Clients

The Clients tab is your address book for managing business relationships. Store contact details, track transaction history, and configure client-specific settings for quoting and invoicing.

The Clients list

The main Clients page displays all your client records in a table format.

Statistics cards

At the top of the page, three cards show your client overview:

• Total Clients: The complete count of all clients (active + archived)
• Active Clients: Currently active clients you work with regularly
• Archived Clients: Inactive clients you’ve archived

Client table columns

Sorting and filtering

Column sorting: Click any column header to sort by that field. Click again to reverse the sort order.

Status filter: Use the “Status” dropdown to filter between:

• Active Clients: Currently active records (default view)
• Archived Clients: Records you’ve archived

Search: Type in the search box to find clients by name, email, or other details. The table filters in real-time as you type.

Adding a new client

Click the Client button to create a new client record.

New client form fields

Business Name* (Required)

• The official business or company name
• This appears on quotes and invoices sent to the client
• Example: “ABC Plumbing Pty Ltd”

First Name

• The primary contact’s first name
• Example: “Sarah”

Last Name

• The primary contact’s last name
• Example: “Johnson”

Email

• The primary contact’s email address
• Used when sending quotes and invoices
• Example: “sarah@abcplumbing.com.au”

Phone

• The primary contact’s phone number
• Displayed on quotes and in client records
• Example: “0412 345 678”

Address

• The client’s business address
• Can be a single line or multi-line entry
• Appears on quotes and invoices
• Example: “123 Main Street, Sydney NSW 2000”

Notes

• Internal notes about the client
• Only visible to your team, never shown to the client
• Use for reminders, special requirements, or history
• Example: “Prefers email communication. Previous work in 2023.”

Client Payment Terms

• Select from your configured payment terms
• Options include “Use business default” or any custom terms you’ve created
• If set, this overrides your business default for this specific client
• Useful for clients with negotiated payment arrangements

Saving

Click Save to create the client record. Once saved, the client appears in your list and is available for selection when creating quotes and invoices.

Client detail page

Click any client row in the list to view their full profile.

Page header

The top section shows:

• Client name: Business name as the page title
• Status badge: Active or Archived indicator
• Action buttons:
  • Edit: Modify business information
  • Archive: Move client to archived status
  • New Quote: Jump directly to creating a quote for this client

Statistics cards

Three cards display activity for this client:

• Total Invoices: Count of all invoices sent to this client
• Total Quotes: Count of all quotes created for this client
• Outstanding Balance: Current amount owing from unpaid invoices

Clicking these cards navigates to the respective tabs or filtered lists.

Navigation tabs

Three tabs organize client information:

Details: The main client profile information (default view) Invoices: List of all invoices sent to this client Quotes: List of all quotes created for this client

Business Information section

This section displays the core client details:

Displayed fields

Business Name: The official business name ABN: Australian Business Number (if provided) Status: Active or Archived Address: Complete business address Client Payment Terms: Current payment term setting with dropdown to change Notes: Internal notes about the client

Edit Business Information

Click Edit to modify client details. The dialog shows:

Business Name* (Required)

• Edit the business name
• Updates appear on all future quotes and invoices

ABN

• Add or update the Australian Business Number
• Displayed on quotes and invoices for AU compliance

Active client (Checkbox)

• Checked = Client is active and appears in lists
• Unchecked = Client is archived (use Archive button instead for consistency)

Address Line 1

• Street address
• Example: “123 Main Street”

City

• Suburb or city name
• Example: “Sydney”

State

• State or territory abbreviation
• Example: “NSW”

Postcode

• Australian postcode
• Example: “2000”

Notes

• Edit internal notes
• All previous notes are preserved and editable

Click Save Changes to apply updates or Cancel to discard changes.

Contacts section

Manage people associated with this client business.

Contact table columns

Adding a contact

Click Add Contact to create a new contact for this client.

First Name* (Required)

• Contact’s first name
• Example: “Michael”

Last Name

• Contact’s last name
• Example: “Smith”

Position

• Job title or role
• Example: “Accounts Manager”

Email

• Email address
• Used when sending to multiple contacts
• Example: “michael.smith@example.com.au”

Phone

• Contact phone number
• Example: “0412 987 654”

Notes

• Internal notes about this contact
• Example: “Handles all approvals over $5,000”

Primary Contact (Checkbox)

• Check to set as the main contact
• Only one primary contact per client
• Automatically replaces any existing primary
• Used as default recipient for quotes and invoices

Click Save to create the contact or Cancel to discard.

Editing a contact

Click Edit next to any contact to modify their details. The form is identical to the Add Contact dialog with all current values pre-filled.

Deleting a contact

Click Delete next to a contact to remove them.

Important considerations:

• Deleting a contact does not affect historical quotes or invoices already sent
• If the primary contact is deleted, you should designate another contact as primary
• Contacts with no email can be deleted without impact on sent communications
• Consider updating existing draft quotes that use this contact before deletion

Primary Contact badge

The primary contact displays a badge next to their name in the contacts table. This contact is:

• Pre-selected when creating new quotes for this client
• The default “To” recipient for invoices
• Shown prominently in client lists and quote details

Archive and restore clients

Archiving a client

Click Archive on the client detail page to mark a client as inactive.

