Streamline how practice management systems communicate with investment platforms
What does the PAO Standard do?
Criterion’s Platform Account Opening (PAO) Standard supports the process of advisers opening accounts for their new and existing clients on investment platforms, by providing a consistent and integrated mechanism for the transfer of information needed throughout the quote, apply and top-up journeys.
The Standard eases the pain points by providing a unified framework that ensures information like client details, anti-money laundering evidence, and investment choices is transmitted seamlessly and securely.
The Standard covers the following type of accounts:
- GIA;
- ISA;
- Junior ISA;
- SIPP;
- Junior SIPP;
- Bond.
Without integration vs with integration
Industry challenges
The transfer of accurate and complete customer, product, and investment information from adviser to platform is fraught with challenges that often hinder efficiency and reliability.
Advisers face the burden of navigating varying platform requirements which lack standardisation, and result in:
- Inconsistent formats for submitting essential data;
- Errors during manual data entry;
- Incomplete or mismatched information;
- Delays in onboarding processes.
Additionally, the lack of seamless integration between practice management systems and platforms creates bottlenecks, as advisers must repeatedly input and verify information across multiple systems. These inefficiencies not only consume valuable time but also risk compromising the client experience, making the need for a streamlined, automated framework more critical than ever.
PAO Standard benefits to advisers
- Saves time: eliminates repetitive data entry by enabling consistent and automated information exchange.
- Reduces training effort: advisers avoid constant staff training and retraining when platforms change, as they only need to focus on their own systems and processes, not multiple platforms.
- Improves accuracy: reduces the risk of errors in transmitting client details, investment choices, and compliance documentation.
- Simplifies compliance: supports seamless transfer of anti-money laundering evidence, ensuring obligations are met with ease.
- Enhances efficiency: streamlines workflows by standardising processes across multiple platforms.
- Stronger client focus: frees up time to build and maintain client relationships rather than managing administrative tasks.
- Reduces frustration: minimises the challenges of navigating varying platform requirements and inconsistent documentation formats.
PAO Standard benefits to platforms
- Faster onboarding: accelerates the onboarding timeline, enhancing client satisfaction and retention.
- Operational efficiency: streamlines account opening processes, reducing delays and minimising administrative workloads.
- Saves costs: reduced operational costs by automating processes and minimising the need for error resolution.
- Enhances integration: facilitates seamless communication with advisers’ practice management systems, making platforms easier to work with.
- Maximises ROI: each integrated journey can be implemented with multiple practice management systems, rather than having to build bespoke requirements for each.
- Competitive advantage: demonstrates leadership in innovation and collaboration, attracting more advisers and clients.
- Scalability: supports future growth by aligning with industry Standards.
- Improved adviser relationships: builds trust and loyalty by offering a streamlined and consistent user experience.
Learn more
If you would like to find out more about our PAO Standard or how you can become a member of the working group, then please get in touch with us at [email protected].
Aviva
“Being part of the Platform Account Opening Working Group lets us shape transformational Standards that streamline processes, enhance reusability, and ensure future-ready solutions for platforms and advisers.”
Paul Wood, Aviva

PAO Standard
PAO overview documentation
PAO Orchestration.pdf
645.19 KB
Guidance on using Standard resources for the platform account opening process
OpenAPI definitions
Common Rest Parts v1.0 Draft D OpenAPI.yaml
16.25 KB
OpenAPI Definition for common REST-based components shared across various Criterion resources
Application Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
28.79 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the application resource
Investment Instruction Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
39.08 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the investment instruction resource
Model Portfolio Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
33 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the model portfolio resource
Money In Regular Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
35.6 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the money in regular resource
Money In Single Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
31.48 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the money in single resource
Money In Transfer Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
41.22 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the money in transfer resource
Money Out Regular Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
36.92 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the money out regular resource
Adviser Charge Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
31.38 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the adviser charge resource
Bank Account Resource v1.0 Draft B OpenAPI.yaml
31.34 KB
OpenAPI Definition for the bank account resource
Resource guides
Account Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
191.83 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the account resource
Address Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
178.05 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the address resource
Adviser Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
185.34 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the adviser resource
Adviser Charge Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
188.92 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the adviser charge resource
Application Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
185.1 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the application resource
Asset Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
196.74 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the asset resource
Bank Account Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
186.1 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the bank account resource
Contact Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
193.61 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the contact resource
Document Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
180.69 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the document resource
Employer Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
165.94 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the employer resource
Investment Instruction Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
206.38 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the investment instruction resource
Model Portfolio Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
190.11 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the model portfolio resource
Money In Regular Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
201.4 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the money in regular resource
Money In Single Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
189.07 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the money in single resource
Money In Transfer Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
241.14 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the money in transfer resource
Money Out Regular Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
205.58 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the money out regular resource
Owner Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
182.39 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the owner resource
Person Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
252.41 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the person resource
Quote Resource Guide v1.0 Draft B.pdf
159.7 KB
Data structure and resource relationships for the quote resource