Firm Classifications

DPS uses the Firms hub to manage all external companies and organizations that you work with.

Firms may include a variety of organizations:

• Clients
• Vendors
• Government Agencies
• Trade Associations
• Competitors

Firm Type

The Firms hub includes a Firm Type option that allows you to specify how you want to classify a firm record. For example, a firm may simply be a competitor that you want to keep tabs on. You can specify that the firm is a type Competitor and enter the pertinent details without the additional accounting and payment information.

Or, you can select Client, Vendor, or Client and Vendor to indicate that there are times when the firm is either a vendor or client. Rather than entering two different records for the same firm, you can give one firm two different firm types. In addition, when you specify that a firm is a vendor, the Vendor tab displays where you can enter purchasing, banking, accounting, and payment information.

Firms with a client type will be available for all transactions associated with firms you are providing services including Billing. Firms with a vendor type will be available for all transactions with firms that are providing your company goods and services including Accounting Payable transactions.

When you enter a new firm record, the Firm Type field may automatically populate with a selection. This occurs based on your role as follows:

• Accounting User: When no Firm Type is selected, you are prompted to save the firm as a Client type.
• CRM User: The Firm Type defaults to Client type.
• Approved for User in Processing: If this option is selected on the Vendor tab, the Firm Type is automatically defaulted to Vendor and cannot be changed.

Approved For Use in Processing

If you are also using DPS Accounting, the Approved for use in processing checkbox displays on the Vendor tab. Select it to complete entry of accounting and payment related information and make this vendor available for processing accounting transactions. If you are an accounting user, you can select this checkbox at any time. However, you can clear it only if the vendor record has not been used in any accounting transactions. When you select this checkbox, DPS prompts you to enter information in the required fields on this tab before you can save the record.

If you have multiple companies, this option displays as Approved for Use in Processing for Company XX because you can define the accounting and payment information specific to each company working with a specific vendor. This option allows you to enable the fields on the Accounting tab and enter accounting information for each vendor on a company-by-company basis. Use the company selector in the application header to view or edit the Approved for use in Processing checkbox for a specific company.

Firm Type and Lookups

When you use a Firm lookup, all firms display as options in the lookup. However, you may be prompted to specify a firm type. For example, if you in the Projects hub and need to specify a primary client or billing client, the firms that are designated as Clients in the Firm Type field are the only firms that display as options in the lookup. Similarly, if you are working in Accounts Payable and run an AP report, you can only see firms that are designated as Vendors in the Firm Type field.