Customer Classes
Form ID: (AR201000)
On this form, you can create customer classes, which are groups of customers with similar properties. These classes make it easier to create customer accounts on the Customers (AR303000) form: Once you select a class for a customer you are entering, the system inserts the settings you've defined for the class, such as default accounts and subaccounts, into the corresponding form elements. (You can override these values, if needed.)
To ease the creation of customer classes, specify an existing customer class as the default one on the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) form. After you do this, when you create a new customer class, its elements will be populated with values from the default customer class. (You can overwrite any of these values.) For more information about customer classes, see Customers: Customer Class Settings.
Form Toolbar
The form toolbar includes standard and form-specific buttons and commands. For the list of standard buttons, see Form Toolbar and More Menu. The form-specific commands are listed in the following table.
Button | Description |
---|---|
Include Customers in Restriction Group |
Updates the security settings for all customers of the class. If you have changed the default restriction group for the selected customer class (on the General tab of this form, Default General Settings section), clicking this button will include all customers of the class in the specified group and exclude them from the group previously specified as the default one. This button appears on the form if the Row-Level Security feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Summary Area
In this area, you can select a class by its identifier and view its information, or you can specify the summary information for a class you are creating.
Element | Description |
---|---|
Class ID | The unique identifier of the class. You can use an alphanumeric string of up to 10 characters. |
Description | A detailed description of the customer class. |
General Tab
This tab is used to store general settings for the customer class. You can specify as few or as many default settings as you'd like.
Element | Description |
---|---|
Country |
The country of customers of the class. |
Restrict Visibility To |
The branch, company, or a company group associated by default with customers of the class. Only users assigned to the role specified for the branch on the Branches (CS102000) form or for the company (or a company within the company group) on the Companies (CS101500) form will be able to access customers of this customer class. Newly created customers of this class can be selected in documents originating from this branch or the branches of this company. This box appears on the form only when the Customer and Vendor Visibility Restriction feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Tax Zone ID |
The default tax zone for customers of the class. Note:
If you change the customer class of an existing customer, the
tax zone will not be overridden for all customer locations on
the Location tab of the Customers (AR303000) form. |
Require Tax Zone | A check box that means (if selected) that the Tax Zone value is required for customers of the class. If the check box is cleared, the Tax Zone is optional for these customers. |
Tax Calculation Mode |
The tax calculation mode that will be specified in the Default Location Settings section on the Delivery Settings tab of the Customers (AR303000) form for new customers of this customer class. This box contains one of the following options:
|
Entity Usage Type |
The corresponding entity usage type. If integration with Avalara is configured, in a document with the current customer selected, this value is sent to Avalara to specify the reason for tax exemption. If the Taxable - Override Exemption option is selected, the document's exemption is overridden, and taxes are calculated in the external tax service. This box is available only when the External Tax Calculation Integration feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Require Entity Usage Type |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that selection of an entity usage type is required. This box appears on the form only when the External Tax Calculation Integration feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Default Location ID from Branch |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that the identifier of the branch the user is currently signed in to is used by default as the identifier of the customer's main location instead of the MAIN (default). This box is available only when the Business Account Locations feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Locale |
The locale that defines the language in which customers of the class prefer to receive documents. The system will assign this locale to new customer accounts of the class automatically when you specify the customer class for the account on the Customers (AR303000) form. For each existing customer account, you need to specify the preferred locale manually. This box is displayed if there are multiple active locales in the system. For details, see Locales and Languages. |
Default Restriction Group |
The restriction group to which newly created customers of the class are assigned by default. To include all existing vendors of the class to the default group, click Include Customers in Restriction Group on the form toolbar. This box appears on the form if the Row-Level Security feature has been enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Price Class |
The customer price class used by the customers of the class. A price class, defined on the Customer Price Classes (AR208000) form, indicates the price level offered to the customer and can be used as a condition to be met for a discount application. By default, this box is empty. If you select a specific price class for the selected customer class, when a new customer of the class is created, on the Shipping tab of the Customers (AR303000) form, the Price Class value will be copied from the selected customer class. If you change the customer class for a customer on the Customers (AR303000) form, the system will display a warning message asking if you want to confirm this change; the system will change the existing price class if you answer Yes. Otherwise, the system will keep the existing customer settings, including the price class, which were previously specified. |
