Setting up AML compliance in Uku for the first time

Anti-money laundering due diligence is a regulatory requirement for accounting and bookkeeping firms in many jurisdictions. It can feel like pure overhead — forms to fill in, documents to chase, reminders to set. The AML app does not eliminate the due diligence work, but it does automate the tracking, reminders, and task creation so nothing slips through the cracks.

This guide is for firms setting up AML in Uku for the first time. It covers both the technical configuration and the practical roll-out across your existing client base.

Quick answer

Activating the AML app adds compliance fields to all client records automatically. Configure two automatic task triggers (document expiry, risk profile review), then fill in the fields for each client and contact. The initial data entry is the heavy lift; ongoing compliance becomes automated after that.

Who does this

• Company Admins and Company Owners activate the AML app and configure triggers.
• Any team member can fill in AML fields on their assigned clients.
• Requires the Team plan or higher.

Step 1 — Activate the AML app

1. Go to Settings & Apps from the main navigation.
2. Find the Anti Money Laundering app card and click to open it.
3. Click Activate.

Once activated, Uku adds a set of custom fields to all client records automatically. The exact fields depend on your company’s country:

• Estonian companies: Risk profile, Profile valid until, AML Status, Document NO, Document valid until.
• All other regions: Risk profile, Next AML check, Pass/Fail, ID type, ID Number, Date of expiry, Additional checks.

These fields cannot be renamed or deleted without breaking the automation. Do not modify them. See Anti-money laundering (AML) compliance for the full field reference.

Step 2 — Configure the automatic task triggers

The most valuable part of the AML app is not the fields themselves — it is the automated task creation when documents or risk profiles are about to expire. Configure this before you start entering data.

1. Open the AML app from Settings & Apps.
2. Go to the Settings tab.

Trigger 1: Document expiry reminder

Configure this trigger to create a task when a client’s identity document is approaching expiry.

• Enable the trigger.
• Set Days before — how far in advance to create the reminder task. 14–30 days is typical; a longer lead time gives more room to chase the client for updated documents.
• Set the Task name — something like “Request updated ID document — [client name]” will be more useful than the generic default.
• Set Assigned — use Primary member to automatically assign reminders to whoever is responsible for each client. This scales much better than assigning to a single person.
• Add a Topic if you want to track AML tasks separately in reports — create a dedicated “AML” topic in Settings & Apps > Tasks > Topics first if you do not have one. See How to use topics.

Trigger 2: Risk profile review reminder

Configure this trigger to create a task when a client’s risk profile is due for review.

• Same settings as the document trigger, but with a typically longer lead time (30–60 days for a risk profile review).
• The task name might be “Complete AML risk profile review” or similar.

Click Save after configuring both triggers.

Step 3 — Fill in the AML fields for existing clients

This is the initial heavy lift. If you have 50 clients, you need to enter AML data for all 50. There are two approaches depending on your data availability:

Option A — Fill in as you work through clients

If you do not have a central record of all client AML data, the most practical approach is to fill in fields incrementally — when you next have a call or meeting with each client, collect the information and enter it then. Set a target date by which all client records should be complete (for example, within the next 90 days).

Option B — Bulk data entry from existing records

If your firm already keeps AML records in spreadsheets or another system, assign dedicated data-entry time to transfer them to Uku. Prioritize high-risk clients first.

For each client:

1. Open the client record from Clients.
2. Scroll to the AML fields section.
3. Fill in Risk profile, document details, and expiry dates.
4. Save the client.

Do the same for each contact who is a beneficial owner or authorized signatory — the AML fields apply at the contact level too, not just the client level.

Step 4 — Run a manual check

After filling in data for your first batch of clients, run a manual check to verify that the triggers are working correctly:

1. Open the AML app from Settings & Apps.
2. Go to the Settings tab.
3. Click Manual run and confirm.

Uku will check all client records and create reminder tasks for any documents or profiles that fall within the configured warning window. After the run, check your Dashboard — any triggered tasks should appear there.

Ongoing — what happens automatically

Once the initial setup is done, Uku runs the AML check automatically once per day for your company. You do not need to manage this manually. The reminders appear as regular tasks on the assigned team member’s dashboard — the same as any other task.

When a reminder task is created, the team member:

1. Contacts the client to collect updated document or reassesses their risk profile.
2. Updates the relevant fields on the client (or contact) record in Uku.
3. Marks the task as done.

The next reminder will be triggered based on the new expiry date entered.

Tips for firms new to AML compliance tracking

Start with high-risk clients

If your firm has a large client base and limited time for initial data entry, prioritize clients with a High risk profile. These are the clients where a compliance gap carries the highest regulatory risk.

Make AML part of your client onboarding checklist

Once the AML app is set up, add AML field completion to your new client onboarding process. See How to onboard a new client in Uku. New clients should have AML fields filled in on day one — not months later.

Use a dedicated topic for AML tasks

An “AML” topic on all AML-generated tasks makes it easy to filter the Dashboard for AML work, track time spent on compliance, and report on AML activity separately from client-service work. Even if you do not plan to bill for AML compliance time, having the data is useful for capacity planning.

Do not rename or delete the AML custom fields

The AML automation relies on specific field identifiers. Renaming a field will not break it, but deleting one will stop that trigger from working. If you accidentally delete an AML field, the safest fix is to contact Uku support — do not try to recreate it manually, as the identifier may not match what the system expects.