Add/Edit a Customer

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• Search for a Customer
• Add a Customer without Searching
• Additional Info Tab
• Special Pricing Tab
• Orders Tab
• Contact Log Tab
• Attachments Tab

Instructions

Search for an existing customer account before adding a new account or find a customer to edit and enter additional information and contacts.

Searching for Existing Customers

1. If you would like to search for an existing account to edit or before adding: Click the Find Customer button in the Customers icon on the Main screen of the Channergy Explorer,  you can also press the F4 function key . This opens the Customer Search screen.
   
   
2. Enter as many fields as you need to locate the customer then click the button or press Enter.
3. If your search located the customer: Matches will appear in the lower half of the screen. Highlight the record you wish to open and either double click it, press Enter or click the OK button.
4. If your search did not locate the customer: Click the button, or press Alt-A to add this customer now. The customer screen will open with the search fields you typed already entered. Tab or Enter through each field to enter the remaining customer information.

Adding a Customer

1. Move your mouse to the Customers icon in the Channergy Explorer and click on the add a Customer button. You can also add a customer by pressing in the customer screen.
2. Once the New Customer screen opens with blank account, you can begin entering data.
   1. Enter the customers contact information (name, Address etc.)  Use the Tab or Enter key to move between fields and the space bar to press buttons. Depending on your Preference settings fields will automatically capitalize first letters. You can change this setting in Preferences under the Data Entry tab.
      1. If the customer shipping address is the same as their billing address, click on the button.  This will copy all of the billing address information into the corresponding shipping address fields.
      2. Customers with multiple shipping addresses are handled in the order screen where you can change the default shipping address and, with the use of the lookup button, you can look up all of the previous addresses used by the customer.  For more details click here.
      3. The check box is used with shipping integrations to pass this information to them.  Note: If you are an existing Channergy user that has a shipping integration(s), this field will have to be added to the field mapping for your shipping integration(s).
   2. Enter Phone numbers with the number pad on your keyboard. You do not need to enter the dashes (-) for U.S., Guam, Puerto Rico and Canada. They will be automatically added. However, if you cut and paste a phone number you will need to manually enter any missing dashes. Enter an email address in the above field.  To send an email to this customer click the button. A blank message will open in your default email program.  Enter in the customers web site in the above field, click on the icon to open the web page in your default web browser.

Additional Info

Additional customer information includes pricing levels, a short note, system flags and system IDs.

