From creating your first customer record to looking up specific transactions, this chapter will cover everything you need to know to manage your customers within MicroBiz. 

Figure 8-1 

Add/Edit Customers

This opens the Customer Lookup window, which is the main way to browse through your customers in MicroBiz.

Like the Product Lookup window, the Customer Lookup window also has a "Select Other Function" drop-down menu with some additional options:

1. Clear Filter/Search Criteria – Restores the original customer list if a filter/search has been made.
2. Adjust column width – This enables you to manually resize the columns by placing the mouse on the border between two field headers (e.g. on the line between "Name" and "Company") and "dragging" it to the left or right by holding down the left mouse button.
3. Clear grid columns -Removes all fields from the Customer Lookup window. This is useful if you want to start from scratch and build your Product Lookup screen from nothing.
   • If you select this by accident, you can close Customer Lookup and re-enter before saving to restore it. If you have tried this, then you can always go back to the default by selecting the following option.
4. Restore grid to its default columns – Select this to set the Customer Lookup window back to how it was when first installing MicroBiz.
5. Add columns to grid – With this option, you can add other fields (such as Balance Due, customized fields, etc.) as columns in the Customer Lookup window.
6. Remove columns from grid – You can select this to remove columns that are currently displayed in Customer Lookup.
7. Save columns – If you have added, removed or resized columns, then you need to choose this option before closing Customer Lookup to save your changes.

Customer Data Fields

When adding or editing a customer record, you will most likely be in contact with the Customer window, which will display "Add a Customer..." or "Edit a Customer..." depending on the action. The following is a list and brief explanation of the options contained in this setup window, separated by each tab. For examples of how to add or edit customer records, skip ahead to the next section (you can always come back here if you don't understand what a field does).
What the buttons do:
At the bottom of the Customer window there are several buttons which are universal to any tab you may be viewing. Some of the buttons are always available, and some will only be enabled for certain functions. These buttons include:

• Cancel – Click here to exit the Customer window without saving your changes.
• Update – Click here to save your work and close the Customer window.
• Previous Record – Clicking on the < button will display the record preceding the current one. If you click on this button you will lose any changes since your last save.
• Next Record – Clicking on the > button will display the record following the current one. If you click on this button you will lose any changes since your last save.
• Help – This will open the MicroBiz help menu. Remember, this is also always available by pressing your F1 key.
• Picture – This will display the current picture file associated with this customer and allow you to change it, if desired.

There are also a few options at the top of the screen that are always accessible. Here's what they do:

• Title – Enter the customer's prefix (Mr., Mrs., etc.) here.
• First Name – Enter the customer's first name here.
• Last Name – Enter the customer's last name here.
• How Heard – Choose a "How Heard" option from the drop-down menu, or click on the Edit button to create a new one (or edit the options available).
• Phone Number – Enter the customer's primary phone number.
• Work Number – Enter the customer's work phone number.
• Fax Number – Enter the customer's fax number.
• Alternate Phone Number – Enter the customer's alternate phone number.

Bill To tab
This tab contains your customer billing information.
Figure 8-3

• Address information –Enter the Company Name, Address, City, State, Zip code and Country of the location where bills are to be sent for this customer.
  • If this will be the same as the "Ship To" information, you can click on the Copy To Ship To button to have MicroBiz fill out the next tab for you.
  • If you enter the ZIP code before the City/State, that information will be filled in for you based on the records stored under "Browse ZIP Codes" (see below).
• Add/Edit ZIP Codes – Opens the "Browse ZIP Codes" window, where you can manage the cities associated with each ZIP code, if desired.

Ship To tab

This tab contains your customer shipping information, which may be the same or different from the billing information.
Figure 8-4

• Address information –Enter the Company Name, Address, City, State, Zip code and Country of the location where bills are to be sent for this customer.
  • If this will be the same as the "Bill To" information, you can click on the "Copy To Ship To" button from the "Bill To" tab to have MicroBiz fill out this tab for you.
• List Ship To Addresses – Opens the "Ship To Address Lookup" window, where you can manage shipping addresses, if desired.
• Add/Edit ZIP Codes – Opens the "Browse ZIP Codes" window, where you can manage the cities associated with each ZIP code, if desired.

Account tab
The Account tab has many features that pertain to users of the Business Controller Plus version of MicroBiz, along with a few other settings.

