Is a City Wide franchisee required to purchase software programs recommended by City Wide?
City_Wide Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
You will acquire and maintain a license per user for the CITY WIDE financial reporting and budgeting platform, CITY WIDE Bid Module, specified business intelligence and reporting software, and operations platform software programs from CITY WIDE only for use in your franchise office. You will subscribe to the CITY WIDE monthly technology development program outlined in ITEM 11. You will use this software to establish and maintain a bookkeeping, accounting and record-keeping system conforming to all CITY WIDE requirements, as may be periodically revised. You will submit periodic reports, forms, and records as specified in writing by CITY WIDE in the Franchise Agreement or the Operating Manual or otherwise. All required reports will be generated by these required software programs. Additionally, you will purchase software programs for use in your franchise office as recommended by CITY WIDE.
Source: Item 8 — RESTRICTIONS ON SOURCES OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (FDD pages 24–28)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to City Wide's 2025 Franchise Disclosure Document, franchisees are required to acquire and maintain licenses for specific software programs from City Wide. These include the City Wide financial reporting and budgeting platform, the City Wide Bid Module, specified business intelligence and reporting software, and operations platform software. Franchisees must also subscribe to the City Wide monthly technology development program. The FDD specifies that these software programs are essential for maintaining a bookkeeping, accounting, and record-keeping system that conforms to City Wide's requirements, which may be periodically revised. All required reports must be generated by these required software programs.
In addition to the mandatory software, City Wide's FDD states that franchisees will purchase software programs for use in their franchise office as recommended by City Wide. This implies that while some software is explicitly required, there may be additional software programs that City Wide suggests franchisees adopt for their business operations.
The requirement to use specific software and potentially purchase recommended software ensures that all City Wide franchisees operate on a standardized platform, facilitating data collection, reporting, and overall system consistency. This also allows City Wide to maintain oversight and control over the financial and operational aspects of each franchise. For a prospective franchisee, this means budgeting for both the mandatory software licenses and potential additional software purchases recommended by City Wide.