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Edit customer
Solution No. 336

OVERVIEW
How to edit an existing customer

SCREEN OVERVIEW
Edit customer
Buttons
Additional info
Payment and job info
Contacts
Transactions
Activities
Opportunities
Cases
Documents

Overview

Now that you've created some customers and populated your Existing Customer Contacts List, you may need to go back and edit some of the information associated with those customers. Perhaps you've gotten more information from the customer, or you need to change the contact associated with it. Whatever the reason, the Edit Customer screen allows you to edit the details of existing customers, as well as associate them with other entities within Method. Let's go through the steps required to edit a customer!

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How to edit an existing customer

  1. In Method CRM, click Customers > Customers and Contacts List.

  2. Choose the customer you'd like to edit and click Go to next to the chosen entry. This will open the edit screen as well as a temporary Tab link in your tab link bar. You can navigate away from this tab link and navigate back without losing data you've typed into fields.

  3. Ensure both the Customer Name and Contact fields are filled out – you can change both of these fields to suit your needs, but they must be filled out in order for Method to save the customer.

  4. From this screen, you can alter any of the existing fields – change the text in writable fields, change the chosen option in drop down menus, and and ensure customer is active and therefore appearing in your Existing Customer Contacts List by clicking on the check box in the Additional Info section:


    The bottom of the screen features a series of clickable tab sections that each open their own unique set of options. You can choose to edit the information listed in additional info update the payment information view all the customer's transactions and create or edit activities, estimates, invoices and documents associated with this customer.
  5. Click save at the bottom of the screen. This will save whatever changes you've made to the fields in this customer and update info in the existing customers and contacts list.

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Screen overview

The following is a breakdown of the Edit Customer screen. We'll take a closer look at each element of the screen (dropdown lists, buttons, etc.) so you know exactly what each element does. We hope this will be a useful roadmap for new users!

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Edit customer

Clicking go to... next to a customer on the Existing Customer Contacts List will open the Edit Customer screen, which will be automatically populated with the information from the original customer.


The top half of this screen should look familiar, as it contains all the same fields as the New Customer screen does. For more information on the specifics of these fields, please see the New customer documentation. The only additional fields that exist in this screen are the following:

  • Current balance: This field displays the total outstanding balance owed by this customer, if any. This is not editable from this screen, because it is populated by QuickBooks.

  • Alt contact: This field allows you to provide an alternate contact name for this customer. This is the person you can speak to in case your primary contact is unavailable.

  • Alt phone: This is the phone number for the alternative contact.

None of these fields are required, so only include this information if you feel it's pertinent.

Below, there is a toolbar of additional options that will open several screens' worth of information that you can use to associate other entities within Method with your lead, as well as fill out additional information within the lead itself. There are also a series of buttons that do not change, regardless which of the toolbar's tabs are open.

 

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Buttons

At the bottom of each screen you will see the same set of buttons: More actions, Save, Save & Close, and Close. This is a breakdown of what they do.

  • More actions: This button will allow you either to Delete customer, which cannot be undone, or bring up the Notes screen. Here you can write notes regarding any additional pertinent information pertaining to this customer, and then either Save it and continue writing, or Save & Close which will return you to the Edit customer screen.

  • Save: Saves the information on the screen without closing it.

  • Save & Close: saves the information on the screen and then returns to you the Existing Customers and Contacts List.

  • Go back: returns you to the Existing Customers and Contacts List without saving the information on the screen.

Additional info


  • Job of customer: This dropdown list is used in specific circumstances, notably if you don't want this job to sync to QuickBooks. For more information on customer jobs, please click here.
  • Type: This dropdown list allows you to assign a filtering option to this customer to make it easier to group with customers of similar type.

  • Terms: This dropdown list deals with terms of payment – it is a list that originates in QuickBooks and so might be familiar to those of you who use QuickBooks regularly. The types available out of the box are as follows:

    • 1% 10 Net 30: Payee gets a 1% discount if the full amount is paid within the first ten days; however, the full amount must be paid within 30 days.
    • 2% 10 Net 30: Payee gets a 2% discount if the full amount is paid within the first ten days; however, the full amount must be paid within 30 days.
    • Consignment: This usually refers to products, and means your company retains ownership of the product until the second party sells it for you.
    • Date driven: A date driven payment is any payment that pertains to specific dates (for example, due on the 15th of the month, regardless when the invoice is received).
    • Due on receipt: The payment is due when the invoice is received.
    • Net 15: The payment is due within 15 days of reception.
    • Net 30: The payment is due within 30 days of reception.
    • Net 60: The payment is due within 60 days of reception.