1. Click on the tab.
2. Below is a description of the fields  in the Additional Info area of the Additional Info tab.
   1. Price Level- This will default to the price level that is defined in Tools -> Preferences under the Orders tab.  Setting the price level for the customer in this screen (either Retail, Wholesale, Price 3 or Price 4) will determine which of the prices will be used when this customer submits an order.
      1. NOTE: If the customer is set to a price level of Wholesale and there is no Wholesale price information in the products table, the price will default to the Retail price level.
   2. Discount- This will set the discount for each order that the customer orders.
   3. Store Credit- This field is used by the software to track store credit.  If the customer returns a product, the amount of the return can be applied to this field.  To use the store credit for a future purchase, select the Balance from the Method drop down menu.
      1. You can manually adjust the Store Credit by clicking on the button.  This will open a dialog box similar to..
   4. Type 1 to Type 4- These fields can be used to set up to four customer types for each field.  The customer types can be set up from the Setup screen.
      1. From the setup menu select Customer Types…
      2. This will open up the Customer Types dialog.
      3. To assign the customer type to a field do the following:
         1. Enter the value you want to show in the drop down in the Customer Type field.
         2. Enter in “True” in the column that  you want the value to show up in (IsType1, IsType2 etc).
         3. Enter in “False” in the remaining three columns.
         4. Repeat the process for each type.
      4. When done your dialog will look something similar to below.
         1. In this example Type 1 will show the options of Male and Female
         2. Type 2 will show the age ranges.
      5. When done setting up the Customer Types click on the button.
      6. The customer types will show up in the screen as shown here
   5. Pay Method- Use this option to select the default payment method for this customer.  The options are: Credit,Check,Cash,COD, PO, Bill, Invoice, Install, Direct Dep, and Money Ordr.   The default option can be overwritten in the Payment dialog box.
   6. Terms- You can set the terms in this dialog box.  The options are Due Upon Receipt and Net 30
   7. Sales Rep- Use this option to assign a Sales Rep.  You can select an Operator ID from the drop down and assign them to the customers account.
   8. Note- You can type in a note into this field and it will show up in the order message field in the order screen.
   9. Popup Note- If you enter in a note in this field a note will show up as a popup when the customer is selected.
   10. Pin- This field can be used for requiring a customer to enter a pin number before they can place an order.
   11. Pin Hint- This is the field that stores a hint for the pin number.
   12. Date of Birth- This field can be used to send out notices or special offers for  customers with a birthday.
   13. Primary SIC- This field is used for storing the primary Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code.
   14. Secondary SIC- This field is used for storing the secondary SIC code.
   15. Corporate Client Number- This field is used for storing a unique number associated with a specific corporate client.
3. The System Flags area of the Additional Info tab is where you set specific flags for the customer.
   1. Customer is Tax Exempt-Checking this box marks this customer as Tax Exempt and no taxes will be charged when this customer places an order
   2. Tax ID #-This field is used for storing the Tax ID number if the customer is Tax Exempt.  This field is used for reporting any sales that are tax exempt.
   3. Don’t Send Mail-This flag is used in conjunction with the report writer to prevent this customer from their name being added to a list of customers receiving mass mailings.
   4. Don’t Send Email-This flag prevents this customer from receiving Email notifications from the system.
   5. Don’t Send Fax-This field is used in conjunction with the report writer will prevent this customer from receiving faxes from the system.
   6. Bad Credit- When this option is checked, it does not prevent orders from being taken for the customer.  What it does is to put a notice in the Order Info tab on the order screen.
   7. Inactive Account- Checking this option does not prevent the customer from placing an order.  What it does do is put a notice in the Order Info tab on the order screen.
4. Channergy automatically assigns fields in the System Information section based on the data you enter and your Preference settings.You can also manually change fields by clicking the button. Fields will open for editing and remain open (white) until you close the Customer screen so you can edit multiple accounts if you wish. 
   1. Alt Customer #-This is an Alternate Customer Number made up of elements of the customer’s data (name, address etc.). It can be used in place of the System ID # in reports. You can edit the customer number formula in Preferences under the Customers tab.
   2. Customer Type-This field indicates the status of a customer.
      1. Mailing – The customer has never contacted you. Typically this is used when you are sending a mailing or email to a prospect. Channergy does not automatically set this type. This status is usually imported with a group of new customers.
      2. Inquiry – This customer has requested something from you (a catalog, free information etc.), but has never purchased. Channergy automatically sets this status when you add a new customer manually.
      3. Ordering – This customer has placed an order. Channergy sets this status when an order is entered for a customer.
   3. Original Key – You can assign Advertising Source Keys to orders and contacts. The first key assigned to a customer is the original key. It helps you determine which ads have attracted customers.
   4. System ID/Customer #-This is a unique, system assigned sequential number. It is also the key field for the Customer table, and cannot be changed  (Table.Field: Customer.CustNo).
   5. Add Dt – This is the date you added the customer’s account to your database.

Special Pricing

You can override prices for individual items and groups of items for selected customers. The prices, discounts, quantity discounts and price levels you enter on this tab will take precedence over any other amounts for this customer.

1. Click on the tab
2. To add a special price for a customer, click the button on the lower toolbar.
3. In the blank line that appears you can enter a product number or click the button to search for a Product Number.  You can simply enter a single product number, or use one of multiple methods to select a range of products.
   1. For a range of consecutive product numbers enter the beginning number in the From Product field and the ending number in the To Product field.
      
