Before you begin
Have the following ready:
The client's name and basic details
The business purpose (buying a business, starting a new one, property investment, etc.)
The client's risk tolerance and asset protection priorities
Whether there are family members or associates who should be considered in the structure
A rough idea of expected turnover and profit (some decision tree questions use these)
Step-by-step guide
Step 1 — Client Details
Navigate to Business Structure Assessments. Please go to Access > Apps > ChangeGPS Structure app. Select + New Assessment.
Import the client from CIM or enter their name and details manually.
Select Next.
Step 2 — Structure Assessment
You have two paths:
Option A — Guided Questionnaire (recommended)
Select Start Questionnaire.
Answer each question about the client's circumstances — responses are Yes, No, or (where applicable) Maybe. A progress bar shows how far through the assessment you are.
The decision tree narrows to a recommendation automatically. Once all required questions are answered, the recommended structure is displayed with its name and description.
Review the recommendation. If it does not match your professional judgement, select Reset to restart the questionnaire or switch to Manual Selection.
Option B — Manual Selection
Select Choose Structure Manually.
The structure picker displays all seven structure types with descriptions.
Select the structure you want to recommend.
The seven options are:
Structure | Description |
Individual / Sole Trader | Simplest structure — no legal separation |
Company | Limited liability, separate legal entity |
Discretionary Trust | Flexible distributions, asset protection |
Unit Trust | Fixed proportional entitlements |
Hybrid Unit Trust | Combines discretionary and unit trust features |
Managed Partnership of Trusts | Partnership with trust entities as partners |
Partnership of Discretionary Trusts | Complex multi-trust arrangements |
Select Next once a structure is confirmed.
Step 3 — Business Details
Select the Business Purpose:
Buy an existing business
Establish a new business
Commercial property investment
Other
Add Family Group members — individuals and related entities who will be part of the structure. For each person, enter their name, relationship, and ownership percentage.
Use the drag-and-drop handles to reorder family group members.
Add any additional notes or context for the recommendation.
Select Next.
Step 4 — Services & Fees
Select Add from Library to open the preset services library. Services are organised by category:
Trust — Discretionary Trust Deed ($2,500), Unit Trust Deed ($2,500), Hybrid Trust Deed ($2,800), Corporate Trustee Setup ($1,800), Trust Minutes ($500), Deed of Variation ($1,500), and more.
Company — Company Constitution ($1,500), Shareholder Agreement ($2,000), ASIC Registration ($800), Director Resolutions ($600), and more.
Partnership — Partnership Agreement ($2,200), Partnership Deed ($2,500), and more.
Advisory — Custom advisory services.
Select the services relevant to the recommended structure. Default fees are pre-filled from the library.
Adjust fees where your pricing differs from the default.
Add custom services not in the library by selecting Add Custom Service.
The Total Fee calculates dynamically as you add and edit services.
Select Next to proceed to Preview.
Step 5 — Preview
Review the completed recommendation report in the preview panel.
The report includes the recommended structure, rationale, business details, family group, and fee proposal.
Select Export PDF to download the report, or Export Word to download as an editable document.
Tips and best practices
Use the questionnaire for new clients. The decision tree surfaces considerations you might not ask about in a general conversation — asset protection, income distribution needs, future sale intentions, and more. Even experienced advisors often find it useful as a structured checklist.
Adjust the preset fees to match your practice's pricing. The default fees in the library are indicative. Edit them in Step 4 to reflect your actual pricing before generating the report — the client will see these figures in the fee proposal.
Follow the structure recommendation with a Blueprint diagram. After the assessment, use the Blueprint app to create a visual entity diagram of the recommended structure. Clients find the visual much easier to understand than the written description alone.
Common issues
The questionnaire is recommending a structure I disagree with. The decision tree is based on best-practice structuring principles but may not capture every nuance of your client's situation. Use the Reset button to restart the questionnaire if you want to reconsider any answers, or switch to Manual Selection to choose the structure directly. Document your reasoning in the Notes field in Step 3.
A service I need is not in the preset library. Select Add Custom Service in Step 4 to enter any service not covered by the preset library. Enter the description, category, and fee manually.
Need help?
If you are stuck, reach out through the chat widget or contact your account manager.