Clients

Clients

Overview

Clients in Octayne PSA represent the companies or individuals you deliver services to. Every project in Octayne is associated with a client, and clients serve as the top-level grouping for projects, invoices, billing information, and communication history.

From the Clients section, you can create and manage client records, track associated projects and invoices, configure billing details, maintain notes, and synchronize data with external accounting systems like QuickBooks.

[Screenshot: Clients page showing a list of client records with search and filter controls]

Viewing All Clients

Accessing the Clients Page

1. Click Clients in the main navigation sidebar.
2. The Clients page displays a list of all clients in your organization.

Searching and Filtering

• Search: Use the Search bar at the top of the client list to find clients by name, email, or account number.
• Sort: Click any column header (Name, Created Date, Projects Count, Outstanding Balance) to sort the list ascending or descending.
• Filter: Click the Filters button to filter clients by:
• Status: Active, Inactive
• Has Projects: Yes, No
• Created Date Range: Custom date range picker

[Screenshot: Clients page with search bar active and filter panel expanded]

Tip: Use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl + K (or Cmd + K on macOS) to quickly open the global search and type a client name to jump directly to their record.

Creating a New Client

Step-by-Step

1. Click Clients in the main navigation sidebar.
2. Click the + New Client button in the top-right corner of the Clients page.
3. Complete the client creation form:

• Client Name (required): The display name for this client.
• Client Code (optional): A short alphanumeric code for identification (e.g., "ACME").
• Email (optional): The primary contact email address.
• Phone (optional): The primary contact phone number.
• Website (optional): The client's website URL.
• Address (optional): Street address, city, state/province, postal code, country.
• Notes (optional): Any initial notes about the client.

1. Click Save.
2. You will be redirected to the new client's detail page.

[Screenshot: New Client form with fields for name, code, email, phone, website, and address]

Note: Client names must be unique within your organization. If you attempt to create a client with a name that already exists, you will receive a validation error.

Warning: The Client Code cannot be changed after creation. Choose a code that aligns with your organization's naming conventions.

Client Details Page

After creating or selecting a client, you are taken to the Client Details page. This page is organized into three tabs: Projects, Invoices, and Settings.

Projects Tab

The Projects tab displays all projects associated with this client.

• Each project is listed with its Name, Status, Project Lead, Start Date, End Date, and Budget Utilization.
• Click any project name to navigate directly to that project's detail page.
• Click + New Project to create a new project for this client (the client field will be pre-filled).

[Screenshot: Client Details page showing the Projects tab with a list of active projects]

Tip: Use the status filter pills (All, Active, Completed, Archived) above the project list to quickly narrow down what you see.

Invoices Tab

The Invoices tab displays all invoices issued to this client.

• Each invoice is listed with its Invoice Number, Date Issued, Due Date, Amount, and Status (Draft, Sent, Paid, Overdue, Void).
• Click any invoice number to view its full details.
• Click + New Invoice to create a new invoice for this client.

[Screenshot: Client Details page showing the Invoices tab with a list of invoices and their statuses]

Settings Tab

The Settings tab contains the client's configuration, divided into sub-sections.

General Settings

• Client Name: Edit the display name.
• Client Code: View-only after creation.
• Primary Contact Email: Update the email address.
• Primary Contact Phone: Update the phone number.
• Website: Update the URL.
• Status: Toggle between Active and Inactive. Inactive clients are hidden from default views but their data is preserved.

Click Save Changes after making edits.

Billing Settings

• Billing Address: The address printed on invoices (can differ from the main address).
• Payment Terms: Default payment terms for this client (e.g., Net 15, Net 30, Net 45, Net 60).
• Currency: The default currency for invoices issued to this client.
• Tax ID / VAT Number: The client's tax identification number, included on invoices where applicable.

Click Save Changes after making edits.

[Screenshot: Client Settings tab showing General Settings and Billing Settings sub-sections]

Delete Client

At the bottom of the Settings tab, you will find the Delete Client section.

1. Click Delete Client.
2. A confirmation dialog will appear warning that this action is irreversible.
3. Type the client name to confirm.
4. Click Delete Permanently.

Warning: Deleting a client will remove all associated projects, time entries, invoices, and notes. This action cannot be undone. Consider setting the client to Inactive instead if you want to preserve historical data.

Managing Client Billing Information

Accurate billing information ensures invoices are generated correctly and sent to the right place.

Adding or Editing Billing Information

1. Navigate to the client's Settings tab.
2. Scroll to the Billing Settings section.
3. Fill in or update the following fields:

• Billing Address Line 1
• Billing Address Line 2
• City
• State / Province
• Postal Code
• Country
• Payment Terms (select from dropdown)
• Currency (select from dropdown)
• Tax ID / VAT Number

1. Click Save Changes.

Note: Changes to billing information apply to future invoices only. Existing invoices retain the billing information that was current at the time they were created.

Removing Billing Information

1. Navigate to the client's Settings tab.
2. Clear the billing fields you want to remove.
3. Click Save Changes.

Tip: If most of your clients share the same payment terms and currency, configure defaults in Settings > Organization > Billing Defaults. These defaults will pre-fill when creating new clients.

Client Notes

Notes allow you to maintain a running log of communications, decisions, and important information for each client.