   2. For similar numbers you can use either of the wildcards: % or _ (underline). The % symbol substitutes for any number of characters. The _ substitutes for a single character.
   3. For example, you could select both the BB-00001 and BB-00002 products from the sample database with the _ as follows: or, with the % .  In both examples you do not need to enter a “To Product” value.
4. Min Qty – Use this field to enter the minimum number of the selected item or items that must be purchased to receive the price in the Price field. Use multiple lines of the same item to enter multiple quantity discounts.
   1. In the example below BB-00001 has a price of $19.99 when 1 to 4 are purchased.  At a quantity of 5 the price reduces to $15.99.  At 9 or more the price is $12.99. Note that BB-00001 is included in this quantity discount matrix because it shares the Mix & Match code BB. Note too that although it contributes to the total count to qualify for a discount its price will always be the $21.99 amount entered on the grid (e.g., If 3 BB-00001 and 2 BB-0002 products are purchased the price for the BB-00001 products will be $15.99 each and for BB-00002 will be $21.99 each).
   2. Note: If you do not enter a Min Qty for a product that already has a Quantity Discount set up on the Product screen, then the existing Quantity Discount will apply.  You can, for example, change the Price Level in special pricing and the associated Quantity Discount will apply.
5. Mix & Match – Use this field to allow products to share quantity discounts. Each product or product range that contains the same text here will share the quantity discounts you set in the Min Qty and Price fields. You may enter any text you wish in this field. (see sample below in Min Qty).
6. Price Level – Select a level from the pulldown to apply that level’s price. For example, if a customer has a default price level of Retail you can select Wholesale from the pulldown to apply wholesale prices to the selected products.
   1. Note: You may select a Discount % and Price Level for a product. This will apply the % discount to the selected level (e.g., Wholesale less 10%).
7. Start Dt and End Dt – You can enter an effective date range for each special price. Click the field and enter a date or click the  button that appears to select from a calendar. Orders entered outside of the date range will receive the regular price for the items.
   1. Note: The date used for determination is the Order Date at the time the item is entered. If an item has a sale date of 1/1/11 to 1/31/11 and the order date is 1/15/11 the discount will be used when the item is added to the order, even if you edit an old order later to add a new item. Existing items, however, will not recalculate unless you edit them (e.g., change their quantity).
8. Discount % – Enter a percent discount to be deducted from the price normally charged to the customer (based on their Price Level – Retail, Wholesale etc.).
9. You can enter items in any order you wish. Channergy will sort them and apply discounts accordingly. After you have entered the items you wish to discount you can take a new order to see the discounts apply. Please note that changes to the special pricing grid will not affect a currently open order. To use new discounts, close and reopen the order and enter your items.

Order History

Each order for a customer is displayed in the Orders tab. You can open any order to view or edit it.

1. When adding a customer, no history will exist until you enter an order for the customer. You can do so by clicking the button. See the Take an Order help topic for assistance with entering an order.
2. When viewing an existing customer, you can click on the tab to see all orders associated with that customer.
3. The customers order history will be displayed in the following grid.
4. In the grid you can click the button next to any order to see the items in the order. You can also filter fields by clicking the button next to the field name, and group by dragging a field into the blue area above the grid.
5. For more details on an individual order, click it then click the button or simply double-click the order. The Order screen will open, and you can view it or make changes. For detailed help on orders see the Orders help topic.

Contact Log
Use the Customer Contact Log to keep records of phone calls, mailings etc. You can also use it to perform special tasks in Channergy like sending catalogs and setting Ticklers (reminders).

