CD - Customers
This program allows you to add, view, and edit customer records.
Adding a New Customer
Click the 'New' icon at the top of the screen to add a new customer record.
Viewing and Editing Customer Records
To view or edit a Customer record, use the Picker Screens or Search Engine to search for records in the database.
Picker
Searchable fields for the picker are Customer Status, Customer Category and Customer Type.
Click the 'GO' button (or press 'Enter') to execute the search and populate the 'Customer Picker' with the matching records.
Once a customer has been selected from the picker, a summary of the record will appear in the 'Summary Information' pane. The 'View' and 'Edit' buttons at the bottom of the 'Summary Information' pane will populate the multi-tabbed 'Customer' screen.
Search Engine
Enter a search string directly into the 'Search' field at the top right of the screen. Click on the 'Binoculars' icon or press 'Enter' key to execute the search.
The searchable fields are Customer Code, Customer Name, Address 1, Address 2, Address 3, Town / Suburb, State, Postcode, Country, Department Barcode or the 'Active' flag.
Search strings entered into the search engine are not case sensitive. Wildcards can also be used within this field to broaden the search.
The Search Results pane will display the matching records. Highlight the record that you require and click the 'View' or 'Edit' button on the bottom of the pane to populate the multi-tabbed 'Customer' screen.
This screen displays the following tabs in a multiple tab layout: 'General', 'Account Info' and 'User Defined', 'Credit Status', 'Notes', 'Unpaid Invoices', 'History' and 'Ledger' tabs.
When adding a new customer only the 'General', 'Account Info' and 'User Defined' tabs are available.
General Tab
| Fields that require detailed information | |
|---|---|
Customer Code | This is an 8 character alpha/numeric code. |
Customer Name | This is a 40 character text field. |
Parent Code | This is an optional field. It would be used to link the customer to a parent record so that the customer's address is derived dynamically from the linked parent's address rather than being stored on the customer record. |
Parent Address | This is mandatory if a 'Parent Code' is entered above. |
Address Line 1 to 3 | Three lines of 50 characters are available to record customer address details. |
Town/Suburb | This is a 50 character text field. It will automatically upshift characters entered to upper case. |
State/Postcode | State and Postcode are both 6 character fields. |
Country | This is a 20 character text field. It will automatically upshift characters entered to upper case. |
Web Address | This is an 80 character field to record the customer's Internet URL. |
Contact Details | These fields are used to record the details for the customer account contact. It is important to fill out the contact information if you intend to take advantage of the facility in TASS.web that enables invoices/credits and statements to be emailed to this customer. |
When a 'Parent Code' link is entered, the following address fields will not be editable and they will display data from the linked parent address: 'Address Lines 1-3', 'Town/Suburb', 'State',' Postcode', 'Country', 'Email'.
When a 'Parent Code' link is entered, the 3 phone fields (under 'Contact Details') will be blank and not editable. To access phone details from the linked parent, click the 'View' link adjacent to the 'Parent Code' field.
Account Info Tab
| Account Information | |
|---|---|
Customer Type | Use the drop-down list to select a customer type for this customer. Customer types are setup using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup. The customer type selected for each customer will indicate whether a customer is a:
…and to which shop it is linked. Important! Customer types are important as they:
|
| Active | By default, this is ticked. Un-tick this checkbox if this customer is no longer used. The customer will not be visible in lookups during invoice entry and when using the picker in Finance > Commercial Debtors > Customer Information > Customers. If you need to reactivate a customer at some stage use the 'Search' function in Finance > Commercial Debtors > Customer Information > Customers to retrieve the record and check this flag. Important! This field is only active where the customer's account balance is zero. |
Term Code | Use the drop-down list to select a term code for this customer. Term codes are setup using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup. Term Codes are used by the invoice entry program. This programs will apply the term code to the invoice date to automatically calculate the due date. |
Tax Code | Use the drop-down list to select a tax code for this customer. The tax code entered here is only used by the invoice and credit entry programs if there is no tax code on the General Ledger account used in the transaction. Tax codes are setup using program Finance > General Ledger > Setup Information > General Ledger Setup. |
Sales Person | Use the drop-down list to select a salesperson for this customer. Salespeople are set up using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup. This field can be used as a filter for various reports and screen inquiries. |
Hold Sales | Use the drop-down list to select a hold sales reason for this customer. Hold sales reasons are setup using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup. The Invoice entry program will display a warning and prevent the processing of an invoice that is entered for any customer who has a 'Hold Sales Reason' on their record. |
Statement Message | Statement messages are setup using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup. As an example, you may have a different statement message for customers with more relaxed trading terms. Customers with statement message number 1 may get a different 1-30 overdue message to customers with message number 2. |
Department Barcode | This field is not likely to be used unless you intend to use bar code scanning for department customers at point-of-sale AND you want the code to be used for scanning to be different to the 'Customer Code'. |
Use Alternate Logo | Tick this checkbox to use the alternative Company Logo. To use an alternative logo you must have first uploaded one using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup on the 'Parameters' tab. Your main Company Logo can be uploaded using program Finance > General Ledger > Setup Information > Company Information on the 'Company' tab (click 'View' or 'Edit' in the 'Action' column to retrieve a company's details). |
| Invoice Footer - Message Text | |
Message Line 1 to 5 | The information entered in these fields prints in the message box in the bottom left-hand corner of the invoice and credit. One suggested use for it is to record direct payment options. Payment can be made directly to: BSB: NNN-NNN. Account: NNNNNNN. Reference: Account Code (above). It will take a lot of time to do this for every customer through this program. A better way would be to use program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Customer Information > Customer Grid Entry and the 'Fill Down' function. |
User Defined Tab
This tab provides up to 5 fields to store data against this customer record. The field names that you see here have been set up using program Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup.
