🛠️ How to off-board a client
Off-boarding a client in Firmcheck
This feature used to be called Archive.
When your relationship with a client has ended, you are still required to retain that client’s AML records for up to seven years after the relationship has concluded.
Firmcheck’s Off-board feature is designed for clients you no longer act for. It lets you retain historical AML records without keeping the client in your active client list.
Off-boarding should not be used for clients where you still have an ongoing business relationship or continuing AML obligations.
Off-boarding a client is permanent and cannot be undone
When should I off-board a client?
You should only off-board a client when your firm no longer acts for them and the business relationship has ended.
You should generally keep a client active if:
you still act for them
they may need a future AML review
you need to maintain an up-to-date view of their AML status
they have related parties you want to keep connected to the client record
you want them, or their related individuals, to benefit from ongoing Watchlist monitoring
Keeping clients active can help support your ongoing AML compliance processes between formal reviews.
Why keep a client active?
Keeping a client active in Firmcheck can help you maintain continuity of AML records and ongoing compliance oversight.
For example, individuals can be added to Watchlist monitoring, where Firmcheck runs daily checks on everyone in your Watchlist and highlights any matches for review.
This can be useful for ongoing monitoring between periodic reviews, including where a client or related individual may need to be checked for sanctions, PEPs, adverse media, or other watchlist matches.
Learn more: How to enable Watchlist monitoring
Before you off-board a client
Before off-boarding a client, make sure the client relationship has ended and you no longer need the client to remain active in Firmcheck.
Once a client is off-boarded:
their AML history is retained
related parties will be deleted if they are not connected to any other companies
they are no longer treated as an active client
the action cannot be undone
If you still act for the client, keeping them active may better support your AML compliance.
How to off-board a client
1⃣ Navigate to the client profile
2⃣ Click the three dots next to the Open AML button
3⃣ Select Off-board this client
You will then be asked to type the word FREEZE into the text box. Once you click Confirm off-boarding, the tag on the profile will change to show that the client has been off-boarded.
What happens after off-boarding?
After a client is off-boarded:
the client’s AML history is retained
related parties will be deleted if they are not connected to any other companies
the client is removed from your active client list
the client is no longer included in your active subscription charges
the action cannot be undone
If you later act for the client again, you may need to create a new client record and complete any required AML work again.
Clients currently on Archive
If your firm still has clients on Archive, they can remain archived.
However, once removed from Archive, they:
cannot be re-archived
will need to be moved to off-boarded instead
FAQs
Can I off-board a client and reactivate them later?
No. Off-boarding is permanent and cannot be undone.
If you later act for the client again, you may need to create a new client record and complete any required AML work again.
Should I off-board clients who are due for review later?
Not if you still act for them or have continuing AML obligations.
Keeping the client active helps preserve continuity of AML records and allows you to use active-client features such as Watchlist monitoring.
Does off-boarding remove AML history?
No. The client’s AML history is retained.
However, related parties will be deleted if they are not connected to any other companies.
Will off-boarded clients still be included in subscription charges?
No. Once a client has been off-boarded, they are no longer treated as an active client for subscription purposes.
However, off-boarding should only be used where the client relationship has ended.
Can Watchlist monitoring help with overseas individuals?
Yes. Watchlist monitoring can still provide value where UK-specific data sources are limited, because it runs ongoing daily checks on monitored individuals and highlights matches relating to sanctions, PEPs, adverse media, or other watchlist results.
How can I see off-boarded clients?
Navigate to the Clients page > select the Actions drop-down menu > select Off-boarded clients. You will see a filtered view showing your off-boarded clients, and can click through from there to review any AML history and verification records.