Miscellaneous Customer Overview

A Miscellaneous Customer is defined in this chapter as a common customer ID used to identify a group of customers. This feature should be used sparingly based on the reasons listed below.

Whenever a sales invoice is processed or whenever a payment is received, EBMS requires that a customer ID be used to identify the invoice recipient or the source of the payment. The need may arise to process a sales invoice to a customer that you never expect to do business with again and about whom you do not wish to maintain detailed information.

A Miscellaneous Customer may also be created in a point-of-sale environment where customer information is not entered for individual sales orders. For example a generic customer may be created for all sales recorded on POS station 1. Enter the Miscellaneous customer ID into the Sales > Options as shown below so that the sales invoice defaults to the Miscellaneous customer each time the invoice is opened.

Miscellaneous customers may also be used for e-commerce website sales. Review the Configuring the Shopping Cart > Creating a Generic Customer section of the e-commerce documentation for more details on creating a miscellaneous customer for an e-commerce site.

It is recommended that you do NOT use a miscellaneous customer for the following situations:

• If the sales invoice is not being paid in cash but is charged and will be paid later.

• If customer address, telephone numbers or other contact information needs to be recorded for mailing purposes.

• If this customer is expected to purchase products again.

• If a sales order has been printed and given to the customer.

• If the customer is sales tax exempt.

• If the product sold includes a warranty or additional services will be rendered relating to the product sold.

• If a down payment or deposit was received from the customer for a product listed on the sales order.

• If detailed customer history is required.

• To maintain customer activity detail such as charges and payments.