Project Setup - Clients and Contacts

Table of Contents

Purpose

The Clients and Contacts section within Project Setup allows you to add, edit and view client/Contact information. This information will be used throughout MetaField.

Project Search

  • When you first access Clients and Contacts, you will be taken to a screen that contains your recently viewed clients.  
  • This screen also allows you to search for other clients you may be interested in.  
  • Clicking on edit icon will open the client record.
  • Selecting New Client will open the screen to add a new client record.
  • Selecting Upload Clients will allow you to import client records via a csv file.

Adding a Client

If you need to add a new client, click the New Client button from the Client Search screen. Complete all required fields and select Save.

FieldDescription
Client Name
  • Enter the name of the company or organization
  • Required field

Address
Address Line 2
Address Line 3
City
State
Postal Code 

  • Enter the street address (Line 2 and Line 3 optional), city, state and ZIP code for the client
  • Address Line 2 and Address Line 3 are optional, other fields are required
Phone Number
  • Enter the client's phone number
  • This is a free form field
Comments
  • Enter any comments related to this client
  • This is a free form field

Note for Customers with a Hybrid Model of MetaField

Each client record has an optional field called External Id. For customers using MetaField in a hybrid model - using both Project Setup and an external ERP system - this field contains the id of the client in the ERP system. If the record is imported from your ERP system through the adapter you should do nothing with this field. If you are manually entering the client record either through the UI or an upload you should include the id of the client in the ERP system so that the adapter will associate the records in both systems.


Uploading Clients

In addition to adding clients manually, you can also import clients directly into MetaField by using the Upload Clients button.  To upload clients, follow the steps below.


FireFox Browser

If you are using FireFox there is a known issue preventing the uploading of files. You will need to use a different browser, such as Chrome or Internet Explorer, to perform this function.

StepDescriptionExample
1.From the MetaField Project Setup > Clients and Contacts search screen, select Upload Clients.
2.

An Upload dialog box will open.
Click Upload to search for the file containing the clients you would like to upload.

Client Upload File Structure

Keep the following items in mind when creating your client file:

  • Only csv file format is supported for upload into MetaField
  • File must contain the following fields, separated by a comma: Client Name, Address. Address Line 2, Address Line 3 (note that Address Line 2 and 3 are required even if null, the CSV file just needs to include the null values separated by commas), City, State, Postal Code, Phone Number (note that phone number is optional and may be omitted but you should leave a blank in the file if you are using External Id), External Id  (note that External Id is optional and may be omitted - this is only needed for customers using MetaField in a hybrid model and if used must be unique), Client Address 2, Client Address3
  • If a comma is needed for one of these fields (e.g., Client Name is ABC Company, Inc), you need to enclose the entire field in quotes ("ABC Company, Inc").
  • Your file should NOT contain headers 

If you are creating your CSV file by opening/editing in Excel and saving in csv format, wrapping text that contains commas in quotes is not needed. 


3.

Once the file name displays in the Upload dialog box, select Save.

Duplicate Client Records

While uploading client records, MetaField will not upload Clients that may be duplicate records. During this process, it looks records that match the Client name and Address exactly. If duplicate records are found, you will be prompted and can view the duplicate records at the end of the upload process.


Upload Sample Data

The attachment below, is an example of a properly formatted file, ready for Upload.

Select File


Editing Clients

Select the pencil icon on the left side of the grid to edit any client information.

Adding a Contact

Once a Client has been added, contacts can be added to the client record. To add a contact, click the edit icon next to the client record, navigate to the Contacts tab on the edit page, and click the Add Contact button. Complete all required fields and select Save.

FieldDescription
First Name
  • First name of new contact
  • required field
Last Name
  • Last name of new contact
  • required field
E-mail Address
  • E-mail address of new contact
  • required field
Work Phone
  • Work Phone # of new contact
Contact Comments
  • Additional comments regarding new contact

Editing a Contact

Select the pencil icon on the left side of the grid to edit any contact information.

Uploading Contacts

In addition to adding contacts manually, you can also import contacts directly into MetaField by using the Upload Contacts button.  To upload contacts, follow the steps below.


FireFox Browser

If you are using FireFox there is a known issue preventing the uploading of files. You will need to use a different browser, such as Chrome or Internet Explorer, to perform this function.

StepDescriptionExample
1From the MetaField Project Setup > Edit Client > contacts screen, select Upload Contacts.
2

An Upload dialog box will open.
Click Upload to search for the file containing the clients you would like to upload.

Contact Upload File Structure

Keep the following items in mind when creating your contact file:

  • Only csv file format is supported for upload into MetaField
  • File must contain the following fields, separated by a comma: First Name, Last Name, Email Address, Work Phone Number (note that phone number is optional and may be omitted)
  • If a comma is needed for one of these fields (e.g., Client Name is ABC Company, Inc), you need to enclose the entire field in quotes ("ABC Company, Inc").
  • Your file should not contain headers 

If you are creating your CSV file by opening/editing in Excel and saving in csv format, wrapping text that contains commas in quotes is not needed. 


3

Once the file name displays in the Upload dialog box, select Save.

Duplicate Contact Records

While uploading contact records, MetaField will not upload Contacts that may be duplicate records. During this process, it looks for records that match the Contact name exactly.

If duplicate records are found, you will be prompted and can view the duplicate records at the end of the upload process.


Extracting Clients

Extract list of clients created via .csv extract.

StepDescription
1.

From the MetaField Client Setup Search screen, select Extract Client Data.

2.

Define email address for the extract to be sent to.

3.

Select Client, Contact or Collaborator extract to create.

4.Check email and follow link to download extract file.

Viewing Client history

To view client history, click on the calendar icon in the bottom right corner to see details.