What happens when archived:

• Client no longer appears in the default Active Clients list
• Client still appears in Archived Clients filter view
• Historical quotes and invoices remain intact
• Client cannot be selected for new quotes (unless restored)
• Outstanding balances are still tracked and visible

Why archive:

• Client is no longer doing business with you
• Seasonal client you don’t currently serve
• Keep active list clean and focused on current relationships
• Organize long client lists for easier navigation

Restoring an archived client

To restore an archived client:

1. Go to Clients list
2. Change the Status filter to “Archived Clients”
3. Click the archived client row
4. Click Edit
5. Check the “Active client” checkbox
6. Click Save Changes

The client returns to active status and can be selected for new quotes.

Merge duplicate clients

If the same customer was accidentally created multiple times, use the merge feature to combine records.

How merging works

The merge feature transfers all data from one client (source) to another (target), then archives the source.

What gets transferred:

• All contacts
• All invoices and their history
• All quotes and their history
• Outstanding balances
• Notes (combined with target client’s notes)

What happens to the source client:

• Archived after merge
• No longer appears in active lists
• Historical records point to target client instead

Merge process

1. Click Merge Clients on the Clients list page
2. Select Source Client: Choose the duplicate to be archived
   • Label shows “Will be archived” as a reminder
   • This client’s name will no longer be used
3. Select Target Client: Choose the client to keep
   • Label shows “Will be kept” as a reminder
   • All data will be consolidated under this name
4. Review the warning: “This action will transfer all contacts, invoices, quotes, and other data from the source client to the target client.”
5. Click Merge Clients to confirm

Important notes:

• Merging cannot be undone - consider carefully before proceeding
• Verify you’re selecting the correct source and target
• The source client’s business name will no longer appear on new documents
• Historical documents retain the original context but reference the merged client

When to merge vs archive

Merge when:

• Same business created twice accidentally
• Spelling variations of the same client (e.g., “ABC Pty Ltd” and “ABC Limited”)
• Legacy import created duplicates

Archive when:

• Client is genuinely inactive
• No longer doing business together
• Seasonal relationship on pause

Client-specific payment terms

Override your business default payment terms on a per-client basis.

Setting terms

1. Open the client detail page
2. In the Business Information section, find “Client Payment Terms”
3. Click the dropdown (shows current setting)
4. Select from available options:
   • Use business default: Follows your global setting
   • Any custom payment terms you’ve created (e.g., “Net 30”, “50% Deposit”)

How it works

When you create a quote or invoice for this client:

• The selected payment terms automatically apply
• Due dates calculate based on these terms
• No need to manually select terms each time
• Can be overridden on individual quotes if needed

Common use cases:

• Large clients with negotiated 60-day payment terms
• Government clients requiring specific payment schedules
• Preferred clients with faster payment requirements
• International clients with different terms

Managing terms

Payment terms are created and managed in the Payment Terms tab of the Quotes module. Once created there, they become available for assignment to clients.

Using clients in quotes and invoices

When creating a quote

1. In the Quote Editor, click the For field
2. Type to search existing clients
3. Select from dropdown, or click + Add new client if not in system
4. After selection, the primary contact is automatically chosen
5. Click Add another… to include additional contacts (CC recipients)

Client details on documents

Client information appears on quotes and invoices:

• Business name in the “TO” section
• Primary contact name and email
• Full address for billing/records
• ABN (if provided) for AU compliance

Multiple contacts

When sending quotes, you can include multiple contacts:

• To: The main recipient (typically primary contact)
• CC: Additional contacts who receive a copy
• Useful for including both decision-makers and accounts teams

AU-specific notes

• ABN field: Available for Australian Business Number entry
• Address format: Supports Australian address structure (street, suburb, state, postcode)
• Payment terms: Terms set per client follow AU business practices
• GST handling: Client records don’t directly affect GST, but client location can influence tax treatment
• Compliance: ABN display on quotes supports AU invoicing requirements

Best practices

Data entry

• Use consistent naming: “ABC Pty Ltd” not mixed with “ABC Pty Limited”
• Enter complete addresses: Helps with delivery and compliance
• Add ABN when known: Supports proper AU invoicing
• Keep emails current: Prevents bounced quote/invoice emails

Contact management

• Designate one primary: Ensures clear default recipient
• Add multiple contacts: Include accounts and decision-makers
• Use notes for context: Record roles, preferences, special handling
• Update regularly: Remove departed staff, add new team members

Organization

• Archive inactive clients: Keeps active list manageable
• Merge true duplicates: Consolidate accidental double entries
• Search before adding: Check existing clients to avoid duplicates
• Regular cleanup: Review archived clients annually

Integration with workflows

• Set client-specific terms: Save time on recurring clients
• Check outstanding balances: Before offering credit on new work
• Review quote history: Understand client preferences and pricing sensitivity
• Track engagement: Use quote/invoice counts to identify important clients