Salesperson ID | The salesperson to make sales to customers of the class. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Ship Via | The carrier whose service will be used by default for customers of the class. |
Shipping Terms | The shipping terms to be assigned by default to customers of the class. |
Shipping Rule |
The way shipments for orders should be created by default for a customer of this class. Select one of the following options:
|
Element | Description |
---|---|
Credit Verification |
The credit verification rule for customers of the class. The following options are available:
|
Credit Limit | The credit limit amount for customers of the class if the Credit Limit or Limit and Days Past Due option is selected in the Credit Verification box. |
Over-Limit Amount | The maximum amount allowed over the credit limit for customers of the class. |
Credit Days Past Due | The duration of the credit period. This value is used if the Days Past Due or Limit and Days Past Due option is selected in the Credit Verification box. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Billing Cycle | The billing cycle that is assigned by default to the customers of this class. |
Bill-To Address |
The email address to which the invoice is sent. You can select one of the following options:
This box is not available for the billing cycles with the Time Frame grouping setting on the Billing Cycles (FS206000) form. |
Ship-To Address |
The shipping address to which items of the service order are shipped. You can select one of the following options:
This box is not available for the billing cycles with the Time Frame grouping setting on the Billing Cycles (FS206000) form. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Terms | The default credit terms of the customer class; terms are defined on the Credit Terms (CS206500) form. |
Statement Cycle ID | The default statement cycle to be used for customers of this class. |
Payment Method | The payment method used by default in relations with these customers. |
Auto-Apply Payments | A check box that indicates (if selected) that payment application may be performed automatically for customers of the class. |
Apply Overdue Charges |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that overdue charges can be applied to these customers. This check box is available if the Overdue Charges feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Overdue Charge ID | The overdue charge to be applied for customers of this class.
The option is available if the Overdue Charges feature has been enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Enable Write-Offs | A check box that indicates (if selected) that balance and credit write-offs are allowed for customers of this class. |
Write-Off Limit |
The maximum value that may be written off for customers of the class. All balances and credits that are less than this value may be written off. This box is available only if the Enable Write-Offs check box is selected. |
Currency | The default currency, by its ID, that is used in operations with customers of this class. |
Enable Currency Override | A check box that indicates (if selected) that the currency may be overridden in operations with customers of the class; that is, users can select a currency other than the default currency for individual documents. |
Currency Rate Type | The default currency rate type used in operations with customers of this class. |
Enable Rate Override | A check box that means (if selected) that users may override the currency rate type in operations with customers of the class, selecting a currency rate type other than the default one for individual documents |
Group / Document Discount Limit (%) |
The maximum percentage of group-level and document-level discounts allowed per document for customers of this class. This value will be used for validation of discounts in sales orders and invoices. If for an order or invoice, the percentage of the total discount exceeds the specified limit, the system will display a warning on the Discounts tab of the appropriate form. The percentage of the total discount for a document is calculated as follows: the total of the Discount Amt. column (on the Discounts tab) divided by the value of the Detail Total box in the Summary area of the appropriate form. |
Pay by Line |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that the ability to apply payments by individual lines is turned on by default for customers of the class that are created. Thus, after you select this check box, the Pay by Line check box is selected on the Customers (AR303000) form for each customer you create. (This default setting can be overridden for the created customer.) Selecting or clearing this check box for an existing customer class, however, does not change this setting for existing customers of the class. This check box appears on the form only if the Payment Application by Line feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, and it is cleared by default for existing customer classes. The check box is also cleared by default for customer classes created after the feature has been enabled. |
Apply Retainage |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that the retainage functionality will be turned on by default for all customers that are created and assigned to this customer class. Thus, after you select this check box, the Apply Retainage check box will be selected on the Customers (AR303000) form for each customer you create. (This default setting can be overridden.) Selecting or clearing this check box for an existing customer class, however, does not change this setting for existing customers of the class. This check box appears on the form only if the Retainage Support feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form, and it is cleared by default for existing customer classes. This check box is also cleared by default for new customer classes. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Send Invoices by Email | A check box that indicates (if selected) that invoices can be sent by email to customers of the class by using the Print Invoices and Memos form. |
