# Creating Customer Records

A complete Customer record gives sales, finance, and service teams one reliable place for the customer's identity, contacts, addresses, pricing, payment terms, tax settings, and credit controls. These details can flow into quotations, orders, invoices, statements, and payments.

Use this guide to create a Customer, confirm its defaults, test the result, and maintain the record without creating duplicates.

## Before you start

* You need permission to create and edit **Customer**, **Contact**, and **Address** records.
* Confirm the customer's legal or trading name.
* Confirm whether the customer is a company, individual, or partnership.
* Confirm the correct **Customer Group** and **Territory** when your NexWave setup lets users select them. These values support reporting and customer selection.
* Collect the main contact's name, email address, and phone number.
* Collect each billing and shipping address. Confirm which address is the default for each purpose.
* Confirm the selling currency, price list, payment terms, tax details, and credit policy with the people who own these settings.

Do not create a second Customer only because a contact, address, or trading name changed. Search first, then update the existing record when it represents the same customer.

## 1. Check for an existing Customer


1. Use the search bar to open **Customer**.
2. Search for the customer's legal name, trading name, or a distinctive part of the name.
3. Open any possible match and check its **Address & Contact** tab.
4. Compare its contacts, email addresses, postal addresses, and tax details with the information you received.

If the record represents the same organisation or person, update it. If two records already represent the same customer, review the merge steps under **Maintain a Customer record** before you create any transactions.

## 2. Create the Customer


1. From the Customer list, click **Add Customer**.
2. Enter the legal or trading name in **Customer Name**.
3. Select **Customer Type**:
   * **Company** for a registered business or organisation.
   * **Individual** for a person who buys in their own name.
   * **Partnership** when this is the customer's legal structure.
4. Add the primary contact and address details when you have confirmed information and want NexWave to create these linked records with the Customer.
5. Click **Save**. If the quick-entry window does not show a field that you need, click **Edit Full Form** and complete it before you save.

 ![New Customer quick-entry window with contact and address details](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC80ZWM4N2I3YS03Y2FlLTQ2NjMtYjY3OS01MmY4NTRlZmI0ZWUvMDEtbmV3LWN1c3RvbWVyLXdpbmRvdy5qcGciLCJ0eXBlIjoiYXR0YWNobWVudCIsImlhdCI6MTc5MjYyMDkwMCwiZXhwIjoxNzkyNzA3MzAwfQ.ox8loQpreFrRK_VTH9jNcn83rX6PuioDV1J-CTSVuv8)

**Customer Group** and **Territory** can be applied automatically. If your NexWave setup shows these fields, check that they contain the correct values before staff use the Customer.

Use one consistent naming convention. Avoid informal abbreviations that make the record hard to find. Do not add a site, branch, or contact name to **Customer Name** unless it is part of the agreed customer identity.

## 3. Set the commercial defaults

Open the saved Customer and select **Details**.


1. Select **Default Price List** when the customer uses an agreed selling price list.
2. Select **Billing Currency** when the customer normally buys in a specific currency.
3. Click **Save**.

 ![Customer details and commercial defaults](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC81NzZlYTgzYy01NjA5LTQ1OWQtODJhZS1jM2YwMjczOGY5MjgvMDEtY3VzdG9tZXItZGV0YWlscy1hbmQtZGVmYXVsdHMuanBnIiwidHlwZSI6ImF0dGFjaG1lbnQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTI2MjA5MDAsImV4cCI6MTc5MjcwNzMwMH0.j5nP5kO264FOGGGsxMHa5unUwHWyMJSTBZanNUaYyAI)

Leave a default blank when your team must choose it for each transaction. A customer default helps data entry, but staff can still need to check the value on each quotation, order, or invoice.

## 4. Add contacts and invoice recipients

Select **Address & Contact**.

To add a contact:


1. Click **New Contact**.
2. Enter **First Name** and **Last Name**.
3. Add the work email address under **Email IDs** and mark the main address as the primary email.
4. Add phone numbers under **Contact Numbers**.
5. Tick **Is Primary Contact** when this person is the main contact for the Customer.
6. Check **Links** and confirm that the Contact is linked to the Customer.
7. Click **Save**.

