Basil: Root Workspaces
Basil's Root Workspaces streamline the management of recurring services across multiple clients. Instead of creating a workspace and folders for each client by hand, you can set up one standard workspace and quickly use it for many clients. This ensures consistency, saves time, and reduces errors and data access confusion.
What Are Root Workspaces and Why Use Them?
Root Workspaces allow firms to layer a service-centric structure onto Basil's client-centric framework. While each client remains the top-level entity, Root Workspaces enable the deployment of pre-defined services (e.g., Payroll, Bookkeeping, Tax Preparation) to selected clients.
This is especially valuable for firms:
- Offering the same services to many clients
- Transitioning from a service-centric folder structure
- Managing large teams where permissioning consistency is critical
- Looking to streamline new client onboarding
By centrally managing structure and permissions, Root Workspaces eliminate repetitive tasks and enhance data integrity.
Key Benefits
- Centralized Deployment: Create once, deploy to many.
- Consistent Folder Structures: Standardize naming and hierarchy using Folder Templates.
- Permission Management: Control team access at the workspace level, not per folder (e.g., ensuring only payroll staff access payroll folders).
- Efficient Onboarding: Automatically assign services and folders to new clients.
- Adaptability: Update the workspace or folders, and changes are reflected across all assigned clients.
How to Create a Root Workspace
- Navigate to the Files tab in Basil and select the My Clients subtab.
- Click the Configure button (top right).
- Open the Root Workspaces subtab and click +Add.
- On the Create Root Workspace screen:
- Enter a Title and Description.
- Choose who this applies to: "All Clients" or "Select Clients".
- Define team access: "All Team Members" or "Select Team Members".
- Click Save.
The workspace is now visible on the Root Workspaces page with view/edit configuration options.
Creating Folder Templates
To create folder templates, please see this guide for detailed instructions.
Applying Folder Templates
Folder Templates allow you to define a folder structure once and apply it to your Root Workspace, ensuring consistent layout across deployed client workspaces.
To apply a template:
- Go to the Folder Templates subtab under Configure.
- Locate your template and click the Apply icon:
- In the Apply Template window:
- Review the folder layout.
- Select the Root Workspaces tab.
- Check the workspace(s) to apply the template to.
- Click Apply and confirm.
The template will be deployed to all clients linked to that Root Workspace.
Important Notes
- Folder templates can be added to a Root Workspace at any time.
- Assigning a Root Workspace to a client automatically deploys all associated folder templates.
- Adding a new template to an already deployed Root Workspace will propagate to all linked clients.
- If a client already has a folder with the same name, the template won’t apply until the conflict is resolved.
- Removing a template from a Root Workspace won’t delete existing folders from client views.
- Renaming a Root Workspace updates it across all deployed clients.
Example Use Case
Consider a firm providing both Individual and Business services. Two Root Workspaces can be created:
- Individual Services: With folder templates for Tax Returns and Financial Planning.
- Business Services: With templates for Payroll, Bookkeeping, and Invoicing.
Each workspace can be deployed to relevant client categories with pre-set folder structures and team permissions. This ensures organized data and prevents confusion for clients with similar names or overlapping service needs. This demonstrates centralized deployment and consistent folder structures, improving overall efficiency.
Summary
Root Workspaces enable scalable operations, structural consistency, and reduced manual setup, essential for firms offering repeatable services to numerous clients. Combined with Folder Templates and centralized access controls, they provide the flexibility to manage your practice efficiently while maintaining proper client data segmentation and security.