A case is a record of a specific AML compliance activity — the transaction or event that triggers your obligation to conduct Customer Due Diligence (CDD) on a client.
Think of it as the compliance file for a single transaction or engagement. One transaction = one case.
Why cases exist
Under Tranche 2 of the AML/CTF Act, certain business activities require you to:
Verify your client's identity
Assess their risk level
Keep records for 7 years
A case is how Workflow organises all of that for a single transaction in one place.
What a case contains
Each case brings together:
Clients — the people or entities involved in the transaction
Verifications — the identity check status for each client (KYC and/or KYB)
Risk assessment — the completed risk assessment and outcome (low, medium, or high risk)
Documents — any files uploaded to support the case
Notes — team notes and any compliance judgement calls recorded
History — a full audit trail of every action taken on the case
Examples
Real estate agents
- A property sale (listing agent) — create a listing for the vendor
- A buyer purchase (buyer's agent) — create a listing for the buyer
Legal professionals
- A conveyancing matter
- A client engagement involving the purchase, sale, or transfer of real property
One case per transaction
Each transaction requires its own case, even if you've worked with the same client before. A new transaction is a new AML obligation.
Example: A client sold through your agency 18 months ago and their client record already exists. When they list a new property today, you create a new case for this transaction. The client record is reused; the case is new.
Similarly, if a buyer becomes a seller, even for the same property, that's a new engagement and a new case, because the nature of your relationship with them has changed.
Cases vs. Clients
| Case | Client |
What it is | A transaction or compliance activity | A person or entity |
How many | One per transaction | One per person/entity |
Can be reused? | No — each transaction is a separate case | Yes — one client can be linked to many cases |
Next steps