Creating a New Customer
Methods to setup new customer records on Merchanter
Written by Ryan Osborne
Updated at September 3rd, 2025
Table of Contents
Setting Up a New Customer
Customer Bulk Editor
This guide provides a detailed walkthrough for setting up a new customer within the Merchanter system. The process can be completed in several ways, each offering varying levels of control and efficiency depending on the user’s needs.
Starting the Customer Setup Process
To begin, the most straightforward method is to use the green button labelled New located in the main menu. Clicking this button reveals a dropdown list of available operations, including New Customer. Selecting this option opens a pop-up window prompting the user to choose a customer prototype.
Customer Prototypes
Currently available fields for pre-configuration.
General information
- Customer type
- Live status
Account Information
- Does this customer have a Parent Customer (Factored account)
- Yes/No check box. if yes, you can select the parent.
- Account type
- Credit account, Cash only, Internal account Etc.
- Currency
- Payment terms
- VAT type
- Country
Delivery
- Default Delivery Type
- Collected, Delivered, Direct to site, Etc.
Marketing Information
- Sales Rep
- Assistant Rep
- Business type
- Area
Pricing
- Customer Pricing type
Credit Control
- Credit Status
Please remember to save after making any changes to your prototypes.
Entering Customer Details
Once a prototype is selected, the system guides the user through a step-by-step wizard. The first stage involves entering the customer’s General information. This includes fields for the customer's name, customer Type, if an order reference is forced by the system. phone, fax and website. Once filled in, there is a next button to progress the wizard or a cancel button if you would like to abandon creating the customer record.
The next page of the wizard covers the address details. This includes fields for the company name, three address lines, town/city, county, postcode, and country. An additional feature allows the address to be displayed on a google map for verification. Just click the blue button.
You can go back to the last section if required with the back button. After completing this section, clicking Next advances to the account information screen. Here, the account type must be specified—options include credit account, cash only account, internal account, etc. For this example, credit account is selected. Further details such as currency, payment terms, VAT type, and tax registration number can be entered. The default invoice issue method—either print or email—can also be set at this stage, and a country can be selected.
Again you can cancel, go back or progress the wizard when ready. The trading info screen has just one option the preferred trading depot. If your business operates across multiple depots, the relevant depot responsible for this customer must be assigned.
The next section covers contact information. Fields for first name, last name, job title, phone number, mobile number, and email address are provided. Additionally, contact preferences can be indicated using tick boxes for phone, mobile, or email.
The next screen of the wizard is for Delivery information, we can set the preferred delivery type —options include direct to site, supplier collection, or retail sale. Preferred delivery days can also be specified if applicable.
The subsequent section is for setting up a separate invoicing address for the customer. Just untick the use default tick box and then fill in your new invoicing address; it has all the same fields as the standard address.
The next page is Marketing information, which allows for the assignment of a sales representative, assistant representative, and business type (e.g., builder, joiner, electrician). An area designation can also be added, which may be based on postcodes or regional divisions for analytical purposes.
If you proceed to the next screen, you will open the credit control section, which enables the setting of credit status and credit limits. If credit controllers are configured within the system, one can be assigned here.
Section 10 of the wizard allows you to pick customer-specific pricing, including selection from your predefined price lists or the application of discounts and setting minimum margins.
The final screen in the wizard is where the customer code is assigned. Users may manually enter a code or click the Generate button to have the system create one automatically. Upon clicking Finish, the customer record is created.
However, you may have noticed the Full Customer Edit button; this can be pressed to access a more comprehensive view of the customer record. This advanced view includes additional fields not present in the wizard, such as an alternate customer code for cross-referencing with legacy systems. additional default contact settings for setting an Accounts and Sales contact, and some more pricing options for creating specialised price lists and price agreements. Also in the contacts tab, you can manage all the contacts you have at a customer and create new contacts if required.
Editing your customer
If you need to make changes to the customers details, use the search to find the customer and open the record.
Up in the top right corner click the blue edit button. you will now have access to all the fileds that make up a customer record. Change and update any of the information that you require and once finished click the save button to accept your changes.
