Accountants, lawyers, and business consultants collect business structure information to deliver services efficiently. However, most of them face the challenge of gathering incomplete or inconsistent data, which slows down everything from entity setup to ongoing advisory work.
Collecting all the necessary information — and getting it organized — can be a challenge, especially if you don’t standardize the process. This article gives you a quick overview of how to create a business structure form and a free template you can start using right away.
Let’s jump in!
20+ questions for your business structure form template
Below are 20+ essential questions for your business structure form template to gather the most important legal, operational, and ownership details.
| Note: We’ll show you what some of these questions would look like if you used Content Snare to create a questionnaire template. |
Business information
This section collects your business’ core details. It helps us identify your entity and ensure accurate documentation.
1. Business name
2. Trading name
3. What is your ABN or ACN?
4. When was the business established?
5. Address
Business structure
Here, you’ll clarify the legal structure of your business and provide relevant details based on that structure.
6. What is your current business structure?
- Sole Trader
- Partnership
- Company
- Trust
- Other
7. Please specify the following details about your business:
| Note: This is a conditional field — only one option should appear based on the previous answer. |
- Sole Trader: List full name, date of birth, and tax file number.
- Partnership: List the full legal name of the partnership, full names and contact details of all partners, each partner’s ownership percentage, and the nominated managing partner (if any).
- Company: Provide the company name, ACN, full names and contact details of all directors, shareholder names with percentage ownership, and the registered office address.
- Trust: Provide the trust name, type of trust (discretionary, unit, hybrid, other), trustee details, list of beneficiaries or unit holders, and date of the trust deed.
- Other: Specify the name and type of structure, list key individuals or entities involved and their roles, describe how the business is operated, and upload any relevant governing documents.
Ownership and key people
Use this section to list the individuals who own or control the business, including their roles and ownership percentages. It provides transparency and helps us understand the decision-making structure.
8. List all business owners, partners, or key stakeholders.
This includes their names, roles, ownership percentages, and contact information.
9. Do any owners have interests in other businesses?
If yes, please provide details.
Business operations
Now we’d like you to tell us more about what your business does and how it operates, so we can get a clearer picture of your day-to-day activities and organizational scope.
10. Briefly describe your main products or services
11. Do you operate under any other trading names?
If yes, provide details.
12. Do you have any subsidiaries or related entities?
If yes, provide details.
Legal and financial advisors
Provide contact information for your accountant, lawyer, and registered office. These details help us coordinate with your professional advisors when needed.
13. Business accountant details
List their name and contact information.
14. Business lawyer details
List their name and contact information.
15. Registered office address
Document uploads
We need the following files to validate the information you've provided.
16. Upload your certificate of registration or incorporation
17. Upload your trust deed (if applicable)
18. Upload shareholder or partnership agreements (if any)
19. Upload any other document(s) you might deem relevant
Confirmation
A final confirmation to verify that the information submitted is complete and correct. This ensures accountability and helps finalize your submission.
20. Is all the information provided above true and correct to the best of your knowledge?
21. Full legal name of the person completing this form
22. Position or title
23. Date
24. Signature
Content Snare: A better way to collect business structure information
Manually data gathering leads to endless email threads and time waste, while basic form builders don’t really do anything to nudge your clients to respond. Content Snare solves these problems by providing a smart and intuitive platform for building and managing your business information forms.
Here are only some of the main features that make Content Snare a smarter choice than traditional methods:
- Customizable forms: You can tailor questionnaires to collect the specific legal, financial, operational, and ownership information.
- Automated reminders: Gently nudge respondents to complete unfinished forms — without you having to manually chase them.
- Conditional logic: Show or hide questions based on previous answers to keep forms clean and relevant.
- Secure document uploads: Easily collect important documents like incorporation certificates, trust deeds, and agreements.
- Third-party integrations: Push data to the systems you already use (like CRMs or accounting software).
- Frictionless user experience: Content Snare creates clear and friendly forms that are easy for busy entrepreneurs and advisors to complete.
With our platform, you can cut the time spent gathering information by over 70% — and keep everything organized and audit-ready. Over 1,600 businesses and service firms already rely on Content Snare to manage client data collection, and it's rated highly across G2, Capterra, and the Xero App Store.
Ready to make life easier?
Start your free 14-day trial and create your first business structure form with Content Snare in just minutes!
FAQ
What is a business structure form?
A business structure form is a questionnaire template that you can use to collect information about a company's legal structure, ownership, operations, and key stakeholders. It helps accountants, lawyers, consultants, and other business professionals manage client information.
What are the 4 types of business forms?
The four main types of business structures are sole trader, partnership, company, and trust. A sole trader is a business owned and operated by one individual with no legal separation between the person and the business. A partnership involves two or more people who share ownership, responsibilities, and profits. A company is a separate legal entity from its owners (shareholders) and provides limited liability protection, but it must comply with more complex regulatory requirements. A trust is an arrangement where a trustee manages assets or a business on behalf of beneficiaries, often used for asset protection and tax planning.
Why is it important to complete a business structure form?
Completing this form is important for advisors because they need all the relevant details to set up, manage, or advise business properly.
Who should fill out the business structure form?
The business owner, a key executive, or an authorized representative (like a company secretary or advisor) should complete the form to make sure all information is accurate and up to date.
