Introduction
Creating new customers in Qargo is a straightforward process that helps collect and manage all necessary details for orders, invoices, and communication.
A common use case for this feature is for businesses to onboard a new client and efficiently track their orders, payment details, and set credit limits for smoother financial control.
Key Terminology
Customer: A business or individual to whom services are provided and managed through Qargo.
Order: A service request entered in the system on behalf of a customer.
Credit Limit: The maximum outstanding invoice balance a customer can carry before a warning is triggered.
Status: The current relationship stage of the customer (Prospect, Approved, Not Approved, Warning, Blocked).
Invoice: A bill sent to the customer for services rendered.
Steps for Adding a New Customer
1. Navigate to COMPANIES tab: Start from the main navigation menu and click on 'Companies'
2. Click sub-menu Customers: This action takes a user to the customer list page where current customers can be viewed.
3. Initiate Customer Creation: Click the Create Customer button at the top right of the page.
4. Search for the Customer's Company: Begin typing the customer’s company name. A Google Search box will appear, helping with the search for and auto-filling of company details like the address.
5. Fill in Customer Details: Complete the customer form, including selecting a status:
Prospect: The company is a potential customer but not yet approved. Only quotes can be created; no orders can be placed.
Not Approved: The company is not yet fully approved as a customer. This is an intermediary step between Prospect and Approved. The same permissions as Prospect apply.
Approved: The customer is approved. Orders can be placed without restrictions.
Warning: The customer is approved, but a warning is triggered when an order is created. The operator can dismiss the warning and proceed with the order.
Blocked: The customer is blocked; no new orders can be created.
📚 For a company representing other companies (through customer portal / customer external API), it can only create orders if it holds the Approved status.
📚 Where a Subcontractor is also a Customer, the status is separated, and the customer status will work as described for the customer.
See HERE for more information for Subcontractor specifically.
6. Set Payment Terms: Add payment terms and other account details as relevant.
Creating a customer from the Orders Tab
This is a useful shortcut for quickly adding a new customer while in the middle of creating an order.
1. Navigate to ORDERS Tab: In the sub-menu, click on Orders tab and click the Create Order button.
2. Select Transport Service: From the available options, select the desired mode of transport service.
3. Create a New Customer: Click on the Customer box. A list of existing customers will appear. Scroll to the bottom of this list and select the + Create new customer option. Fill in the required customer details and click Save.
Setting Customer Credit Limits
Setting a customer credit limit enables the monitoring and control of outstanding receivables, ensuring a business remains financially healthy.
Configure Organisation settings for credit limit calculation and limits
Users have the ability to set how the credit limit is accrued, in 2 different ways:
Revenue from all orders
Revenue from all invoiced orders only
Configuration to use credit limits
1. Activate the Credit Limit Field: Before assigning a credit limit to a customer, ensure the 'Credit Limit' field is activated in configuration settings.
Navigate to the CONFIGURATION module
Select Additional Fields submenu
From the left side menu select 'Customers'
Click into 'Customer Subcontractor' then locate Credit Limit in the list of fields and click on it
Click on Active. Then click on Save.
2. Assign Credit Limit to Customer:
Return to the Companies screen and select the customer to be edited.
Scroll down within the customer details page to find the Credit Limit field.
Enter the desired credit limit amount for this customer.
📚 Setting an appropriate credit limit for each customer helps manage risk and keeps accounts teams informed of client payment statuses.
3. Warning for Exceeded Credit Limit:
Once the credit limit is configured, if a customer’s outstanding invoices exceed this amount, Qargo automatically triggers a warning when an attempt is made to create an order for that customer—helping to proactively manage exposure.
‼️ If the setting to revoke order creation when credit limit is exceeded, is on the order will not save. Users will see an error message displayed in the bottom of the screen
📚 Always review the warning and consider discussing payment terms with the customer before proceeding with further orders.
Additional Use Case Examples
Setting different credit limits for customers based on their payment history and reliability.
Using the credit limit warning as a prompt to initiate credit control measures or pause further orders.
Quickly updating credit limits after customer reviews during annual or quarterly financial assessments.