Managing Clients

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Adding New Clients

To enter a new client, click File > New Client (or Ctrl+N) from any hub. This launches the Client Wizard to take you step-by-step through entering a new client into your database. Begin the entry of information. After each page, click Next to advance through the Client Wizard. See the “Features of Client Records” for more detailed information.

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! When entering information into the Spectra wizards, you will find that Spectra automatically capitalizes the first letter and un-capitalizes the rest of the letters. If you type "sarajohnson," Spectra will change it to "Sara Johnson" when you Tab to the next field. If you do not want Spectra to change the capitalization, press the F3 key instead of the tab key when switching fields. For example if you want "John McDonald" to not be changed to "John Mcdonald," press the F3 key when advancing to the next field.

Client Wizard

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! Advanced users may choose to create a new client directly from a client record. To disable the Client Wizard, go to Maintenance > Preferences > User Preferences.

Duplicate Clients

As you're adding new clients, there's always the possibility that you may enter a client twice. To protect against that, Spectra has four possible duplicate checks so you can verify that the client you're entering is not a duplicate.

Setting the Duplicate Check

1. To set up the duplicate check, go to Maintenance > Preferences > Studio Preferences > Client Tab.

2. In the “Client Duplicate Check Options,”select as many duplicate checks as you want Spectra to use when entering new clients:

1. • Check client last name and city

   • Check client home phone number

   • Check client first and last name

   • Check client address line 1 and city

   • Check client email

3. If you enter a new client and any of these fields match exactly with another client in the database, Spectra will give you a duplicate client warning message.

Checking for Duplicate Clients

1. If you enter a new client and one of the duplicate checks you’re using matches one of your existing clients, you will receive a message window.

Home Phone Duplicate Message

2. Click Ok and a warning icon will appear next to the Home Phone field.

3. Double-click the warning icon and you will view the existing client who has the same phone number.

Possible Duplicate View screen

4. Check the client information to make sure that it is not a duplicate client. If it is a duplicate, close out and do not save the new record. If it is not a duplicate, click Close and continue through the New Client Wizard.

Finding Existing Clients

Open the Clients hub using the hub menu (or click Go > Client or press F5).

Clients Hub

By default, the "Search By" is set to last name. You can also choose client number, first name, company name, phone number, city, zip code, organization, client status, client group, or filter. Depending on what you choose, you will either get a drop-down list to specify the search criteria or just a space to type in. Choose or type in your criteria and then press Enter. All clients matching your request will be shown. To see your entire client list again, delete anything that has been entered in the criteria space and press Enter again.

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! Just type in the first couple of characters, press Enter and Spectra will display all clients with names beginning with those characters. Example, typing in “Jo” and Enter will bring up all customers with the name of Johnson, Jones, Jordan, etc.

Click on one of the column headers and it will sort the list in ascending order. Click again and it will sort in descending order. You can also change the order of the columns by clicking and dragging on the column header.

You can also do a search on more fields by clicking on the magnifying glass to the right of the search criteria space. It will open a client search window where you can choose to search by almost any field in a client record. Choose the field you want to search from the drop-down list, fill in the criteria field, and then click Search. The search results can be sorted by clicking the column headers in this window as well.

Double-click on the desired record line to open that Client record. You can then proceed to view, modify, or delete any information you want.

See the "Clients Hub" section of the "Working With Spectra Hubs" chapter for more information.

Deleting Clients

1. To find the client you want to delete, follow the steps outlined in the “Finding Existing Clients” section above.

2. On the Clients hub, with the desired client active, click Delete on the toolbar ribbon. This will remove the entire client record from the database.

HERE'S A FLASH FOR YOU! Clients with session or invoice records cannot be deleted. If they have linked appointment or phone call records these will be deleted automatically.

Merging Clients

When duplicate clients exist in your database, it may be helpful to merge them. Spectra provides a tool for that purpose. The client merge will combine information from two client records into one and remove one of the clients from the database. Client notes will be combined and all sub-records (appointments, communications, invoices, sessions, production orders, deposits, etc.) will be moved to the new client.

1. Open the first client record.

2. Click on the client icon in the top left corner and select Merge with Another Client from the Client menu.
   
   

3. On the Merge Clients window, click Search for Client.

4. Locate the second client record and click OK.

5. Select the appropriate Merge Direction option.

6. Click Merge to complete the client merge.

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