Section 11
Customer Names Table

The Customer Names table stores data that permits you to select a name from a master list of names during payment entry - this ensures fast entry and consistent spelling of names. You can load the names into the database via normal table maintenance functions. Alternatively, the names can be loaded by an import process from external sources such as spreadsheets or other databases such as utility billing, tax systems, etc. Quadrant can provide information about doing such import processes. The table columns are described below. For information about how to use the data in the table during data entry, please refer to the Payment Entry instructions of the user manual.a

1. CUSTOMER_KEY
   
   This is a value you determine when entering names into the table. The field can be up to 10 characters in length and can consist of any letters or numbers. This code is not used directly at payment entry time, but is used to link certain transaction codes to predefined payer names. We suggest you develop a scheme of your own to code the names...e.g., SB for Smith, Bill. If you have multiple Bill Smiths, you could use SB1, SB2, SB3, etc., or you could simply have a single entry for SB, since the only purpose for this table is to permit you to use short-cut codes for the name entry process, and to ensure consistent spelling of the name values.
   
   Each CUSTOMER_KEY must be unique.
   
   
2. CUSTOMER_NAME
   
   This is the name you wish to store. We suggest you enter the names in "lastname, first" format.
   
   During selection of the payer name from the database, a grid will appear and you can enter all or part of the name. As you type characters into the entry field, the program will retrieve the matching records from the database, narrowing your search to a smaller and smaller list of displayed names.
   
   The CUSTOMER_NAME values do not have to be unique, but they must be non-blank.
   
   
3. ADDRESS
   
   This is the customer address. You can search on this field if desired.
   
   This field can be left blank, and the program will automatically fill in a value to indicate that no address was entered.