> ## Documentation Index
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> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Account.addChildren

This method adds one or more child `Accounts` to a parent `Account` using an input array of child `Accounts`.

## Input

*srd* sparse response description, a SOAP string (which must be a JSON object), in which you specify the elements you want returned.This parameter enables the calling system to constrain a `method` call to return only components you specify. This gives you greater control over returned content, and improves response time within the Vindicia platform by reducing the processing needed for the call.

Some fields are required, either practically or in the WSDL, and will be returned regardless of the `srd`. A null `srd` returns the complete response.

*parent*: the `Account` that will be parent to these children.

*child*: an array of the child or children `Accounts` to attach to this parent `Account`.

*force*: a Boolean flag that, if set to `true,` replaces any parents that these children may already have.

*payerReplacementBehavior*: an action to take on methods that might, as a side effect, change who pays for an `Account`, for example: `Account.addChildren`.

`payerReplacementBehavior` may be one of the two following strings:

| `ReplaceOnAllAutoBills` | This option specifies that any AutoBills that the child has, or will have, are to be paid by the parent Account. |
| - | - |
| `ReplaceOnlyFutureAutoBills` | This option specifies that all future AutoBills for the child Account are to be paid by the parent Account. Existing AutoBills will be left as is. |

## Output

*return*: an object of type `Return` that indicates the success or failure of the call.

*childAdded*: the array of `Accounts` added.

## Returns

This method returns the codes listed in [The Return Object](The_Return_Object#).

## Example

```

// to add children to an existing account

$parentAcct = new Account();

// account id for an existing account that will be the parent
$parentAcct->setMerchantAccountId('dad-101);

// existing accounts that will be the children
$childAcct1 = new Account();
$childAcct1->setMerchantAccountId('son-101);
$childAcct2 = new Account();
$childAcct2->setMerchantAccountId('son-102);

// want to replace existing parent of children, if any
$force = true; 

// Future autobills for the children will be paid using 
// parent's payment method 
$payerReplacementBehavior = 'ReplaceOnlyFutureAutoBills';

$response = $parentAcct->addChildren(
   array($childAcct1, $childAcct2),
   $force,
   $payerReplace);

if ($response['returnCode'] == 200) {
   // children successfully added to the parent
}
else {
   // Error while adding the children
   print $response['returnString'] . "\n";
}
```

**Parent topic:**[Account Methods](../topics/Account_Methods)


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