Print Invoices | A check box that indicates (if selected) that invoices can be printed on the Print Invoices and Memos (AR508000) form. |
Send Dunning Letters by Email |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that dunning letters can be sent by email to customers of the class by using the Print/Release Dunning Letters (AR522000) form. This box is available only if the Dunning Letter Management feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Print Dunning Letters |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that dunning letters can be printed for sending to customers of the class by using the Print/Release Dunning Letters (AR522000) form. This box is available only if the Dunning Letter Management feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Send Statements by Email | A check box that indicates (if selected) that statements can be sent by email to customers of the class by using the Print Statements (AR503500) form. |
Print Statements | A check box that indicates (if selected) that statements can be printed for sending to customers of the class on the Print Statements (AR503500) form. |
Statement Type |
The statement type used by default in relations with customers of the class. The following options are available:
|
Multi-Currency Statements | A check box that indicates (if selected) that statements will be printed or sent by email in multicurrency format for customers of the class. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Save Payment Profiles |
Specifies if payment profiles should be saved in the system for the customers of this class. The box includes the following options:
Note:
To import a customer with payment profile tokens in the
system, you should assign this customer to a customer class with
the Always or Upon Confirmation option selected in
this box. To import a customer without payment profile tokens,
you should assign this customer to a customer class with the
Upon Confirmation or Never option selected in
this box. |
Element | Description |
---|---|
Exclude from Payment Link Processing |
This check box indicates (if selected) that the processing of payment links is turned off for all customers of this class. With the check box selected, the Payment Links tab on the Invoices and Memos (AR301000) and Invoices (SO303000) forms will not appear; therefore, payment links cannot be created for invoices and sales orders of these customers. By default, this check box is cleared for new customer classes. |
Delivery Method |
The method of delivering payment links to a customer of the class. The following options are available:
The option that you select will be displayed in invoices and sales orders of the customer in the Link Delivery Method box of the Payment Linktab of the Invoices and Memos (AR301000), Invoices (SO303000), and Sales Orders (SO301000) forms. It will be read-only if the Enable Delivery Method Override check box is cleared for the customer class. |
Enable Delivery Method Override | This check box indicates (if selected) that a user can override the default delivery method for payment links for a particular invoice or sales order of a customer of the class. |
Allowed Means of Payment |
An option that indicates the payment methods available for a customer of the class for payments using payment links. This setting is used along with the payment method setup of the selected processing center. The following options are available:
|
GL Accounts Tab
This tab holds the default GL accounts and corresponding subaccounts of customers of the class.
Element | Description |
---|---|
AR Account |
The asset account that stores the balance of the customers of this class. The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts receivable subledger. That is, for this account, AR should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information. |
AR Sub. | The subaccount for the asset account that stores the balance of the transactions related to customers of this class. |
Sales Account | The income account used to record sales made to the customers of this class. |
Sales Sub. | The subaccount used to record sales made to customers of the class. |
Discount Account | The expense account used to record trade discount amounts received by customers of this class. |
Discount Sub. | The subaccount used with the expense account to record the discount amounts received by customers of this class. |
Freight Account | The income account used to record the freight charges for shipping the goods to customers of this class. |
Freight Sub. | The subaccount used with the income account to record the freight charges for shipping the goods to customers of this class. |
Cash Discount Account | The expense account used to record cash discount amounts received by customers of this class. |
Cash Discount Sub. | The subaccount used with the expense account to record the discount amounts received by customers of this class. |
Prepayment Account |
The account to record prepayments received from customers of the class. The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts receivable subledger. That is, for this account, AR should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information. |
Prepayment Sub. | The subaccount used with the prepayment account to record the prepayments received from customers of the class. |
Unrealized Gain Account |
The account to record unrealized gains calculated on transactions with customers of this class. If no account is selected in this box, the account specified on the Currencies (CM202000) form will be used. |
Unrealized Gain Sub. |
The corresponding subaccount to record unrealized gains on transactions with customers of this class. If no subaccount is selected in this box, a subaccount will be generated according to the rule specified in the Combine Gain/Loss Sub. From box on the Currency Management Preferences (CM101000) form. |