Alternative Methods for Customer Creation
Using the "New Customer Like" Option
Another method for creating a customer is the New Customer Like option. This is useful when an existing customer closely resembles the new one being set up. By searching for and selecting a similar customer, then choosing New Customer Like from the headder, the wizard pre-fills with the existing customer’s details. While this saves time, caution is advised to avoid carrying over incorrect information, such as contact details.
New Button on the Recent tab
Quick Customer Setup
For rapid customer creation, the Quick Customer feature is available. This is particularly useful when processing a new sales order for a customer not yet in the system. If the customer cannot be found during the order process, clicking Create in the top right corner opens a minimal-input form. Only essential details—name, postcode, one address line, phone number, and email—are required. However, accounts created this way default to cash only, so it is recommended to revisit and update the record later if further details or credit terms are needed.
Bulk Import via Spreadsheet
For bulk customer creation, a spreadsheet upload tool is available. While efficient for importing large numbers of customers, care must be taken to ensure data accuracy to avoid creating multiple incorrect records.
Bulk Editor
The Customer Batch Editor in Merchanter allows you to make changes to multiple customer records at the same time. This is especially useful when large adjustments are needed, such as reassigning customers to a new representative.
Filtering Customers
To begin, open the customer area and apply a filter to narrow down the records you want to edit. For example, if a sales rep has left the business, you can filter the customer list to show only those assigned to that representative. Once filtered, you will see only the relevant customers on screen.
Selecting and Editing
You can now select multiple customers from the list. After highlighting them, choose the option to edit the selected records. A batch editor window will appear, showing a wide range of fields that can be changed in bulk.
If you want to reassign customers to a new representative, open the Rep drop-down and select the new user. At the bottom of the screen there is a simple security check which requires you to type the number three before continuing. This safeguard is in place because bulk edits cannot be undone once applied.
When you confirm the action, a warning message will appear to remind you that multiple records will be changed at once. If you proceed, the selected customers are immediately updated.
Reviewing Changes
After the edit is complete, a timeline entry appears on the dashboard showing a record of the changes. This confirms how many customer records were updated and provides a short report of what was altered.
Fields Available for Bulk Editing
The batch editor gives you access to many fields across customer records. You can move customers between live and archived status, change their account type, customer type, business type, area field or preferred depot. Financial and tax details can also be adjusted, such as VAT code, currency, invoice issue method and whether invoices are factored or redirected to different email addresses. Options also exist for enforcing order references, adding sales order clauses, applying general adjustment or discount percentages, and setting a minimum customer margin.
Pricing settings can be changed in bulk, along with invoicing documentation where this has been configured. In the delivery section, you can update delivery type and preferred delivery days across multiple customers. Within credit control, you may adjust credit status, credit limits, next credit action dates, promised payment dates, TI codes and limits, payment terms and the assigned credit controller.
Important Notes
The batch editor is a powerful tool designed to save time when maintaining large numbers of customer records. However, because changes are applied to many records at once, there is no way to reverse them once saved. Always double-check your selections and edits before confirming.
Field Reference
The following fields can be updated using the Customer Batch Editor. This list can be used as a quick reference when planning or reviewing bulk changes.
- Live or Archived status
- Account type
- Customer type
- Business type
- Area field
- Preferred depot
- VAT code
- Currency
- Sales representative
- Assistant representative
- Invoice issue method
- Invoice factoring option
- Redirected invoice email addresses
- Use of customer’s email address for invoices
- Requirement for order references
- Sales order clauses
- General adjustment percentage
- Discount percentage
- Minimum customer margin
- Customer pricing type
- Special invoicing documentation
- Delivery type
- Preferred delivery days
- Credit status
- Credit limit
- Next credit action date
- Promised payment date
- TI codes
- TI limits
- Payment terms
- Credit controller
Conclusion
In summary, the Merchanter system offers flexible methods for setting up new customers, from guided wizards to rapid-entry tools. Selecting the appropriate method depends on the specific requirements and the level of detail needed at the time of creation.