Add a separate linked Contact for each person who must receive sales documents or statements. Use clear contact details and confirm the recipients in the email window before you send a document.

Back on the Customer, select the main person in **Customer Primary Contact**. NexWave uses this selection when it fetches the primary contact and email into other records. If you edit the selected Contact later, reselect **Customer Primary Contact** and save the Customer so that its fetched details are current.

## 5. Add billing and shipping addresses

On **Address & Contact**, click **New Address**.


1. Enter a clear **Address Title**.
2. Select the correct **Address Type**, such as Billing or Shipping.
3. Enter **Address Line 1**, **City/Town**, **Country**, and **Postal Code**. Add the other available address details when they apply.
4. Check **Links** and confirm that the Address is linked to the Customer.
5. Click **Save**.

 ![Completed billing address linked to a Customer](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC9kMjdjNTEyNi1iYWJlLTQyMjEtODhiZC00NmM2NDBiNjY4M2QvMDMtY3VzdG9tZXItYmlsbGluZy1hZGRyZXNzLmpwZyIsInR5cGUiOiJhdHRhY2htZW50IiwiaWF0IjoxNzkyNjIwOTAwLCJleHAiOjE3OTI3MDczMDB9.SjxnrTc7xbhJzHq8Fg84IPOWNsAwTEh8I3sXOB144vo)

If the Address form shows **Preferred Billing Address** or **Preferred Shipping Address**, select the flag that matches the address purpose.

Create separate linked addresses when billing and delivery locations differ. Do not overwrite a billing address with a temporary delivery location. Add the delivery location as another Address instead.

Back on the Customer, select the normal address in **Customer Primary Address**. If you edit that Address later, reselect **Customer Primary Address** and save the Customer so that its fetched details are current.

## 6. Set tax details

Select **Tax**.


1. Enter the customer's tax registration or business number in **Tax ID** when your organisation records it.
2. Select **Tax Category** only when a configured category must control the customer's tax treatment.
3. Click **Save**.

Do not guess a tax number or category. Confirm it from an approved source. A wrong tax default can affect every new sales transaction for the customer.

## 7. Set payment terms, accounts, and credit controls

Select **Accounting**.


1. Select **Default Payment Terms Template** when the customer has agreed payment terms.
2. Add a **Credit Limit** row for the correct company when your credit policy requires a limit.
3. Select **On Credit Hold** only when your approved credit-control process requires it.
4. Use **Accounts** only when the customer needs a non-standard receivable account. Most customers should use the normal company receivable account.
5. Click **Save**.

 ![Payment terms and credit controls](https://docs.nexwaveapp.com/api/files.get?sig=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiJ1cGxvYWRzL2YxMTg5ZTEzLTdlMTQtNDA1ZC04MDI1LWMxZmI0Y2Y2MTg0ZC9kMzRhNjA5MS1mNmFiLTQyYWQtYTc3Yy00OGYyYmQ4MzQ4NGEvMDQtcGF5bWVudC10ZXJtcy1jcmVkaXQtY29udHJvbHMuanBnIiwidHlwZSI6ImF0dGFjaG1lbnQiLCJpYXQiOjE3OTI2MjA5MDAsImV4cCI6MTc5MjcwNzMwMH0.bI5vDf1gERhRcSFOQOpxxz0qB1AZlUZ9vo-R1X87XrA)

Review the payment terms and credit limit with the finance owner before you use the Customer. Do not increase a credit limit only to let one order proceed. Follow your organisation's credit approval process.

## 8. Review the Customer before use

Complete this check before staff create live transactions:

* **Customer Name**, **Customer Type**, **Customer Group**, and **Territory** are correct.
* **Default Price List** and **Billing Currency** match the commercial agreement, or are intentionally blank.
* The main Contact is linked and selected in **Customer Primary Contact**.
* The primary email is correct. Any additional invoice or statement recipients are stored as separate linked Contacts.
* Billing and shipping addresses are separate where needed. **Address Type**, **Links**, and any available preferred flags are correct.
* **Tax ID** and **Tax Category** are correct, or are intentionally blank.
* **Default Payment Terms Template**, **Credit Limit**, and **Accounts** follow the approved finance settings.
* **Disabled** and **Is Frozen** are not selected for an active Customer unless there is an approved reason.

