> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.blinksale.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Clients
> Learn how to create, view, edit, and manage your clients in Blinksale
## Introduction
Managing your clients is a fundamental part of running your business with Blinksale. This guide walks you through all aspects of client management, from creating new clients to managing their contacts, notes, and associated documents.
## Client Dashboard
The client dashboard provides a comprehensive overview of all your clients. From here, you can:
* View all your clients in a sortable, searchable list
* Create new clients
* Access client details
* Edit client information
* Delete clients
### Client Types
Blinksale supports two types of clients:
1. **Business clients** - For companies, organizations, and other business entities
2. **Individual clients** - For freelancers and personal clients
Each type has appropriate fields for their specific needs while maintaining consistent organization.
## Creating a New Client
To add a new client to your Blinksale account:
1. Navigate to the Clients section from the main sidebar
2. Click the "Add Client" button in the top right corner
3. Complete the client form with the necessary information
### Client Information
When creating a new client, you'll need to provide:
#### Client Details
* **Client Type** - Select between Business or Individual Person
* **Client Name** - The name of the company or individual
* **Client Email** - The primary email address for the client
* **Tax Name** - The name as it appears on tax documents (optional)
* **Tax Number** - Tax ID, VAT number, or other tax identifier (optional)
* **Phone Number** - Primary phone contact (optional)
* **Fax Number** - Fax contact information (optional)
* **Website** - The client's website URL (optional)
#### Address Information
* **Street Address** - Primary address line
* **Apartment/Suite/Unit** - Secondary address line (optional)
* **City** - City or locality
* **Country** - Select from the dropdown list
* **State/Province** - State or region (available options depend on selected country)
* **ZIP/Postal Code** - Postal code
#### Contact Information
You can add multiple contacts for each client:
* **Contact Name** - Full name of the contact person
* **Contact Email** - Email address for the contact
* **Contact Phone** - Phone number for the contact (optional)
Click "Add Another Contact" to add more contacts to this client.
### Default Settings
When you create a client, you can also set document defaults that will automatically apply to new invoices and estimates for this client. These defaults include:
* Currency
* Payment terms
* Tax settings
* Discount settings
* Late fee configuration
* Payment methods
These defaults can be edited later when viewing client details.
## Viewing Client Details
To access detailed information about a client, click on their name in the client list. The client detail page is organized into several tabs:
### Details Tab
This tab shows all the fundamental information about your client:
* Basic client information (type, name, email)
* Tax details
* Contact information (phone, fax, website)
* Physical address
* Document default settings
### Contacts Tab
The Contacts tab displays all contacts associated with this client. For each contact, you can:
* View their name, email, and phone number
* Edit their information
* Delete the contact
You can also add new contacts directly from this tab by clicking the "Add Contact" button.
### Notes Tab
The Notes tab allows you to keep track of important information about your client. Notes are timestamped and attributed to the user who created them. From this tab, you can:
* View all notes related to the client
* Add new notes
* Edit existing notes
* Delete notes
### Documents Tab
The Documents tab provides an overview of all invoices and estimates associated with the client:
* **Invoices** - View recent invoices, their status (paid, overdue, sent, etc.), and total amounts
* **Estimates** - View recent estimates, their status (approved, declined, sent, etc.), and total amounts
From this tab, you can also:
* Create new invoices or estimates for this client
* View all invoices/estimates (if there are more than shown in the preview)
* Access detailed information about each document by clicking on it
## Editing Client Information
To update a client's information:
1. Navigate to the client's detail page by clicking their name in the client list
2. Click the "Edit" button in the top right corner
3. Update any fields as needed
4. Click "Save Changes" to apply your updates
All the same fields available during client creation can be modified when editing.
## Deleting a Client
If you need to remove a client from your Blinksale account:
1. Navigate to the client's detail page
2. Click the "Delete" button in the top right corner
3. Confirm the deletion in the dialog that appears
Deleting a client is permanent and will also delete all associated contacts. However, invoices and estimates associated with the client will be retained for record-keeping purposes.
## Best Practices
### Organizing Clients
* Use consistent naming conventions for your clients
* Add detailed address information for accurate tax calculations
* Include specific contacts for different departments or roles (billing, project management, etc.)
* Use notes to track important client interactions or special requirements
### Client Data Management
* Keep client information current, especially contact details
* Regularly review and update client defaults as rates or terms change
* Add notes when significant changes occur with the client relationship
* Maintain accurate tax information to ensure compliance
## Troubleshooting
### Common Issues
**Cannot delete a client:**
* Check if there are active recurring invoices for this client
* Ensure you have the proper permissions to delete clients
**Email notifications not reaching the client:**
* Verify the email address is correct
* Check if the client's email system might be filtering your messages
* Ensure your domain has proper email authentication set up
**Duplicate clients:**
* Instead of creating multiple clients for the same organization, use contacts to manage different people at the same company
By effectively managing your clients in Blinksale, you'll create a solid foundation for smooth invoicing and payment processes.