Figure 8-5

• Tax Exempt ID for Tax – Any information typed here will cause this customer to be Tax1 exempt!
  • If the customer is eligible for tax exempt status for the Tax1 rate, type the tax ID number. If not, leave this field blank!
• Tax Exempt ID for Tax2 – Any information typed here will cause this customer to be Tax2 exempt!
  • If the customer is eligible for tax exempt status for the Tax1 rate, type the tax ID number. If not, leave this field blank!
• Accept Checks – Enter N in this field if you don't want to allow checks from this customer.
  • A "Y" (for "Yes") entered in this field means you will allow checks, which is allowed for all customers by default.
• Balance Due – Displays this customer's current Balance Due
  • For Business Controller Plus users only.
  • If needed, you can click Edit to change this figure. This method of editing the Balance Due is not recommended, as you will lose any edits when a "Recalculate" is run from MicroBiz.
• House Account Limit – Click Edit to change the upper limit allowed for this Customer.
  • If "Check Credit Limit During Invoicing" is enabled (under Management, Customize, Transaction Settings, Misc.), then the system will alert you with a popup window when an attempt to charge to account would bring the selected customer's balance due over their House Account Limit.
  • For Business Controller Plus users only.
• Disallow Charge to Account – This setting is to disallow the customer to place a charge on account.
• Discount – Click Edit to set a discount percentage that will apply to all purchases by this customer.
• Credit Balance – Displays this customer's current Store Credit balance.
  • For Business Controller Plus users only.
  • If needed, you can click Edit to change this figure. This method of editing the Store Credit is not recommended, as you will lose any edits when a "Recalculate" is run from MicroBiz.
• Tax1 Tax Rate – Enter a special Tax1 Tax Rate for this customer, if desired.
  • Leave this field blank to use the default Tax1 Tax Rate.
  • Please note that entering a tax rate will override the tax by area feature.
• Tax2 Tax Rate – Enter a special Tax2 Tax Rate for this customer, if desired.
  • Leave this field blank to use the default Tax2 Tax Rate.
  • Please note that entering a tax rate will override the tax by area feature.
• Quarter to Date Purchases – Displays the total purchase amount by this customer for the current quarter.
  • A quarter is a three-month period, starting with January-March.
• Year to Date Purchases – Displays the total purchase amount by this customer for the current year.
• Prior Year Purchases – Displays the total purchase amount by this customer for last year.
• Total Purchases – Displays the grand total of all purchases by this customer.

Miscellaneous tab

Contains various customer settings that don't fit in the other categories.

Figure 8-6

• Terms – Enter any shipping terms here, if applicable.
• Class –Also known as "Area", the Class field is used to put customers into tax categories.
  • You can define your "Class/Areas" and tax rates for this feature under Management, Customize, Transaction Settings, Taxes tab.
  • Please note that entering a tax rate will override the tax by area feature.
• Price Level –Click Edit to change a customer's Price Level from A-E or X.
  • Price Level always over-rides...Choose this option if you want this customer to receive their Price Level discount instead of any other discount.
    • This setting is customer-specific.
  • Price Level over-rides if less...Choose this options if you want this customer to receive the better of their Price Level discount and any other discount.
    • This setting is customer-specific.
• Notes – You can enter any notes on this customer here that you wish to show up on the Front Register.

• Lock – Enable this option if you want to restrict loading this customer at the Front Register.
  • If an "N" appears in this field (or if it is blank), this customer can be loaded by any employee.
  • If a "Y" is entered in this field then only employees with access to the "Unlock Customer" feature (defined under Management, Edit Security Level) will be able to load this customer. If a user without access to do this attempts to load the customer, you can still enter a higher-level password to load the customer when prompted.
• Date – Optional field to record user-defined date.
  • This field is provided for your use to record important dates like Birthday, Customer Create Date, etc.
  • Reports can be generated from this information using the Query Manager report writer.
• Picture File –Click on this button to select an image to associate with this customer.
  • This can also be done using the "Picture" button that is always available in the far lower-right of the Customer window.

User 1 tab
This is the first of two "User-Defined" tabs, where you can manage your own data for customer records.

Figure 8-7

• PFIELDs 1-7 – You can enter up to 40 characters in any of these fields.
• Date Fields 1-3 – These fields are designed to store dates (i.e. "01/01/2008")
• NumField1 – This field can store a number with 4 digits before and after the decimal place.

User 2 tab
This is the second of two "User-Defined" tabs, where you can manage your own data for customer records.
Figure 8-8

• Character Fields 8-10 – Same as PFields 1-7
• Number Fields 2-3 – Same as NumField 1
• Credit Hold – Small field.
• Alternate Customer Numbers – Allows you to store alternative ways of identifying the selected customer.
  • Click on this button to open the Browse Alternate Customer # window (Figure 8-9).
  • From here, you can store another ID for this customer by choosing Add and entering data as shown in Figure 8-10.

