One system for a group of companies: shared data, separate permissions
A group of companies often works like a single organisation: shared management, shared resources, employees moving between companies. Software and spreadsheets usually do not reflect that.
Challenges of a group of companies
- each company has its own software and its own spreadsheets,
- shared resources such as vehicles, rooms and equipment are settled manually,
- group management has no single view of the situation,
- shared teams, for example IT, work for several companies at once.
How to design a system for a group
- A shared structure. Companies, departments and positions described in one system.
- Company-level permissions. An employee sees their own company’s data, while people with group permissions see the whole group.
- Shared modules where resources are shared: fleet, rooms, technical teams.
- Reports in two views: for each company and for the whole group.
- Integrations with the software the companies already use, for example with the accounting department.
What group management gains
A single view of the situation: resources, teams, tasks and results of all companies in one place, up to date and comparable, without stitching together reports from different sources.
Modules instead of one huge project
A system for a group is best built in stages, module by module. Each new module uses the same structure of companies, roles and permissions, so every extension goes more smoothly.
An example from practice
I am developing a system for a group of several companies employing around 500 people. It covers, among other things, views tailored to job positions, supervision of technical crews’ work, the fleet and meeting room booking. See the case. If you manage a group of companies, book a consultation.
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