Skip to main content

Managing your organization structure

How to create locations and departments in Begin and assign employees to them.

Written by Merilin Peetris
Updated today

Begin organizes your company into a two-level hierarchy: Locations (top level) and Departments (within each location). This structure determines how employees are grouped and who managers can see. This article explains how to set it up and manage it.

Understanding the structure

  • Locations — represent your physical offices, sites, warehouses, or branches

  • Departments — teams or units within each location

How to open the organization page

Click Organization in the left sidebar. You will see a tree view with locations as top-level rows and departments nested beneath them.

How to add a location

  1. Click the Add location button at the top of the page

  2. Enter a name for the location

  3. Click Save changes

How to add a department

  1. Find the location where you want to add the department

  2. Click the actions menu (three dots) on that location row

  3. Select Add department

  4. Fill in the department details:

  • Name — the department name

  • Parent location — which location this department belongs to

  • Department code — an optional code for payroll exports

  • Assigned employees — select employees to assign to this department

Department calculation settings

Each department has a Calculation tab in its settings where you can override company-wide overtime and compliance rules. This is useful when different departments have different shift patterns or labor agreements.

How to edit or delete a location or department

Click the actions menu (three dots) on any location or department row. You can:

  • Edit — change the name, assignments, or settings

  • Duplicate — create a copy with the same settings

  • Delete — remove the location or department (you will be asked to confirm)

Why organization structure matters

  • Managers can only see employees in their assigned departments (unless granted broader permissions).

  • Timesheets can be filtered by department.

  • Reports can be generated for specific departments.

  • Schedules can be planned per department.

  • Department codes are used in payroll exports to map employees to the correct cost centers.

Did this answer your question?