Understanding Contact Types and Categories

This article aims to clarify the distinctions between Contact Types and Contact Categories within the platform. Both are integral to organizing your contacts, but they serve unique purposes. Here, you'll learn how to designate Contact Categories and recognize the system-defined Contact Types to better manage your relationships in Re-Leased.

Contact Categories: User-Defined Selections

Contact Categories are explicitly set by users when creating or updating a contact record. You can think of a category as a label that you apply to a contact to classify their role or relationship to your business. To assign a category, you’ll use a dropdown selector with the options listed below:

• Contact
• Company
• Creditor
• Owner  (Trust/Client Accounting only)
• Owner Group  (Trust/Client Accounting only)
• Bond Authority  (Trust/Client Accounting only)

To set a Contact Category:

1. Open the contact’s record by navigating to the Contacts section.
2. In the contact's details page, locate the dropdown menu for Contact Category.
3. Select the appropriate category from the list provided.
4. Remember to Save your changes.

Contact Types: System-Defined Relationships

Unlike categories, Contact Types are not selected by the user but are automatically assigned based on how the contact is utilized within the Re-Leased platform. These types reflect the various roles a contact might occupy in relation to different elements, like tenancies, maintenance, or invoicing.

Here are the types of Contacts and their definitions:

• Tenancy Contacts: All contacts attached to a Tenancy/Lease, including Primary, Guarantor, Account Holder, and Tenants.
• Maintenance Contacts: Contacts designated as Contractors for maintenance work orders.
• Preferred Supplier Contacts: Contacts identified as preferred suppliers linked to specific Properties.
• BPAY Creditor: Contacts set as BPAY Creditors for properties, applicable exclusively to Australian Trust Accounting customers.
• Insurance Contacts: Contacts listed as the ‘Broker’ on a Property Insurance policy.
• Invoices: Contacts assigned to Invoices for billing purposes.

The Contact Type is automatically determined and displayed according to the role the contact plays in each transaction or association within Re-Leased. This dynamic categorization aids in filtering and searching for contacts involved in specific activities or transactions.

By understanding and utilizing both Contact Categories and Contact Types, you can effectively organize your contacts for easier management and operational efficiency within Re-Leased.