Mapping Branches

This article explains how to map imported rows to branches so that revenue, costs, assets and other items are attributed to the correct parts of the business.

You will learn:

• What branches represent.

• How branch mapping affects statements.

• How to map lines from single entity and multi entity sources.

• How to adjust branch mappings later.

What branches represent

Branches represent structural parts of the business inside a model, such as:

• Legal entities.

• Divisions or business lines.

• Stores, venues or sites.

• Projects, contracts or funds.

• Cost centres or departments.

Each variable lives in one branch. Its P&L, Balance Sheet and Cashflow impact:

• Shows in that branch.

• Rolls up into all parent branches.

• Is excluded from other branches.

Correct branch mapping is essential for accurate entity, division and store level reporting.

Mapping imports into branches

When you import from PDF, Excel or CSV, you can assign each row to a branch. Common patterns:

• Single entity import

  • All lines map to a single branch (for example Entity A or Group).

• Multi entity import

  • Different subsets of lines belong to different entities or divisions.

  • You can use source labels, account codes or table structure to decide which branch to map each line to.

If your source system already has an entity or cost centre marker, it can be useful to export separate tables per entity or per branch and import them one at a time into the appropriate branch.

Branch mapping strategies

A few practical strategies:

• Entity level branches

  • Use one branch per legal entity if you need statutory or tax views.

  • Imported P&L and Balance Sheet lines go into the relevant entity branch.

  • A parent branch aggregates all entities for group level reporting.

• Division or segment branches

  • Use one branch per business line (for example Retail, Online, Wholesale).

  • Allocate imported lines to divisions based on internal management reporting structures.

• Store or site branches

  • Use one branch per store or site for granular operational analysis.

  • Import store level P&Ls into each branch and roll up by region or group.

In many models you will combine these, for example entities at the top level and divisions as children branches.

Adjusting branch mappings after import

If you discover that a line was mapped to the wrong branch, follow these steps:

1

Locate the affected variable

Find the variable that was imported or assigned to the wrong branch.

2

Change the branch assignment

Update the variable’s branch assignment to the correct branch.

3

Review statements

Review branch and group level statements to confirm the effect. The model will automatically:

• Remove the variable’s impact from the old branch and its parents.

• Add the impact to the new branch and its parents.

This allows you to correct mis-allocations without re-importing data.

Practical tips

• Decide on a branch structure before large imports so mapping decisions are consistent.

• For multi entity or multi division tables, consider importing per branch rather than trying to map everything at once.

• Use clear branch names that match how the organisation thinks about entities and segments.

• Use notes or tags on variables if some allocations are judgement based or approximate.

Related articles

• Churn, Retention & Cohort Modelling

• Build a Capital Raise Model

• Data Library Mapping

• Variables Syntax