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Franchise operations guide

Using Tallyfy for franchise business models

Franchise operations need standardized processes that work across hundreds of locations while letting each franchisee adapt to local needs. Tallyfy transforms scattered SOPs - whether they’re PDFs, spreadsheets, or paper binders - into living workflows that franchisees actually run, not just read.

Here’s the critical difference: Your franchisees don’t just view procedures. They launch them as active processes with real task assignments, automated reminders, and completion tracking. A swim school with 200 locations can ensure every franchise follows the same pool cleaning protocol while tracking that it actually happened.

Two franchise deployment models

Each franchisee purchases their own Tallyfy account directly. This gives them:

  • Full control over their templates and customization
  • Independent billing and user management
  • Ability to edit HQ-provided templates for local needs
  • Private, secure workspace (not visible to other franchisees)

Why this matters: Templates in free accounts become public - visible to anyone on the internet. Your proprietary franchise processes need the security of paid accounts1.

Model 2: Centralized purchasing

HQ purchases and manages all franchisee accounts as one large organization. This provides:

  • Single billing relationship
  • Centralized user management
  • Direct template distribution
  • Unified reporting across all locations

Most franchises choose distributed purchasing because franchisees want autonomy over their operations and billing.

Setting up your franchise system

For franchise headquarters

  1. Create your master Tallyfy organization account
  2. Build your standard operating templates for all core processes
  3. Test and refine templates with pilot franchisees
  4. Export templates via API for distribution
  5. Provide onboarding materials for franchisees

For franchisees

  1. Sign up for your own Tallyfy account (paid subscription required for privacy)
  2. Import templates provided by HQ
  3. Customize templates for your local market needs
  4. Assign team members and launch processes
  5. Track performance and report outcomes

Template sharing between organizations

Currently, direct template copying between Tallyfy organizations requires an API-based approach. Here’s how franchise systems handle this:

Current method:

  1. HQ exports templates using the API
  2. HQ shares template data with franchisees (JSON format)
  3. Franchisees import or recreate templates in their accounts
  4. Each franchisee customizes for their specific needs

Coming soon: Direct template sharing between organizations is on the product roadmap, which will simplify this process significantly.

Why franchisees need paid accounts

Free Tallyfy accounts make all templates publicly searchable - anyone could find and view your proprietary franchise processes. Paid accounts ensure:

  • Privacy: Your competitive advantage stays confidential
  • Security: Only authorized users access your workflows
  • Customization: Full editing capabilities for local adaptation
  • Support: Direct access to Tallyfy’s support team
  • Capacity: No limits on active processes or team members

Think of it this way: Would you want competitors seeing exactly how you onboard customers or train staff? That’s why each franchisee needs their own secure, paid workspace.

Beyond documentation - running live processes

Traditional franchise manuals sit on shelves. Tallyfy templates become active workflows where:

  • Tasks auto-assign to the right person based on job titles
  • AI automation handles routine steps without human intervention
  • Deadlines track automatically with escalation for overdue items
  • Forms collect data consistently across all locations
  • Reports show exactly which locations complete which processes

A restaurant franchise can track that every location completed their daily opening checklist. A fitness franchise knows which clubs performed equipment maintenance on schedule. The difference between reading an SOP and running it through Tallyfy directly impacts your margins - typically reducing process time by 40% while ensuring consistency.

Free SSO for all franchise accounts

Whether you choose centralized or distributed purchasing, Single Sign-On (SSO) comes free with every Tallyfy account. This means:

  • HQ can use corporate identity providers (Azure AD, Okta, etc.)
  • Each franchisee can set up their own SSO independently
  • No additional SSO charges regardless of organization size
  • Simplified access management across locations

Measuring franchise performance

With Tallyfy, franchise operations gain visibility into:

  • Which locations consistently follow procedures
  • Process completion times across different franchises
  • Common bottlenecks or failure points
  • Compliance rates for critical workflows
  • Training effectiveness for new franchisees

The optional Tallyfy Analytics add-on provides deeper insights with custom dashboards comparing performance across your entire franchise network.

Margin improvement through automation

Franchisees typically see margin improvements through:

  1. Reduced training time: New employees follow guided workflows instead of shadowing for weeks
  2. Fewer errors: Checklists and validations prevent costly mistakes
  3. Automated coordination: Tasks flow between team members without manual handoffs
  4. Consistent quality: Every customer gets the same excellent experience
  5. Time savings: What took 3 hours manually completes in 90 minutes with automation

Consider a home services franchise: Instead of calling to schedule follow-ups, automations trigger based on job completion. Service techs focus on service, not administration.

Getting started with franchise operations

Quick pilot program

Start with 3-5 franchisees to:

  1. Validate your template design
  2. Gather feedback on customization needs
  3. Measure actual time and cost savings
  4. Build success stories for system-wide rollout

Support resources

  • For HQ: Work with Tallyfy’s team to design your template distribution strategy
  • For franchisees: Each account includes onboarding support and training resources
  • Ongoing help: Access our support team for technical questions

Investment and pricing

View current pricing at https://tallyfy.com/pricing/. Consider:

  • Full Members (template creators) vs Light Members (task executors)
  • Annual subscriptions save approximately 16%
  • Volume discussions available for 50+ franchise locations
  • Each franchisee’s investment typically pays back within 60-90 days through efficiency gains

Documenting > Templates

Templates are reusable blueprints that transform business processes into self-driving workflows by capturing every step and decision point while automatically assigning tasks sending reminders and tracking progress to eliminate process variations and reduce completion time by 40%.

Pro > Getting started

Tallyfy tutorials provide step-by-step guidance to create templates launch automated workflows and master essential features within 15-30 minutes helping teams transform their business processes from setup to implementation.

How To > Effective operations manuals

Building an operations manual requires transforming static documentation into dynamic digital workflows with clear ownership logical organization rich media content and continuous improvement mechanisms to ensure consistent quality and effective execution across teams.

Introduction

Tallyfy transforms business processes into self-driving workflows without coding using AI to create templates that automatically assign tasks track progress and delegate work to people or automation while solving workflow inefficiencies that waste 20-40% of work time.

Footnotes

  1. Paid accounts ensure all templates and processes remain private to your organization only