name** people will recognise.
3. Pick the branch's **Timezone**.
4. Choose a **Branch Type**: **Operational Branch**, **Dispatch Center**, **Warehouse**, **HQ**, **Accounting Office**, **Marketing Office**, **Support Unit** or **Other**.
5. Turn on what the branch does: **Scheduling**, **Dispatch**, **Inventory**, **Billing** and **Marketing**. Dispatch needs scheduling, so turning it on turns scheduling on too. Only a branch with **Scheduling** can own work orders, projects, tasks and bookings, and only a branch with **Billing** (or the default branch) can own quotes, invoices and payments.
6. Pick a **Branch Color** and, if you like, an **Avatar**. Both show wherever the branch appears.
7. Press **Create branch**.

To change a branch later, press the pencil on its row. The **Edit branch** drawer adds four sections: **Address Search Override** (tick the switch to give this branch its own search area, see [[set-the-address-search-area]]), **Warehouse Support** and **Primary Warehouse**, **Mailbox Assignments** and **Phone Line Assignments**. Press **Save changes** when you are done.

## What you see

- The row marked **Default** is the branch new work falls back to when nothing else decides. Press **Default** on another row, or **Make default** in its drawer, to change it.
- Press **Archive** on a row to stop new work going to that branch. Nova asks you to type a short reason and confirm; the branch, its assignments and its history are kept, and **Restore** brings it back the same way. The only active branch cannot be archived.
- The filter panel narrows the list by **Status** (**All**, **Active** or **Inactive**).
- The **Scope context** tab shows your own **Active Branch** and **Allowed Branches**.

## If something looks different

- **Create branch** refuses with "Code and name are required.": fill in both before saving.
- Saving says an address search override needs a centre point or a country: either pick a **Service area center**, choose a **Country**, or turn the override off.
- **Memberships** does not appear as a tab: your role cannot read branch memberships. See [[give-a-team-member-branch-access]].

[[route:/settings/org/branches|Open Branches]]