How to Manage a Multi-Branch Veterinary Clinic

A veterinary group with several branches faces two competing needs: each branch must work fast on its own, and head office must see them all. This article explains step by step how to set up a multi-branch structure in clinic management software such as VetBis. For the product side, see the multi-branch clinic solution and the multi-branch management page.

The most common problems in a multi-branch setup

• Branches work with different notebooks or files; head office adds up the numbers by hand.
• Stock runs out in one branch while another holds a surplus.
• It is unclear which branch's data staff may see.
• When a patient visits another branch, the history is asked for again.
• Each branch sets up its own cash desk, prices and appointment rules, so nothing can be compared.

Decide first: what is shared, what is branch-specific?

Before configuring software, draw up a table as an organisation. Shared things you define once; branch-specific things each branch keeps separately.

Topic	Usually shared	Usually branch-specific
Patient and owner records	Yes, one card	The consultation activity at a branch
Roles and permission templates	Yes	Branch assignment per user
Product cards and price list	Yes	Stock quantity at the branch
Cash desk	No	Each branch's cash session
Appointment calendar	No	The branch's vets and hours
Report definitions	Yes	Branch filter

This table is a starting suggestion; it varies by organisation.

1. Define branches and branch access

Each branch is defined separately. Each user is given the branches they may access. A receptionist sees only their own branch; a regional manager sees several; the owner sees all. This separation also stops personal data from being opened to more people than needed. For the legal side, see the KVKK guide.

Practical tip: if a vet works in two branches, give access to both but open cash permission only for the branch where they work. Remove access on the same day an employee leaves.

2. Define roles once

Roles such as vet, receptionist, cashier and manager are defined once and then assigned to branches. You do not write a separate permission list for each branch. Permissions and audit trails are covered on the security page. When you write roles, apply least privilege: nobody sees more than their job needs.

3. Keep stock per branch and transfer between them

Each branch's stock is tracked by its own movements. For an item running short in one branch, a warehouse transfer from another is made; existing stock is used instead of an urgent order. At transfer, make sure the item's lot and expiry information also moves to the receiving warehouse. For lot and expiry tracking, see the inventory article.

4. Read branch reports with the same yardstick

Meaningful comparisons for head office:

• Revenue and collections per branch
• Consultation count per vet
• Appointment occupancy
• Stock value and critical items

Compare branches with the same report definition; reports prepared with different yardsticks mislead. For example, do not read one branch's revenue including vaccines and product sales and another's as consultations only. In the monthly management meeting ask each branch the same four questions: where did revenue come from, which hours are empty, which product ran out, which receivable is open? See the reporting page for report types.

5. Record referrals between branches

When a patient is referred from one branch to another, a referral record is opened. Because the patient history is in the same system, nothing needs to be re-entered. Note: referral between branches of the same organisation exists today. File sharing between independent clinics is a separate feature and has not been built yet.

6. Separate cash desk and collections by branch

Give each branch its own cash session. At day end the branch cash desk is closed and the head-office total is tracked separately. When a difference appears, it is clear which branch and which shift it arose in. For the end-of-day routine, see the cash desk closing article.

Plan for bringing a new branch online

1. Preparation (before opening): Define the branch, address and hours; prepare roles and user access.
2. Data: Enter the warehouse and opening stock; use the product and price list from head office.
3. Training: Give the branch team a short session on the first morning; make one person the branch lead.
4. First week: Check cash and appointment records with head office at the end of each day.
5. First month: Read branch reports with the same yardstick as existing branches and fix gaps.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate software account for each branch? No. Branches are defined under the same organisation and users are given branch access. The number of branches relates to your plan's limit; see the pricing page for details.

Is the history visible if a patient moves to another branch? Between branches of the same organisation, yes; if the user has access to the relevant branch, the patient history is in the same record.

Can two independent clinics share patient files? That is a separate feature and has not been built yet. Referral and shared records exist only between branches of the same organisation.

Can a branch manager see another branch's cash desk? It depends on your permission setup. You set access by role and branch assignment; we recommend setting it up so that by default users see only their own branch.

Checklist before opening a new branch

• Branch name, address and hours defined
• User branch access is clear
• Role and permission list written
• Warehouse and opening stock entered
• Cash and invoice setup separated per branch
• Head-office report template chosen
• Branch lead and training day set

Conclusion

Multi-branch management is not about restricting branches but about defining shared rules in one place. For branch and user limits, see the pricing page.