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Multiple contacts for a single customer

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Posted on by Tanner 360

I have a client starting on 365 and I'm having trouble importing the data I need.  My first question is whether it is possible to store multiple contacts under a single customer record.  I see the "contact" field on the customer record.  I can enter a name in there and it saves fine.  If I click the ellipses (3 dots button) it opens the contact list.  Then I click new, and I add a new contact.  On the Contact window, there is a field for "company".  I've tried putting the customer name in there so it associates the contact with the customer record, but it just tells me that the customer doesn't exist, and it doesn't pull in my customer list to select an option for that field either.  So I leave it blank, and I get the following message which makes me believe the contact I created is not associated with the customer record.

"There is no Contact Business Relation within the filter. Filters: Link to Table: Customer, No.:001"

So, is it possible to store multiple contacts for one customer record, and if so how can I accomplish this?

My second question if the above is possible, is how can I import from an Excel file to get these records in the system?  I've tried data migration importing from Excel, but it only gives me 1 contact field, and if I repeat the customer number on multiple lines with different contacts, it just reads each line and overwrites the last one during the import, so you end up with 1 contact record, whatever the last one was for that customer.  I've also tried importing from Excel using the Configuration Packages, same issue.  Is this possible with an Excel import or any other method of importing?

My client has over 900 contacts, so it is fairly necessary to find a way to import these rather than hand-key them.  If we were using GP like I'm used to, I'd simply write an insert script to put the contact records directly into the table in the database.  Since I can't access SQL directly with 365, I am out of ideas.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tanner Ties

Categories:
Data Migrations
  • Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member Microsoft Employee on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Jennifer,

    I wanted to jump in here.  We have multiple customers with the same contact.  How would that be set up?  We have one customer, with several customers below it, and several contacts that belong to main customer but sell to the several customers under the main customer.  

  • Tanner Profile Picture
    Tanner 360 on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Chris,

    Sorry for the false alarm, I believe it is an issue with our firewall.  I had them disable the firewall for me, and it worked or at least loaded the data into Excel instead of throwing an error.  He said he didn't see anything related to port 7048, but we will just troubleshoot and keep changing settings until we can get it to work with the firewall still on.

    Once this is resolved, I will continue with Jennifer's instructions to see if I can use this method to "import" all my contacts.  If I have any further issues I will reach out.

    Thank you both for all the help!

  • Verified answer
    Chris Bulson Profile Picture
    Chris Bulson on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    The only other thing I can think of would be if they are blocking port 7048 on the external firewall.  This was working previously, right?

    You may need to get a support case opened if you need us to look into further.

    Thanks,

    Chris

  • Tanner Profile Picture
    Tanner 360 on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Chris,

    Yes, I closed the browser, deleted the prior excel files from my downloads folder, and then logged back in and clicked the edit in Excel to download a new file.  When I opened and enabled content and signed in again through Excel, it gave the same error message still.

    Thank you

  • Chris Bulson Profile Picture
    Chris Bulson on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Are you still receiving the error after closing the re-launching the 'Edit in Excel' from within Financials... even after removing the 'Allowed Companies' object?

    Thanks,

    Chris

  • Tanner Profile Picture
    Tanner 360 on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    I found and deleted the object as you requested but still received the same error.  I will close and restart everything and keep trying while waiting for next steps from you.

    Thanks again for the quick support!

  • Verified answer
    Jennifer Reinhardt Profile Picture
    Jennifer Reinhardt on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Hey Tanner,

    Let's first check your Web Services page.  Using the search, search for Web Services and open your Web Services page.

    See if you have a object name of ‘Allowed Companies’.  If you do, delete this object and see if this resolves the error.

    Please let us know how this goes.

    Regards,

    Jennifer Reinhardt

    Please see our Dynamics 365 Financials Support Team Blog for helpful information:

    blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dyn365finsupport

  • Tanner Profile Picture
    Tanner 360 on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Jennifer,

    I appreciate the quick reply.  Your instructions make sense but I'm having an issue.  I've completed all the above steps to create my customers as contacts with type=company.  However, when I try to "Edit in Excel" I am having an issue with connecting back to 365.  I click enable content after opening Excel, and I sign in on the right side.  After signing in, I receive the following error:

    Error Loading Metadata

    Details:

    Please check server connection, verify the current user has proper access, and try again. Error message: ''

    I do have Excel 2016, and I am using a standard license we are paying for because I am a consultant and we haven't received our free IUR license yet, I'm working to obtain that.  

    Not sure if this is a user security or access issue or how to change those settings if that's the case.

    Thank you,

    Tanner

  • Verified answer
    Jennifer Reinhardt Profile Picture
    Jennifer Reinhardt on at
    RE: Multiple contacts for a single customer

    Hello Tanner,

    Yes, you can have multiple contacts per customer, but you will need the customer as a contact first. Let me explain a little and then I will let you know how I would recommend getting the data into the system.

    Here's what happens when you manually create a new customer and contacts.

    A. When you create a new customer that customer will also have a Contact created and it will have the Type=Company.

    B. When you create a Contact for the customer you will choose the Type=Person and then in the Company Name field you will select the Customer Contact that was created in A.

    C. You can continue creating Contacts using step B above for as many Contacts as you need for the customer.

    To get these additional contacts for Customers into the system I would recommend the following:

    1. Make sure that all your Customer's have a Contact created with a Type of Company for the Customer. If they don't you can Search for Create Contacts from Customer and then you can select to Open the process which will automatically create Contacts for your Customers.

    2. Once the Customer's Contact is created with the Type=Company, then you can search for Contacts and open the first Contacts option that is returned.

    3. When in the Contact List you should see all your Customers listed in bold and then contacts, if there are any, will be listed in normal print.

    4. You can click Edit in Excel here and this will export this list to Excel.

    5. Once the customer list is in Excel you will then need to remove the date columns.

    6. Click Design and then click the Pencil to the right of the Contact_Card Table.

    7. Click on the following Selected Fields and click the Remove Button:

    Last_Date_Modified

    Date_of_Last_interatction

    Last_Date_Attempted

    Next_Task_Date

    8. Once the columns are removed, Click Update.

    9. Click Done

    10. Click Refresh and select Yes to continue.

    Now you should be able to Add lines for Contacts, here's an example of one of my Customers, Trey Research and it's Contacts, Helen Ray and Jennifer:
    7318.Capture.PNG

    Once you have some additions added you can then click Publish to add the Contacts into Dynamics 365 for Financials. You may want to test a couple contacts just to make sure that it works as you need.

    Let us know if you have any questions.

    Regards,
    Jennifer Reinhardt

    Please see our Dynamics 365 Financials Support Team Blog for helpful information:

    https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/dyn365finsupport/

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