SME SystemDocumentation

Managing Contacts

Learn how to manage customers and suppliers in SME System.

The Contacts module is your central database for all customer and supplier information. It's the foundation for your CRM, sales, and quoting workflows.

Adding a New Contact

Customer vs Supplier

SME System distinguishes between two types of contacts:

  • Customers: Organisations or individuals you sell to
  • Suppliers: Vendors and service providers you purchase from

Creating a Contact

To add a new contact:

  1. Navigate to the Contacts module from the sidebar
  2. Click the Add Contact button
  3. Fill in the required information:
    • Name: Company or individual name (required)
    • Email: Primary email address
    • Phone: Contact phone number
    • VAT Number: For B2B customers (optional)
    • Address: Street, city, and postcode
    • Is Company: Toggle between company and individual contact
  4. Click Save

Contact Information Fields

Required Fields

  • Name: The company or person's name
  • Organisation: Automatically assigned to your organisation

Optional Fields

  • Email: Primary email address for communication
  • Phone: Contact phone number
  • VAT Number: UK VAT registration number for B2B transactions
  • Street: First line of address
  • City: Town or city
  • Postcode: UK postcode (format validation)

Viewing and Editing Contacts

Contact List

The contacts list displays all your contacts with key information:

  • Name
  • City
  • Email
  • Contact type (customer/supplier)

You can:

  • Search: Find contacts by name, email, or city
  • Filter: Show only customers or suppliers
  • Sort: Order by name, city, or creation date

Editing a Contact

  1. Click on a contact in the list
  2. Click the Edit button
  3. Update the required fields
  4. Click Save

Linking Contacts to Other Modules

CRM Integration

Contacts are linked to CRM leads:

  • When creating a lead, select an existing customer
  • The lead inherits the customer's contact information
  • Won leads can be converted to orders with customer details pre-filled

Sales Integration

Contacts are used in the quoting process:

  • Select a customer when creating a quote
  • Customer address and VAT number are automatically included
  • Order history is tracked per customer

Best Practices

Data Quality

  • Standardise Names: Use consistent naming (e.g., "Acme Ltd" not "Acme Limited")
  • Validate VAT Numbers: Ensure VAT numbers are correct for B2B invoicing
  • Complete Addresses: Full addresses improve quote professionalism
  • Keep Email Updated: Essential for sending quotes and communications

Organisation

  • Use Categories: Group contacts by type (customer/supplier)
  • Regular Updates: Keep contact information current
  • Remove Duplicates: Merge duplicate contact records
  • Archive Old Contacts: Hide contacts you no longer use

Security and Privacy

Data Isolation

All contacts are scoped to your organisation:

  • Your team sees only your organisation's contacts
  • Row-Level Security (RLS) prevents cross-organisation access
  • Each user's access is controlled by their role

GDPR Compliance

Contact data is handled in compliance with UK GDPR:

  • Data is stored securely in the EEA
  • You can export or delete contact data on request
  • Data retention follows your organisation's policies

Troubleshooting

Contact Not Appearing in CRM

If a contact doesn't appear in the CRM customer selector:

  • Ensure the contact is marked as a customer (not supplier)
  • Check that the contact belongs to your organisation
  • Verify you have the correct permissions

VAT Validation Issues

If VAT numbers aren't validating:

  • Ensure the format is correct (UK: GB followed by 9 digits)
  • Check for typos or extra spaces
  • Some international VAT formats may not be supported

Next Steps