Contacts: The foundation of CRM in Dynamics 365 Business Central

Since I started using Microsoft Dynamics NAV in 1999 (then called Navision), I have always been an advocate of getting more out of your investment in the software.  With each new release, from Navision to Dynamics NAV to Business Central, there are always new features that need to be explored and implemented.  Which brings me to reason for this article: Most users don’t realize the Contact card is the foundation for a powerful marketing tool in Business Central and its predecessors. But to be truly effective across the various departments in your organization, consider taking an extra step with the configuration of your Marketing Setups. 

In an organization without the basic Marketing Setups created in Business Central, as users create a new Customer card, they simply type a name in the Contact Name field and move on to the next field. Business Central does not create a new record for the Contact, it is simply a Name on the Customer Card. But this Contact Name field has more going on than meets the eye.

Since there is only one Contact Name on the Customer card in this scenario, the Accounts Receivable clerk will want to update this field with the name of the individual they talk to when making collections calls.  But the Sales Rep will want to update this field with the individual to whom they are selling. What to do?

Marketing Setups

Marketing Setups to the rescue!  Marketing Setups are a component of Business Central configuration that includes customers and contacts. You’ll want to activate two of the basic elements that BC provides: the Business Relation Code for Customers and the Numbering for Contacts, as notated by the stars below: 

Only after activating these setups can you link Contacts to Customers. You cannot sell to a Contact that has not been linked to a Customer.

Entering a value in the Business Relationship Code for Customers field allows Business Central to link Customers to Contacts and lets the user know these Contacts are associated with Customers.  Within many of the Setup tables in Business Central, you have many options and many code values to consider.  There are only four types of Business Relationships: Customers, Vendors, Banks, and Employees.  You don’t have to get too creative with the Business Relationship Code values.  The code value in this field can be a single character, or it can contain up to ten characters.  Many organizations use CUST and many use CUSTOMER.  Without this code defined, you cannot create Contacts for Customers and you cannot create a Customer from a Contact.  More about this second relationship in a future discussion.