Unrealized Loss Account |
The account to record unrealized losses calculated on transactions with customers of this class. If no account is selected in this box, the account specified on the Currencies (CM202000) form will be used. |
Unrealized Loss Sub. |
The corresponding subaccount to record unrealized losses on transactions with customers of this class. If no subaccount is selected in this box, the subaccount will be generated according to the rule specified in the Combine Gain/Loss Sub. From box on the Currency Management Preferences (CM101000) form. |
Retainage Receivable Account |
The account used to record retained amounts on invoices with customers of the class. The account selected in this box should be configured as a control account for the accounts receivable subledger. That is, for this account, AR should be selected in the Control Account Module column on the Chart of Accounts (GL202500) form. For more information on control accounts, see Control Accounts: General Information. This account is inserted by default into the Retainage Receivable Account box on the Customers (AR303000) form for newly created customers of this customer class. This box appears on the form only if the Retainage Support feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Retainage Receivable Sub. |
The subaccount used to record retained amounts on invoices with customers of the class. This subaccount is inserted by default into the Retainage Receivable Sub. box on the Vendors (AP303000) form for newly created customers of this customer class. This box appears on the form only if the Subaccounts and Retainage Support features are enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. |
Dunning Tab
This tab contains a list of dunning levels for customers of this customer class and the settings associated with each level. These levels are used when dunning letters are prepared and released. (Dunning levels cannot be set at the individual customer level.)
This tab appears on the form if the Dunning Letter Management feature is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form.
When a customer class is created on the current form, the system populates this table with the list of dunning levels defined on the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) form. However, you can delete unneeded levels, change the settings of existing levels, and add new levels that were not defined on the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) form.
The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.
Column | Description |
---|---|
Dunning Letter Level | An integer that indicates the order in which a letter of this level should be sent, with 1 indicating the letter sent first, 2 indicating the letter sent next, and so on. |
Days Past Due | The number of days that should pass after the due date for at least one document of a particular customer before a dunning letter of this level can be generated. |
Days to Settle | The number of days that are added to the letter date to calculate the deadline for the payment. The payment deadline date is included in the Dunning Letter (AR661000) report. |
Description | Any comment that is relevant to a dunning letter of this level. |
Dunning Fee |
The amount of the dunning letter fee, if your company charges one, for this level. Only a positive amount can be specified in this box. |
Attributes Tab
This tab contains the list of customer attributes associated with the class. You can select an attribute from the list of attributes defined in your system. To add a new attribute, use the Attributes (CS205000) form.
The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.
Column | Description |
---|---|
Active |
A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute is available for all customers of the class. You can deactivate an obsolete attribute by clearing the check box—in this case, the deactivated attribute will no longer be displayed for customers of the class, but all attribute values that have already been specified for existing records still will be stored in the database, so if you reactivate the attribute, its values will become visible in the system again. |
Attribute ID | The name of the attribute, which serves as its identifier. An alphanumeric string of up to 10 characters may be used. |
Description | A detailed description of the attribute. Use an alphanumeric string of up to 50 characters. |
Sort Order | A number that represents the order of the attribute for sorting in reports. |
Required | A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute value is required for all customers of the class. |
Internal | A check box that indicates (if selected) that the attribute is not available for portal users. |
Control Type | The type of control for the attribute: Text, Combo, Multi Select Combo, Lookup, Checkbox, or Datetime. |
Default Value | The default value of the attribute. |
Mailing & Printing Tab
This tab contains the list of the mailings for customers of the class. Mailings are used to send electronic versions of documents (by email) to customers and company employees overseeing operations with customers of the class.
When a new customer class is created, the system copies to the customer class all the rows of the Mailings and Recipients tables of the Mailing & Printing tab of both the following forms: Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) and Sales Orders Preferences (SO101000). You can deactivate or delete any of these rows, override some of their default settings, and add new rows.
You can add mailings for the customer class if they are in the list of mailings specified on the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) form or Sales Orders Preferences (SO101000) form if the Inventory and Order Management group of features is enabled on the Enable/Disable Features (CS100000) form. When you select a mailing in the Mailing ID column, the values in the other columns are copied from the corresponding columns of the preferences form where the mailing is defined, but you can override some values.
If you add a mailing to the customer class, the system copies the mailing and its settings to all customers of this class.