Credit Status Tab
This tab only becomes available in 'View' or 'Edit' mode.
It displays account aging, available credit and history information (highest balance, the date the customer record was established on the system, last invoice and receipt dates).
In 'Edit' mode the 'Credit Limit' field is the only filed that can be edited. This is a reference only field.
Notes Tab
This tab displays notes that relate to the customer record currently being viewed.
'View', 'Edit' and 'Delete' functions are available to alter previously made entries.
To add a new customer note, select the 'Add Note' button and fill out the fields displayed.
Notes can also be categorised by the school. Categories can be set up Finance > Commercial Debtors > Setup Information > Commercial Debtors Setup.
TASS.doc is a feature that allows the operator to attach any type of file to a note which can be viewed by all authorised users of the 'Customer Notes' screen. An attachment is signified by the 'Paperclip' icon. Attachments can be added to the note by clicking the 'Browse' button and selecting the required file to attach from within the school's network. Once the file has been attached the original can be moved or deleted.
Examples of attachments for customers could be digital copies of contracts etc.
Select the 'Print' icon at the top of the screen to generate a report on the records in the 'Notes' tab.
'Start Date', 'End Date' and 'Note Category' fields can be used as 'Search Criteria'.
'Formatting Options' allows the user to choose the destination of the report. This can be to Adobe® PDF viewer, Microsoft Excel® or Microsoft Word®. The report can be sorted by 'Date' and 'Category' by selecting the appropriate radio button.
Use the checkboxes to indicate your preference for displaying 'Table Borders' and 'Alternate Row Colours'.
Unpaid Invoices
This tab only becomes available in ''View' or 'Edit' mode.
It will list any invoice for this customer that has an outstanding amount.
Click on the 'View' button in the 'Action' column to view the invoice details.
Click on the 'Story' button in the 'Action' column to view or add note information against this outstanding invoice.
History Tab
This tab only becomes available in ''View' or 'Edit' mode.
This screen populates the 'Customer History' details with periodic totals of customer transactions. No data is able to be entered or edited in this screen, as it is for viewing purposes only.
To view the breakdown of sales, receipts and credits, click on the 'View' action to display the 'Customer History Details' screen. A summary of the transactions is displayed by 'Period' and 'Year' including the 'Number' of transactions and the 'Average' amount involved.
To print this screen, click on the 'Print' icon above the tabs.
Ledger Tab
This screen provides a chronological ledger of all transactions for this customer.
No data is able to be entered or edited in this screen, as it is for viewing purposes only.
Click on the 'View' action to view details of each transaction. The 'Invoice', 'Credit' or 'Receipt' will display.
This screen would often be used to verify payment of an invoice from a customer. After clicking on the 'View' button in the 'Action' column the invoice will be displayed. If the invoice has been paid, a 'Payments' button will be displayed. Click this button to display the payment details.
To print this screen, click on the 'Print' icon above the tabs.
You can filter your search by clicking on the 'Search' button at the top right of the 'Customer Ledger'.
The 'Customer Ledger Transaction Search' window will display various filters with radio buttons. Select one 'Transaction Type' by clicking on the radio button. Filter the 'Transaction Dates' with the 'Date from' and 'Date to' fields and click on the 'Search' button to activate the search.
A window will display all the transactions for that filter in the date range selected.
To print the 'Customer Ledger' screen, click on the 'Print' icon above the tabs.