Kaplan Financial is committed to providing our customers with timely information concerning product and service updates to meet regulatory requirements. This customer briefing describes steps that FINRA member firms must take to update branch-office data through the FINRA Central Registration Depository (CRD) system.

Summary

With the implementation of Form BR on October 31, 2005, all FINRA member firms, New York Stock Exchange firms and firms registered in states participating in the Branch Office Registration Program will be required to link all of their registered individuals to a minimum of one registered location (either a Branch Office or Main Office). Firms will have until May 1, 2006 to complete this association or linking.
The FINRA has outlined four different methods for making the rep-to-branch link. For details please visit the FINRA website.

Individual Branch Link Program

A simple and direct method to perform this update is via an Excel file upload to Web CRD. This method is identified on the FINRA website as the Individual Branch Link Program. The FINRA developed the Individual Branch Link Program to facilitate the submission of a bulk data file. Firms can send FINRA a data file and have FINRA systematically do the initial linking of an individual to a branch office. This bulk filing option will be available to firms for a limited time, from November 11, 2005, through April 28, 2006. The following are items you will need to utilize the Individual Branch Link Program:

Individual Branch Link Excel Template
This template includes the following required fields:

• Firm CRD#
• Individual Rep CRD#
• CRD Branch#
• Office of employment begin date
• Type of office
• Independent Contractor

Individual Branch Link Guide
Individual Branch Link Guide provides detailed information instructing firms who would like to participate in the Individual Branch Link Program on how to prepare an Excel spreadsheet according to the specifications detailed in the guide and then upload the data via an Excel file to Web CRD.

For More Information

For detailed information please visit finra.org or contact the FINRA Gateway Call Center at 301-869-6699. If you have questions, please contact your Kaplan Financial Sales Representative at 800-824-8742.