The tab provides default values for mailings to be configured for particular customers. Emails for active mailings will be generated and sent to customer contacts and company employees when a user invokes the action specific to the mailing on appropriate processing forms. Such emails can contain customer statements, invoices, or dunning letters in any of the available formats. Also, customers can be notified by email about credit card expiration. For details, see Managing Mailings.
The tab includes the Mailings table, with the list of mailings, and the Recipients table, with the list of recipients. In the Recipients table, you can specify default types of customer contacts, not particular contacts.
Column | Description |
---|---|
Active | A check box that indicates (if selected) that this mailing is active. Emails will be sent for only active mailings. |
Mailing ID | The unique identifier of this mailing. After you select the mailing ID from the list of available mailing IDs, you cannot change it. |
Branch |
Read-only. The branch for which this mailing is defined. If you select a mailing ID for which a branch is specified on the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) or Sales Orders Preferences (SO101000) form, the system inserts this branch into the column. |
Email Account |
The system email account to be used by default for sending emails for this mailing to customers of the class. If no account is specified, the default system account will be used. If a value is specified in the Default Email Account box of the Email Settings Tab of the User Profile (SM203010) form, the system ignores the value specified in this box. The system email account specified in this box overrides the value that is specified in the Account Name box of the Email Preferences (SM204001) form. |
Report | The Accounts Receivable report to be used by default as the email body for the mailing, if this mailing uses a report rather than a mailing template. |
Notification Template | The email template to be used for generating personalized emails for this mailing, if a template is used. For each mailing, you can specify either a report or an email template. By default, a notification template specified in the Notification Template column on the Mailing & Printing tab of the Accounts Receivable Preferences (AR101000) form is inserted in this column (if any). |
Format | The format in which the report, if a report is used, will be sent by default if a recipient has no preferences. Select one of the following options:HTML, Excel, or PDF. |
Recipients |
The way the system specifies recipients in the generated email. The following options are available:
|
Use the Recipients table, described in the following table, to view and modify the list of default recipients for mailings. This list is used primarily to provide default contact types for the customer class; if necessary, you can also specify an employee of your company to receive electronic copies of documents of customers of this class.
The table toolbar includes standard buttons and buttons that are specific to this table. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar. The table-specific buttons are listed below.
Column | Description |
---|---|
Active | A check box that indicates (if selected) that this contact or contact type is active. Only active recipients will receive emails for the mailing. |
Contact Type |
The type of contact to receive the mailing. The following options are available:
|
Contact ID |
The mailing recipient. A recipient can be specified only if Employee has been specified in the Contact Type column. This employee will by default receive emails with documents of all customers of the class. |
Format | The format in which the document (formatted according to the selected report if applicable) will be sent for recipients of this type by default. Select one of the following options: HTML, Excel, or PDF. |
Add To | The To, CC, and BCC options, which are available in this column, determine the element in which the recipient will be included in the generated email. |
Service Billing Tab
On this tab, you can assign different billing cycles to the service order types that will be set by default for customers of the class.
This tab is available only if the Manage Multiple Billing Options per Customer check box is selected on the Service Management Preferences (FS100100) form.
The table toolbar includes only standard buttons. For the list of standard buttons, see Table Toolbar.
Column | Description |
---|---|
Service Order Type | The type of service order to which the billing cycle is assigned. |
Billing Cycle |
The billing cycle associated with the service order type for the customer. If a user tries to modify the value in the column, the system displays a warning message indicating that the system will use the newly specified billing cycle to process the customer's service orders and appointments that have not been billed yet, and to process any service orders and appointments whose billing documents will be corrected and for which billing will be run again. |
Bill-To Address | The email address to which the invoice is sent, which is one of the following options:
This column is not available for the billing cycles with the Time Frame grouping setting on the Billing Cycles (FS206000) form. |
Ship-To Address | The shipping address to which items of the service order are shipped, which is one of the following options:
This column is not available for the billing cycles with the Time Frame grouping setting on the Billing Cycles (FS206000) form. |
Frequency Type | The time frequency when the documents are eligible to be posted, which is one of the
following options:
This column is available for editing only if the billing cycle has the Appointments or Service Orders grouping setting specified on the Billing Cycles form. If the billing cycle has another grouping setting, the column is filled in with None. |