Pre-Requisites
Step-by-Step Guide
The following steps must be completed in order for a successful implementation of the Customer Credit functionality:
- Company Settings
Enable or disable credit by Company and also set default aging days and contact classes.
- User Profile
Give user access to approve and manage Customer Credit.
- Customer Settings
Set Customer specific Credit settings along with High Balance information.
- Customer Credit Limits
Define Customer’s Credit Limits, effective dates and override options.
Company Master Settings:
The following options can be accessed by navigating to Master Tables -> Administration -> Company.
Click on the Customer Credit Setup
Customer Credit Setup
Check Credit
This check box field allows Credit to be enabled or disabled for the entire Company. When checked, new orders for the selected Company will be checked against the Customer’s defined credit limits. When not checked, credit limits will not be checked when an Order is created. The default option for new companies is to not be checked.
Include Approved Orders in Credit Check
This check box field determines whether or not orders with an "Approved" status are to be included in the Credit limit calculations. When checked, any active orders that have been approved for the Customer plus outstanding Invoices will be used to determine if the Customer is over Limit or not. When not checked, only outstanding Invoices are used. The default option for new companies is to not be checked.
Include Queue Orders in Credit Check
This check box field determines whether or not orders that are currently in the credit queue are to be included in the Credit limit calculations. When checked, any active orders currently in the credit queue for the Customer plus outstanding Invoices will be used to determine if the Customer is over Limit or not. When not checked, open orders currently within the credit queue will not be included when determining if the Customer is over limit or not. The default option for new companies is to not be checked.
Default Credit Contact Class
This drop-down listing will display all Contact Classes that have been defined by the System Administrators. The user can select the value which is used to display the correct Customer Contact when displaying the Credit Approval screen
Credit Approval Days
This field holds the number of days prior to the ship date of the order that an order will be submitted to the credit approval process.
User Profile Settings:
The following options can be accessed by navigating to Master Tables -> Administration -> User Profile.
Module Permissions > Master > Group: Sales
Manage Credit Limits
This checkbox option enables or disables the Users access to be able to manage a Customer’s Credit Limits available in the Customer Master under Profile -> Credit Limits.
Module Permissions > Orders > Group: Common
Approve / Override Over Limit
This checkbox option enables or disables the Users access to be able to approve an Order if the Customer is Over Limit at the time of Order creation or within the Credit Queue.
When the box is checked: If the customer is over their credit limit and the Credit Limit Override is set to Password or Queue in the customer master; when the user clicks Approve, the ‘enter password’ prompt will appear and the users’ credentials will be accepted.
When the box is unchecked: If the customer is over their credit limit and the Credit Limit Override is set to Password or Queue in the customer master; when the user clicks Approve they will receive an error stating that they do not have permissions to approve credit over limit.
Approve / Override Past Due
This checkbox option enables or disables the Users access to be able to approve an Order if the Customer is Past Due at the time of Order creation or within the Credit Queue.
When the box is checked: If the customer is past due and the Past Due Override is set to Password or Queue in the customer master; when the user clicks Approve, the ‘enter password’ prompt will appear and the users’ credentials will be accepted.
When the box is unchecked: If the customer is past due and the Past Due Override is set to Password or Queue in the customer master; when the user clicks Approve they will receive an error stating that they do not have permissions to approve past due.
Additional notes about Credit Permissions:
*If the Override is set to Notify in the customer master, the order will approve regardless of permissions.
*If the Override is set to Approve All in the customer master, the order will approve regardless of permissions.
*If the Override is set to Decline All in the customer master, the order will decline regardless of permissions.
Manage Credit Queue
This checkbox option enables or disables the Users access to the Manage Credit Queue screen available under Customer Order>Manage Credit Queue.
Customer Settings:
The following options can be accessed by navigating to Master Tables -> Sales -> Customer
Credit Setup
Check Credit
This check box field allows Credit to be enabled or disabled for this Customer across all Companies. When checked, new orders for the selected Customer will be checked against the Customer’s defined credit limits. When not checked, credit limits will not be checked when an Order is created. The default option for new Customers is to be checked.
Past Due Override
This field will allow the user to define the override method if this Customer is Past Due at time of Order creation. This will be a drop-down list with the following options:
Password
When selected, if the Customer is Past Due during Order Entry or Credit Queue review, the only available option for Credit Approval will be for the user to provide an approved Username & Password at the override prompt.
Queue
When selected, if the Customer is Past Due during Order Entry, the user will be able to place the Order into the Credit Queue or to provide an approved Username & Password at the override prompt.
Notice
When selected, if the Customer is Past Due during Order Entry, the user will be displayed a notice of Over Limit but will be able to proceed without further interruptions. This will basically approve all orders regardless of Past Due status.
Approve All
When selected, if the Customer is Past Due during Order Entry, the user will not be given any notification of such status. This will basically approve all orders regardless of Past Due status.
Decline All
When selected, if the Customer is Past Due during Order Entry, the user will not be given any option to override the Past Due status. This will basically decline all orders if the Customer is Past Due and will not allow an override.
High Balance Amount
This text field allows the user to specify the highest balance that the Customer has ever had. When Invoices are generated and registered, the system will automatically update this value if the new balance is higher than the specified value.
High Balance Date
This text field allows the user to specify the date of the highest balance that the Customer has ever had. When Invoices are generated and registered, the system will automatically update this value if the new balance is higher than the specified High Balance Amount value.
Credit Limits
Selecting Profile -> Credit Limits will present the user with the Credit Limit setup screen:
Credit Limit
The Credit Limit grid is where the user creates the Credit Limit(s).
Effective
The Effective field is a date field that will allow the user to specify which date this Credit Limit will be made available for use.
Limit
This text box field will allow the user to define the dollar amount of the Credit Limit.
Override
This field will allow the user to define the override method for this Credit Limit. This will be a drop-down list with the following options made available:
Password
When selected, if the Customer is Over Limit during Order Entry, the only available option for Credit Approval will be for the user to provide an approved Username & Password at the override prompt.
Queue
When selected, if the Customer is Over Limit during Order Entry, the user will be able to place the Order into the Credit Queue or to provide an approved Username & Password at the override prompt.
Notice
When selected, if the Customer is Over Limit during Order Entry, the user will be displayed a notice of Over Limit but is be able to proceed without further interruptions. This will basically approve all orders regardless of credit status.
Approve All
When selected, if the Customer is Over Limit during Order Entry, the user will not be given any notification of such status. This will basically approve all orders regardless of credit status.
Decline All
When selected, if the Customer is Over Limit during Order Entry, the user will not be given any option to override the Credit Approval. This will basically decline all orders if the Customer is Over Limit and will not allow an override.
Notes
This free-form text box will allow the user to enter in a note / comment regarding the credit limit.
(Insert)
This button will create a new row in the Limits grid allowing for a new Credit Limit to be defined.
(Delete)
This button will delete the highlighted row the Limits grid.
(Edit)
This button will allow editing of the highlighted row.
(End Edit)
This button will end the edit capability of the highlighted row.
(Cancel Edit)
This button will cancel the changes that were entered while in the Edit mode.
Save
This button will save the changes made to any row in the Limit grid. This button will also refresh the Limit History grid.
History
The History grid is a read-only grid that will display any changes made to the selected Credit Limit.
Date/Time
This column will display the date and time of the change / action.
User
This column will display the user/login name of the User that made the change / action.
Action
This column will display the Action text as entered when the Save button was pressed.
Close
This button will close and return to the Customer Master.