New Customer Creation Process

Overview

The New Customer Creation Process ensures that all new leads, contacts, and customers are properly qualified, documented, approved, and configured in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central before sales activities begin.

This process involves:

• Lead Generation
• Sales Team
• Order Desk
• Accounting
• Management / Controller

The objective is to ensure customer information is complete, accurate, and approved before activation.

Learning Objectives

After completing this lesson, users will be able to:

✓ Process a new customer request

✓ Create Contacts and Customers in Business Central

✓ Complete required customer information

✓ Upload customer documentation

✓ Configure dimensions and document layouts

✓ Complete customer qualification

✓ Synchronize Business Central with CRM

✓ Obtain required approvals

✓ Activate customers correctly

Step 1 – Lead Received

A lead may be received through:

• Customer Email
• Website Registration
• Website Contact Request
• Lead Generation Activities
• Existing Lead Follow-Up

The Lead Generator forwards the lead information to the appropriate Sales Representative.

Step 2 – Sales Representative Qualification

The Sales Representative must:

• Contact the lead
• Call or visit the prospect
• Gather customer information
• Complete Form #0067
• Email or assign the completed form to Order Desk

Required information includes:

• Company Name
• Address
• Contact Person
• Phone Number
• Email Address
• Industry
• Estimated Order Size

Step 3 – Order Desk Review

Order Desk must verify whether the company already exists in Business Central.

Existing Contact Found

If the contact already exists:

• Review existing information
• Compare with Form #0067
• Update records as required

New Contact

If the contact does not exist:

Create:

• Company Contact
• Customer Record
• Personal Contact

in Business Central.

Step 4 – Freight Recommendation

Order Desk reviews expected order size.

Based on estimated volume:

• Recommend freight method
• Determine shipping requirements
• Enter freight recommendation into the customer file

Step 5 – OneDrive Documentation

Verify whether a customer folder already exists in OneDrive.

Folder Exists

• Upload customer form
• Upload supporting documents

Folder Does Not Exist

• Create customer folder
• Upload documents

After upload:

• Copy folder link
• Attach OneDrive link to Customer Card in Business Central

Step 6 – Creating Contacts

Business Central supports three Contact Types:

Contact Company

Used for:

• Leads
• Potential Customers
• Active Customers
• Disqualified Customers

Contact Person

Used for individual customer contacts.

Every Contact Person must be linked to a Contact Company.

Contact Vendor

Used for supplier relationships.

Contact Information Requirements

For all Contact Persons complete:

• Contact Name
• Email Address
• Phone Number
• Cell Number
• Job Responsibility
• Organizational Level
• Contact Preference

Contact Preference

This field determines communication permissions.

Examples:

• Email Allowed
• Phone Allowed
• Visit Allowed
• Do Not Email

Always review before contacting customers.

Customer Status

Complete Customer Status for all contacts.

Lead

Not yet confirmed as a powder coating user.

Potential

Confirmed to use powder coating directly or indirectly.

Active

Customer has placed at least one order.

Status updates automatically.

Disqualified

Customer no longer exists or does not use powder coating.

Owner Assignment

Every contact must have an Owner.

The Owner is responsible for:

• Customer follow-up
• Relationship management
• Opportunity development

No contact should remain without an assigned owner.

Step 7 – Customer Qualification

Before creating or activating a customer:

1. Contact customer directly
2. Confirm company is active
3. Confirm customer uses powder coating
4. Review website and social media
5. Determine customer industry
6. Determine customer size
7. Gather business information

Management Approval

Collected information must be submitted to:

• Touraj
• Ansari

Approval is required before:

• Customer Creation
• Website Activation

Step 8 – Create Customer from Contact

To convert a Contact into a Customer:

1. Open Contact Card
2. Complete required fields
3. Select Customer
4. Choose Customer Type

Options:

• Canadian Customer
• Non-Canadian Customer

The Customer Card will be created automatically.

Step 9 – Customer Card Setup

Sales Team completes:

Customer Information

• Address
• Email
• Phone Number
• Website
• Fax Number

Distance

Use Google Maps.

Measure distance between:

• FAM Powder Coating
• Customer Location

Shipping Information

Complete:

• Shipping Method Code
• Shipping Agent Code

Select the best shipping method for the customer.

Customer Dimensions

Sales Team must complete:

Source

How customer was found.

Examples:

• Website
• Google Search
• Referral
• Sales Call

Size

Examples:

• Small
• Medium
• Large

Sales Person

Assigned sales representative.

Sales EXP / DOM

• Domestic (Canada)
• Export (Outside Canada)

Territory

Assigned sales territory.

Customer Type

Examples:

• Custom Coater
• Metal Fabricator
• Manufacturer

Credit Limit (LCY)

Estimated credit requirement.

Document Layout Setup

Required for customer communications.

Steps:

1. Open Customer Card
2. Open Document Layout
3. Select Copy From Report Selection
4. Enter Customer Email in Send To Email

Business Central uses this address when sending:

• Statements
• Quotes
• Orders
• Reports

Step 10 – Accounting Setup

Accounting completes:

• Tax Area Code
• Tax Liable
• Customer Posting Group
• General Business Posting Group

Step 11 – Management / Controller Setup

Management or Controller completes:

• Customer Discount Group
• Customer Freight Charge
• Payment Terms
• Credit Limit

Sales Team should provide recommendations in comments.

Management makes final decisions.

Customer Unblock

After setup is complete:

Change Customer Block Status:

From:

Invoice

To:

Blank

This activates the customer.

CRM Synchronization

The synchronization will be automatically occur every 30 minutes, if you want to do it manually:

Customer must be unblocked before synchronization.

Steps:

1. Open Customer Card
2. Select Synchronize
3. Select Set Up Coupling
4. Enable Create New
5. Select OK

If Create New is disabled:

The customer already exists in CRM.

Website Activation

Customers may register directly through the website.

Preferred method:

Customer completes registration independently.

Benefits:

• Customer enters own information
• Customer manages own password
• Less manual work

For manual activation:

1. Confirm customer uses powder coating
2. Obtain approval from Touraj or Ansari
3. Activate website account

Best Practices

✓ Always verify customer qualification

✓ Complete all contact information

✓ Assign an owner

✓ Upload documents to OneDrive

✓ Attach OneDrive links to Business Central

✓ Complete all dimensions

✓ Verify customer approval

✓ Synchronize with CRM

✓ Activate website account only after approval

Lesson Summary

After completing this lesson, users should be able to:

✓ Process new customer requests

✓ Create contacts and customers

✓ Complete customer setup

✓ Configure dimensions

✓ Configure document layouts

✓ Complete accounting setup

✓ Obtain approvals

✓ Synchronize with CRM

✓ Activate customers properly