Create a draft quotation, sales order, or sales invoice as a final test. Select the Customer and check the contact, email, billing address, shipping address, currency, price list, payment terms, and tax result. Correct the Customer record before you submit a live transaction.

## Maintain a Customer record

### Update a contact or address

Open the linked Contact or Address from **Address & Contact**, make the change, and save it. Then return to the Customer, reselect **Customer Primary Contact** or **Customer Primary Address** when applicable, and save the Customer.

Keep old locations only when staff still need them for current work. Select **Disabled** on an Address that must no longer be used.

### Rename the Customer

Use **Menu > Rename** when the same customer changes its legal or trading name. Check the result in the Customer list and on a draft sales transaction. A rename keeps links to the same business record.

### Merge duplicate Customers

Choose which record must remain before you merge. Review both records for:

* open quotations, orders, invoices, payments, and credit notes;
* Contacts and Addresses;
* price list, currency, tax, payment-term, and credit settings;
* the name that staff must use after the merge.

Open the duplicate, select **Menu > Rename**, select the option to merge with an existing record, and choose the Customer that must remain. Complete the merge only when you have the required permission and are certain that both records represent the same customer.

After the merge, check linked transactions, Contacts, Addresses, balances, and a new draft sales transaction. A merge is not a substitute for correcting two genuinely different customers.

### Stop new use without deleting history

Select **Settings**, tick **Disabled**, and save the Customer when it must not be used for new work. Use **Is Frozen** only when your credit-control process requires a transaction block.

Disabling or freezing a Customer keeps its history. Do not delete a Customer that is linked to business records.

## Troubleshooting

| Problem | What to check |
|---------|---------------|
| Staff cannot find the Customer | Search for part of the legal and trading names. Check whether **Disabled** is selected. Confirm that the user can access the required company and customer records. |
| A duplicate appears during data entry | Stop and compare the names, contacts, addresses, tax details, and linked transactions. Update or merge the existing records instead of creating a third record. |
| A document shows the wrong contact or email | Check the linked Contact, its primary email, and **Customer Primary Contact**. Reselect the primary Contact after an edit, then save the Customer. Check the recipients in the email window before sending. |
| A document shows the wrong billing or shipping address | Check **Address Type**, **Links**, **Customer Primary Address**, and any available preferred-address flags. Reselect the primary Address after an edit. |
| The price or currency is wrong | Check **Default Price List** and **Billing Currency** on the Customer. Also check the price list and currency selected on the transaction. |
| Payment terms are missing or wrong | Check **Default Payment Terms Template** on the Customer and the template selected on the transaction. |
| Tax is wrong | Check **Tax ID**, **Tax Category**, the customer's address, and the tax settings on the transaction. Ask the finance owner to confirm the correct treatment. |
| An order is blocked by credit control | Check the approved **Credit Limit**, outstanding balance, **On Credit Hold**, and **Is Frozen**. Do not bypass the control without approval. |
| Updated contact or address details do not appear | Reselect **Customer Primary Contact** or **Customer Primary Address**, save the Customer, and create a new draft transaction to test the result. |

## Related documentation

* [Selling](/doc/9611c59c-fa49-4d68-ae8d-435ff4e26eed)
* [Price Lists and Pricing Rules](/doc/394b7fe2-4f17-4956-9597-e3145c652445)
* [Sales Order to Despatch, Invoice & Payment Process](/doc/59df16cb-4c6f-4a5f-aacc-4c56739136ba)
* [Send Customer Statements](/doc/50bb003b-7d14-4b75-93ef-f118d26a72d6)
* [Import Records with Data Import](/doc/091d8918-347e-4d54-a769-8c52f7260e09)