Combine clients

Practice Admin

The Combine Client function merges two clients of the same type into a single record. This ensures records are kept streamlined when duplicate clients have been entered into the system, when businesses merge, or when you change the structure of a client set-up.

  1. Search for, then select the client whose record you would like to combine. The client record selected at this point will be the master record after combining.
  2. Select Client > Task Pad > Combine Clients. The client name is displayed as a heading at the top of the page.
  3. Enter the name or code of the client that you would like to combine into the master client record. A list of matching client names and codes appear:

  4. Select the record that you would like to be combined into the master record and click the search button.

  5. A summary panel is displayed, showing the number of Connections, Attributes, Recurring Receipts, Recurring Bills, Active Services and Active Jobs that will be merged, as well as the current WIP Balance and DRS/AR Balance to be moved.

  6. Below these fields are the Errors and Warnings sections. It is important that you read and understand these before combining any records (see below for more details).

  7. To combine clients, select the checkbox at the bottom of the Warnings section to confirm that you have read the warnings. You can now click the Combine Clients button to confirm your choices. This action cannot be reversed.

Errors

The Errors section displays any issues that stop a client being combined. You will not be able to click on the Combine Clients button if there are any Errors present. You will receive an Error if:

  • there are unposted transactions attached to the client

  • the two clients are of different types

  • there is a GL integration and there are WIP or DRS/AR transactions

Warnings

The Warnings section lists any potential issues that carrying out the Combine Clients action may lead to. Reporting may be affected if:

  • there are posted but outstanding WIP transactions

  • there are posted but outstanding DRS transactions

  • the clients being combined are in different organisations

You must select the tick box below the list of warnings before combining a client.

Checkboxes

The following checkboxes allow you to determine how you'd like to handle the combined client's data:

Inherit Ownership? allows for the service and job ownership of the master client to be applied to the merged services and jobs.

For Duplicate Jobs dictates whether the code is added to the beginning or end of the job code and name.

Copy Missing Attributes? allows any attributes that are missing on the master client to be copied from the merged client.

Data Handling

Client Details The client details of the master record will be retained. If the master record does not have any contact details, the contact details of the merged client will be applied.
Contact Details Any contact details that the merged client holds will be added into Other details (ClientDetails > Other)
Services and Jobs

Any services that are engaged on the client you wish to merge, but are not engaged on the master client, will be added. Services that are on the client to be merged but are disabled on the master client will be activated and the ownership updated to the ownership from the merged client.

 

Jobs will be moved to the master client. In the event of a duplicate job, the client code of the merged client will be added to the name and code of the job.

 

The For Duplicate Jobs checkbox dictates whether the code is added to the beginning or end of the job code and name.

Ownership

The Client Ownership of the master record will be retained.

 

The checkbox Inherit Ownership? allows for the service and job ownership of the master client to be applied to the merged services and jobs.

Connections Connections that are active on the merged client that are not already attached to the master client will be added.
Attributes Attributes will be inherited from the master client. A checkbox allows any attributes that are missing on the master client to be copied from the merged client.
Recurring Bills and Receipts These will be moved across to the master client.
Client Banks These will not be moved.
Direct Debit (DD) Mandate These will be inherited from the master client. In the instance where the master client does not have any DD Mandate details these will be moved across.
Questionnaires Job questionnaires will be moved across. Bill questionnaires and client questionnaires will not be moved. Take on questionnaires will be moved across to the master client.
Events All events from the merged client will be moved across to the master client.
Transactions All transactions will be updated to reflect the master client. In the case of DRS transactions the merged client’s name and code will be retained.