 Figure 8-9

  Figure 8-10

Adding Customer Records

There are a couple methods available for adding new customer records in MicroBiz. Just like with adding items, you can use a "regular add" method, which gives you access to all data fields, or you can use a "Fast Add" method, which speeds the process up by omitting some fields.
Adding a Customer Record Using the "Add" Button

1. Open the Customer Lookup window from the Main Menu by clicking on Customers, then Add/Edit Customers.
   • You can also get to the Customer Lookup window from the Front Register using the F8-Cust button.
2. Click on the Add button to open the "Add a Customer..." window.
3. Fill in all relevant data on every tab you wish to use.
   • See the above section on "Customer Data Fields" for details.
4. Click on the Update button when you are ready to save this record.

Adding a Customer Record Using the "Fast Add" Button

1. Open the Customer Lookup window from the Main Menu by clicking on Customers, then Add/Edit Customers.
   • You can also get to the Customer Lookup window from the Front Register using the F8-Cust button.
2. Click on the Fast Add button to open the "Fast Add Customer" window.
3. Fill in all relevant data on every tab you wish to use.
   • See the above section on "Customer Data Fields" for details.
4. Click on the Save button when you are ready to save this record.

Editing Customer Records

With the correct Security Level (if applicable), you are able to edit any of the data stored on your customer with the exception of the customer number assigned by MicroBiz. Follow these simple steps for editing your customer records:

1. Open the Customer Lookup window from the Main Menu by clicking on Customers, then Add/Edit Customers.
   • You can also get to the Customer Lookup window from the Front Register using the F8-Cust button.
2. Select the customer record you wish to edit by clicking on it once.
3. Click on the Edit button to open the "Edit a Customer..." window.
4. Fill in or change any relevant data on every tab you wish to use.
   • See the above section on "Customer Data Fields" for details.
5. Click on the Update button when you are ready to save this record.
   • You can also click on the Cancel button to undo any changes.

Deleting Customer Records

If desired, you can remove customer records from MicroBiz. Note that once you delete a customer record, you may lose all of the customer history associated with this customer, and you will not be able to get it back! You will have the opportunity to transfer sales history to another customer, which could prevent this loss of data.

1. Open the Customer Lookup window from the Main Menu by clicking on Customers, then Add/Edit Customers.
   • You can also get to the Customer Lookup window from the Front Register using the F8-Cust button.
2. Select the customer record you wish to delete by clicking on it once.
3. Click on the Delete button to start the process.
4. MicroBiz will confirm that you wish to delete this record.
   • Click Yes to proceed or No to cancel.
5. MicroBiz will ask if you want to transfer this customer's history to another customer record.
   • Click Yes to select a customer to which you wish to transfer the history, or click No to just delete the customer record and all sales history associated with it.

Customer History

Each of your customers' history is available to you from the Customer Lookup window by selecting the customer, and then clicking on the History Button. You can also access the Customer History for the currently loaded customer at the Front Register by typing "CH" in the SKU box (in the lower-left).

Figure 8-12

The top section is the list of invoices for the selected customer. The middle section will show the products on the invoice chosen in the top section. The bottom section shows the payment information for the invoice chosen in the top section. Clicking on the Checks button at the bottom will change the bottom section from payment info to check info for that invoice.

What the buttons do:

• View – Click on this button to change the order in which the invoices are displayed.
  • This button will display "Olds 1st" or "News 1st" depending on the current state of the top section of this window.
• Look Up – Allows you to search for an invoice by date range, invoice # and/or keyword.
  • When you enter a date range it will also apply the date range to the customer history report.
• Home – Jumps to the first invoice.
• End – Jumps to the last invoice.
• Checks – Switches the bottom section of the Customer History window from Payment data to Check details.
  • Once you click on this button, it will change to "Account" and you can click on it again to switch back to the Payment data.
• Report – Click here to generate a printable report out of the Customer History data.
  • You can enter a date rage for this report by selecting look up first and entering a date range there.
• Load to Front Register –Click here to load the currently selected invoice data to the Front Register.
  • This option will only be available if the Front Register is already open.
• Ship Data – Allows you to edit the current shipping information on the currently selected customer.
• Re-Print – Allows you to reprint the currently selected invoice.
  • This option will only be available if the Front Register is already open.
• Quit – Closes the Customer History window.

Postcards

The Customer Postcards feature can be used to notify your customers of Service Due, or just to remind them that you exist!

Figure 8-14