Whenever you allot or transfer shares in Inform Direct the wizard will ask who the shares are going to and present you with 3 options:
- Individual
- Corporate
- Joint
Select Joint. If there are already some joint shareholders in existence these will all be listed (showing the names of each joint shareholder). If the joint shareholder you want already exists you can simply click on the green 'Select' button opposite their names. This way you will not have to re-enter any data since all the details of the joint shareholder will already be known to Inform Direct. If there are no existing joint shareholders then none will be suggested.
If the joint shareholders receiving the shares - whether by allotment or transfer - do not already exist then you will need to create a new joint shareholder record. Inform Direct makes this simple. Start by clicking the green 'Create new shareholder' button.
This will start the joint shareholder creation wizard.
1. You will be asked whether the first named joint shareholder is a Corporate or an Individual. Select accordingly and press 'Next'.
2. Then add the details. As you start typing their details if the Corporate or Individual is recognised by Inform Direct the system will offer up options as in the below example. If one of the options is the record you want click on the green 'Use this person'. Otherwise enter their details manually and click the green 'Create new shareholder' button. Either option will create the first named joint shareholder.
3. You will now see a summary of the details of the first named Shareholder details.
4. To add the second person (Individual or Corporate) to the joint shareholding click on the green 'Add next joint shareholder' button.
5. Once you have added the details of the second person you will be asked whether you want to add any more names. If you do want to add more names click on the 'Add next joint shareholder' button. If there are no more names to add press 'Complete'.
6. You can add up to 10 named persons (both individuals and corporates) as joint shareholders. Once you have added all the names required you should press 'complete'.
7. You will now have the opportunity of adding a designation. This is very useful if the shares are being held on trust or by a pension fund. If you would like to add 're Amanda Settlement Trust' or 're 700123' then type in exactly what you would like to see appear including, if required, the word 're'. If no designation is required simply leave the 'No' button ticked and press 'Next'.
8. Inform Direct will automatically update all the statutory registers with the new joint shareholder details.
All joint shareholders are recorded as having equal ownership of the shares they hold jointly.
Reordering Joint Shareholders and Historical Records
Reordering Joint Shareholders: Transfer-Out / Re-Add Workaround
If you need to change the order in which joint shareholders are listed (for example, for share certificates), Inform Direct does not support direct reordering.
Workaround:
- Transfer the shares out of the current joint holding by recording a share transfer away from the existing joint shareholders.
- Then, immediately transfer the shares back to the same joint shareholders, listing them in your desired new order.
- You do not need to use a temporary or middle shareholder—simply transfer directly from the existing joint holding to the new joint holding (with the preferred order).
Historical Shareholding Records
- Historical joint shareholding records in Inform Direct cannot be deleted, as they are part of the company’s statutory register.
- These historical records do not affect the current share position or ownership; only your latest joint shareholding determines actual ownership going forward.
Tip: If you require an historic correction for a legal or regulatory reason, please contact Inform Direct support for advice.