Understanding Customer Names
Since customer accounts are usually retrieved by customer name, it is important that you enter customer names consistently. This makes it easier to retrieve accounts. For example, when you enter doctors' names in all of the following ways, you have difficulty retrieving the accounts:
DR. JOHN DOE
JOHN DOE MD
JOHN DOE, DR
DOE, DR. JOHN
Entering customer names with the last name first gives you a consistent method for retrieving customers. The Swap Name field in the (LA) Customer and A/R Parameters screen lets you enter customer names last name first, but print the names on statements and other customer documents first name first.
If you use the Swap Name option, the comma is used in the Name box in the Customer Master tab to determine how to reverse the text. The text prints to the right of the comma first, followed by the text to the left of the comma. For example, names entered in the following format:
SMITH, JOHN
ABC CO, THE
print on customer documents in the following format:
JOHN SMITH
THE ABC CO
This is particularly useful when you have several customers with names that begin the same way. For example, consider the following customers:
CITY OF DALLAS WATER DEPARTMENT
CITY OF DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT
CITY OF DALLAS FIRE DEPARTMENT
The above examples print together in reports, but it is more difficult to retrieve the accounts.
You could enter the names for these accounts as shown below:
WATER DEPARTMENT, CITY OF DALLAS
POLICE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF DALLAS
FIRE DEPARTMENT, CITY OF DALLAS
This makes the first few characters of the customer names unique. It is easier to retrieve an account by entering WATER than it is to retrieve the account by entering CITY OF DALLAS WATER.
If you do not use the Swap Name option, the customer names are printed and sort exactly as they are entered. For example, ANDREW SMITH comes before SAM ADAMS.
ECi recommends that you enter customer names last name first and that you use the Swap Name option.
Note: If you add a customer name that already exists, DDMS will send you a warning message that allows you to change the name or continue adding the new customer.
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