  • Sales rep: This dropdown list allows you to choose a sales representative from your Method users to associate with this customer. You can also create a new sales representative, which you can learn how to do in the New Sales Rep documentation.

  • Price level: This dropdown list lets you assign a price level associated to a specific group of customers, especially those that might be entitled to a special discount or those who require a markup.
    If you have customized QuickBooks fields you want to see appear on this screen, you will have to customize the screen to make them visible. Please get in touch with a Business Solutions Specialist for help with this.
  • Customer is active: This checkbox means the customer is active in Method and can therefore be searched within grids. If this box is not checked it means the customer is inactive and will not appear in "Active" filters.

  • Lead source: This dropdown list identifies the lead source for this customer. For more on lead sources, see the Leads section of this guide.

  • CampaignMethod does not come with any campaigns pre-loaded; please see Campaigns for more details. This dropdown list allows you to associate this customer with a marketing campaign you've created in Method.

  • Tax code: This dropdown list lets you determine whether a sale associated with this customer is taxable or not.

  • Tax item: This dropdown list lets you determine whether a sale associated with this customer will be taxed in or out-of-state. Refer to your local state laws for specific information as to whether or not sales are taxable.

  • Resale number: You can input a resale number, if applicable.
    A resale number is issued by a state or local municipality and gives your company permission to buy products at wholesale prices and re-sell them.

 

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Payment and job info

This section will only be visible in Method accounts synced to QuickBooks Desktop.

As on the New Customer screen, this area gives you the opportunity to fill in pertinent details of the customer's payment information.


  • Account number: This number is assigned in QuickBooks and syncs to this field in Method.

  • Credit limit: This is your customer's credit limit, if applicable.

  • Preferred payment method: This dropdown list allows you to choose from a list of payment options, from credit cards to cash to e-check

  • Credit card information: The fields in this section are self-explanatory, and refer to the credit card the lead will use to pay outstanding balances once they become a customer.
    When a customer is pushed to QuickBooks, any credit card information included will be returned by QuickBooks (which is PCI-compliant) as a series of **** **** **** XXXX with the last four numbers included.
  • Job status: This dropdown list will allow you to assign a status to the current job.
    • Awarded: The job has been awarded to your company and is awaiting a start date.
    • Closed: The job is complete, either because it has been finished or cancelled.
    • InProgress: The job is currently in progress.
    • None: If the job is only hypothetical at this juncture, this would be the best option to choose.
    • NotAwarded: The job was not awarded to your company.
    • Pending: The job is waiting in queue for one of a variety of reasons.
  • Start date: Opens a clickable calendar for you to choose a start date for this job.

  • Projected end date: Opens a clickable calendar for you to choose a projected end date for this job.

  • End date: Opens a clickable calendar for you to choose a firm end date for this job, if one has been agreed upon between you and the customer.

  • Job desc.: Allows you to include a brief description of what the job will entail (e.g. "cut the lawn", "build table", etc.)

  • Job type: Lets you choose between two job types: commercial and residential.

    • Commercial generally refers to jobs done for a company or business-owned property
    • Residential generally refers to jobs done in a private home.

    You can add more job types in QuickBooks, and they will be pushed over to the Method dropdown list.

 

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Contacts

This opens a grid detailing all the contacts you have associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.



The clickable functions of this grid include Edit contact, New activity, Log a call, New opportunity, and New case. Clicking on each of these links will take you to the related pages. Please see the appropriate pages in this guide for more information.

There is also a button marked "Add Contacts", which will open the Add/Edit Contacts (for this customer) screen. Please see the Contacts documentation for more information on this screen.

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Transactions

This opens a grid detailing all the transactions associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.

There is also a button marked "New Transaction", which gives you the option of opening one of several new screens, including credit memo, estimate, invoice, receive paymentsales order and sales receipt. When saved, these transactions will be associated with this customer and appear in this grid.

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Activities

This opens a grid detailing all the activities associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.

There is also a New activity button that opens the New Activity screen. For more information on how that screen operates, please see the New activity documentation.

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Opportunities

This opens a grid detailing all the opportunities associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.

There is also a New opportunity button that opens the New Opportunity screen. For more information on how that screen operates, please see the New opportunity documentation.

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Cases

This tab lists all the cases associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.

There is also a New case button that opens the New Case screen. For more information on how that screen operates, please see the New case documentation.

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Documents

This tab lists all the documents associated with this customer. For more information on how to navigate grids in Method, see our article on Grid functionality.

The Document button at the bottom of the screen gives you the option to Link an existing document or Upload a new document, both of which are explained in the Document section.

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