1. Click the tab.
2. Any existing contact will be displayed in the Contact Log grid.
3. You can select any contact and then click the to view it, or simply double-click it. A dialog will open with the details of the contact.
4. To add a new contact, click the button.
   Note: When entering a new order or contact any advertising source key your enter will automatically be assigned to the customer’s Original Key on the Additional Info screen if one does not already exist.
   1. Source Key – You can select an Ad Source Key in the first pulldown if applicable (e.g., a customer called requesting a catalog seen in one of your ads). You can set up keys so they can be selected here by selecting the Ad Source Key table in the Channergy Explorer.
   2. Action – Select an appropriate item from the pulldown list. (Tip: You can select an item in the list by typing the beginning of its name. You can also  enter anything you wish by simply typing it and pressing the Tab key).  To set up the customer contact actions, follow the instructions below:
      1. Click on the Setup menu in the Customer dialog and select the Customer Contact Actions… option.
      2. The following dialog will open. 
      3. To add a new action click on the Add button.  This will add a new row to the dialog and key in the action that you will want to add.
   3. Notes -This  field length is unlimited and appears on internal use reports.
   4. Tickle Dt – Enter a date in this field in the format mm/dd/yy. This field is used by the R3180 Ticklers for Date Range report to remind you to perform the Action you selected above.
   5. Days – This field is used by certain Channergy Queries to calculate the number of days between events. If you are not using one of these queries you can leave this field blank.
   6. Operator – If it is not automatically entered for you, select your ID from the pull down list or type your ID number and press the Tab key.
      1. Note: The Operator is automatically assigned if the security feature is Activated.  Click the Operators & Security help for more information.
   7. After entering all data, click on the button.

Attachments

Use this tab to attach documents to a customers account.  This is useful for linking signed legal documents or statements of work to a customer record.

1. Click on the tab.
2. The following dialog will open.
3. To add a new attached file or image press on the  button in the grid toolbar.  This will add another record to the grid.
4. Tab through the fields to add information to the grid.
   1. File Name- This is the file name of the file/image you are attaching.  This is automatically populated when the file is attached.
   2. Description- This is an optional description of the item that you are attaching.
   3. Type- Select the type of file you are attaching from the drop down list, the choices are File or Picture
   4. Add File…- Click on the  icon in the field this will open up a file dialog in the default directory similar to
   5. Select the file you want to attach and click on the Open button.  When you have successfully attached a file your screen will look similar to
   6. You can click on the  button to view the file in its associated application.
   7. To add images the process is the same except you select Picture from the Type field and click on the  field in the Add Picture … field.  This will open the file dialog box with a filter for images.
   8. Click on the Open button and your attachment screen will look similar to

UNDER THE HOOD: The Customer table interacts with the CustPrice, CustServ, CustomerAttachments, CustomerType and the Orders tables. When a new customer is added to the system either through the Orders screen or by clicking the New button in the Customers screen, a blank record is added to the Customer table the CustNo in the NextCust table is incremented by one and this value is added to the CustNo field. The default price level (as set in the Customer tab in Tools->;Preferences) is assigned to the LastPayMeth field (R for retail,W for wholesale, 3 for Price3 and 4 for Price4). If any of the customer types are assigned to the customer, the values from the CustomerType table are added to the corresponding Type1 through Type4 fields in the Customer table.

Customer type setup is stored in the CustomerType table.  The customer type values that show up in the Type 1 through 4 drop down boxes are stored in the CustomerType field. The IsType1 through IsType4 boolean fields determine which drop down the values in the CustomeType field will appear. When a IsType field is set to True the CustomerType value in that row will appear in the corresponding type field in the Additional Info tab.

Special pricing is stored in the CustPrice table. When a new record is added to the Special Pricing tab, the CustNo field is populated with the corresponding value in the Customer table, the CustPriceNo is an autoincrementing primary key, the ProductNo and EndProductNo fields are populated from the Product table and the remaining fields are populated from the user interface under the Special Pricing tab in the Customer screen. When an order is taken for a customer with special pricing, the pricing is computed based on the rules stored in the CustPrice table.

When a new contact is added for a customer the following data are added to the CustServ table, the CustNo field is populated from the related Customer table, LogNo field is incremented from the LogNo value in the NextCServ table and the Date field is populated with the system date. The Key, OperatorID, StatusFlag, TickleDt, Log and TickleDays fields are populated from the Source Key, Operator,  Action, Tickle Dt, Notes, and Days fields respectively in the Customer Service dialog.

If files are attached to a customer the data regarding the attached files are stored in the CustomerAttachments table. The actual data is stored in the Attachments/Customer folder in the Channergy data folder. When a file is attached to a customer the CustNo is added to the CustNo field in the CustomerAttachments table, in addition the Description, Type fields are updated from the corresponding fields in the Attachments tab. After the file is selected the file name is added to the FileName field in the CustomerAttachments table.

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