Adding a Note

1. Navigate to the client's detail page.
2. Click the Notes section (located below the main tabs or as a side panel, depending on your layout).
3. Click + Add Note.
4. Enter the note content in the text editor. You can use rich text formatting (bold, italic, bullet points, links).
5. Optionally select a Note Type from the dropdown: General, Meeting, Phone Call, Email, Decision.
6. Click Save Note.

[Screenshot: Client Notes section with a list of existing notes and the Add Note form open]

Editing a Note

1. Locate the note in the client's Notes section.
2. Click the Edit (pencil icon) button on the note.
3. Modify the content or type.
4. Click Save Note.

Deleting a Note

1. Locate the note in the client's Notes section.
2. Click the Delete (trash icon) button on the note.
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears.

Note: Deleted notes cannot be recovered. Consider editing a note instead of deleting it if you want to correct information.

Tip: Use the note type filter above the notes list to quickly find meeting notes, phone call records, or decisions.

Importing Clients from QuickBooks

If your organization uses QuickBooks Online, you can import existing customers directly into Octayne PSA.

Prerequisites

• Your organization must have the QuickBooks integration enabled and connected. See the QuickBooks Integration documentation for setup instructions.
• You must have the clients:create_edit_delete permission.

Step-by-Step

1. Navigate to the Clients page.
2. Click the dropdown arrow next to the + New Client button.
3. Select Import from QuickBooks from the dropdown menu.
4. A dialog will appear listing all customers from your connected QuickBooks account that are not already linked to an Octayne client.
5. Select one or more customers using the checkboxes.
6. Click Import.
7. The selected customers will be created as new clients in Octayne, with their name, email, phone, and billing address pre-filled from QuickBooks.

[Screenshot: Import from QuickBooks dialog showing a list of QuickBooks customers with checkboxes]

Note: Importing a client from QuickBooks automatically creates a link between the Octayne client and the QuickBooks customer. Changes made in either system can be synced (see below).

Tip: Use the search bar in the import dialog to quickly find specific QuickBooks customers in a long list.

Syncing Clients with QuickBooks

After importing or manually linking clients, you can keep data synchronized between Octayne and QuickBooks.

Linking an Existing Octayne Client to a QuickBooks Customer

1. Navigate to the client's Settings tab.
2. Scroll to the Integrations section.
3. Click Link to QuickBooks Customer.
4. A dialog will appear listing unlinked QuickBooks customers.
5. Select the matching customer.
6. Click Link.

[Screenshot: Client Settings Integrations section with Link to QuickBooks Customer button]

Sync Behavior

• Octayne to QuickBooks: When you update a linked client's billing information in Octayne and click Sync to QuickBooks, the changes are pushed to QuickBooks.
• QuickBooks to Octayne: When you click Sync from QuickBooks on a linked client, the latest customer data from QuickBooks overwrites the Octayne fields.
• Automatic Sync: If enabled in Settings > Integrations > QuickBooks > Auto-Sync, changes are synchronized automatically every hour.

Warning: Automatic sync overwrites data in the target system. If you make changes in both Octayne and QuickBooks between sync cycles, the most recent change wins. Review sync logs in Settings > Integrations > QuickBooks > Sync History to audit changes.

Unlinking a Client

1. Navigate to the client's Settings tab.
2. Scroll to the Integrations section.
3. Click Unlink QuickBooks Customer.
4. Confirm in the dialog. The client data will remain in both systems but will no longer be synchronized.

Troubleshooting

Issue	Possible Cause	Solution
Cannot find a client in the list	Client is set to Inactive	Change the status filter to include Inactive clients, or search by name directly.
"Client name already exists" error	Duplicate client name in the organization	Use a unique name or append a differentiator (e.g., "Acme Corp - West").
QuickBooks import shows no customers	QuickBooks integration not connected or token expired	Reconnect QuickBooks in Settings > Integrations > QuickBooks.
Billing information not appearing on invoices	Billing fields are empty on the client record	Navigate to the client's Settings tab and fill in the Billing Settings section.
Cannot delete a client	Client has active projects or unpaid invoices	Archive or delete all associated projects and void/pay all invoices first, or set the client to Inactive instead.
QuickBooks sync fails	Network error or API rate limit	Wait a few minutes and try again. Check the sync history log for error details.
Client notes not saving	Session expired or network issue	Refresh the page, log in again if prompted, and re-enter the note.

FAQ

Q: Can I merge two client records?

A: Client merging is not currently supported directly in the UI. To consolidate, manually move projects and invoices from one client to the other, then delete or inactivate the duplicate.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of clients I can create?

A: There is no hard limit on the number of clients. Performance remains optimal with thousands of client records.

Q: Can I restore a deleted client?

A: No. Deleted clients and their associated data are permanently removed. Set clients to Inactive instead of deleting them if you may need the data in the future.

Q: Can I assign a client to a specific team or business unit?

A: Client tagging and grouping by business unit is available under the Tags field in the client's General Settings. Use tags to categorize clients by region, industry, or business unit.

Q: How does client status affect projects?

A: Setting a client to Inactive does not automatically change the status of their projects. Active projects under an inactive client continue to function normally. However, you cannot create new projects for an inactive client.

Q: Can multiple organizations share the same client record?

A: No. Client records are scoped to a single organization. If multiple organizations work with the same real-world client, each organization maintains its own separate client record.

Q: Does the QuickBooks import bring over invoice history?

A: No. The QuickBooks import only creates the client record with contact and billing information. Invoice history remains in QuickBooks and is not imported into Octayne.