# Zoho Books group set-up checklist

> This free Excel checklist covers the decisions and steps for running a group of companies on Zoho Books: organizations, locations and reporting tags, base currencies, the exchange rate source, intercompany accounts, transaction locking, user roles and how the group is combined. Each step links to the Zoho help page that covers it, with an owner, a status and a done percentage.

Source: https://finconsol.com/blog/resources/zoho-books-group-setup-checklist/ (updated 28 October 2026)

| Area | Step | Zoho help page | Status |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Structure | Decide the unit: one Zoho Books organization per legal entity | Add an organization in Zoho Books | Done |
| Currency | Choose the exchange rate source | Base currency in Zoho Books | Not started |
| Close and locking | Agree one close date and lock every organization on it | Transaction locking | Not started |

*Three of the 32 steps, as they appear in the checklist*

## How to use it

1. **Fill in the Group map:** each company, its Zoho Books organization, base currency, plan and lock date. Enter the group's agreed lock date at the top.
2. **Work through the Checklist** area by area. Read the linked Zoho page, decide, and write the decision in the last column.
3. **Name an owner** for each step and set its status.
4. **Read the Progress sheet** for the percentage done in each area and overall.

## Who is it for?

Group controllers, finance heads and Zoho partners setting up several companies on [Zoho Books and other systems](/blog/consolidating-different-accounting-systems/). Zoho Books has no report that combines organizations, as of the help pages checked on 29 October 2026, so the last area of the checklist is about how you will do that. When you reach that step, [Finconsol combines Zoho Books organizations with the other systems in the group](https://finconsol.com/zoho-books-consolidation/).

## Questions

**Does Zoho Books consolidate several organizations?**

Zoho's help pages describe no report that combines organizations. Zoho's own partner article shows a workaround in Zoho Analytics with hand-entered rates and no eliminations. Zoho ERP, a different product, has multi-company management.

**How many organizations can I create?**

By default a user can create five organizations with one email address. Zoho's pages do not say whether the limit can be raised, so ask Zoho.

**Will the plan details stay right?**

Zoho changes plans and limits often. Read the linked page on the day you decide.

**Do I need Excel?**

The file uses standard formulas and opens in Excel, LibreOffice and Google Sheets.