Contacts Documentation
Comprehensive guide to managing people and companies in your portfolio
Overview
The Contacts module is your centralized system for managing all relationships in your portfolio. It includes both individual contacts (people) and organizations (companies), all organized by your organization to ensure data privacy and security.
Important: Organization Scoping
Every organization manages their own contacts independently. Contacts cannot be shared across organizations and can only be used on properties within the organization they belong to. This ensures complete data privacy and separation between different teams.
Main Sections
- People: Individual contacts with complete contact information, company affiliations, addresses, and communication history
- Companies: Organizations with company details, mailing addresses, associated contacts, and lease relationships
Getting Started
Access the Contacts module from your main navigation menu. The interface is divided into two main tabs:
- People Tab: Manage individual contacts with detailed personal and professional information
- Companies Tab: Manage company contacts with organizational details and associated people
Both tabs feature powerful search functionality, bulk actions, and streamlined workflows for adding new contacts.
People Management
Viewing People
The People page displays a comprehensive table with all contacts in your organization:
- Name: Full name (first and last)
- Company: Associated company with type badge
- Email: Primary email address
- Phone: Contact phone number
- Actions: Quick access menu for contact operations
Search and Filter
Use the search bar to instantly find contacts across multiple fields:
- First or last name
- Email address
- Company name
- Phone number
The search is real-time and updates as you type, making it easy to find specific contacts quickly.
Adding New People
Create new person contacts with comprehensive information:
- Click the "Add Person" button in the action bar
- Fill in the contact information form:
- First name (required)
- Last name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Full mailing address (street, city, state, postal code)
- Company affiliation (optional)
- Select the organization (automatically set to your current organization)
- Click "Save" to create the contact
Person Detail Page
Click on any contact's name to view their comprehensive profile with editable fields:
Contact Information Section
- First and last name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Complete mailing address
Company Association
View or add company affiliation with an "Add Company" button. If associated, displays the company name as a clickable link and shows the company type as a badge.
Related Records
Access all properties, leases, and issues associated with this contact.
Contact Actions Menu
Access the actions menu (three dots icon) on any contact to perform the following operations:
- Download Contact: Export contact information as a vCard (.vcf) file that can be imported into email clients, phones, and other contact management systems. Includes name, email, phone, organization, and address.
- Duplicate Contact: Create a copy of the contact with all information pre-filled. Useful for creating similar contacts or templates. You can modify the duplicated contact before saving.
- Delete Contact: Permanently remove the contact from your organization. Warning: This will remove them from all associated messages and records. This action cannot be undone.
Message Thread Integration
Contacts are automatically integrated with your message threads, making it easy to track communication and add new contacts.
Thread Participants
When viewing any message thread, you'll see a "Thread Participants" section that categorizes all participants:
People (External Contacts)
Displays all recognized external contacts from your contact list who are part of the thread. Click on any person to view their full profile.
Users (Internal Team Members)
Shows all internal users from your organization who are participating in the thread.
Unrecognized Contacts
Lists email participants who are not yet in your contacts or user list. Each unrecognized contact has an "Add" button that lets you quickly add them to your contacts.
Adding Contacts from Messages
When you encounter an unrecognized contact in a message thread:
- Look for the contact in the "Unrecognized Contacts" accordion
- Click the "+" (Add) button next to their name
- A dialog will open with their email and name pre-filled
- Add any additional information (phone, address, company)
- Click "Save" to add them to your contacts
After adding, they'll automatically appear in the "People" section and will be associated with all relevant message threads.
Company Management
Viewing Companies
The Companies page displays a sortable table with organizational information:
- Company Name: The organization's name
- Organization: Which organization owns this company contact
- Type: Company type with visual badge (Tenant, Vendor, Contractor, etc.)
- Created At: Date the company was added
- Updated At: Last modification date
Adding New Companies
Create new company contacts with complete organizational details:
- Click the "Add Company" button in the action bar
- Fill in the company information:
- Company name (required)
- Legal name (if different from company name)
- Company type (Tenant, Vendor, Contractor, etc.)
- Mailing address (complete with street, city, state, postal code)
- Associated people (optional - can be added later)
- Select the organization
- Click "Save" to create the company
Company Detail Page
Click on any company name to access its comprehensive management page with four main sections:
Company Details
Edit company name, legal name, and type. All fields are editable directly in the form with an "Update" button to save changes.
Company Address
Manage the company's mailing address with separate fields for street address (line one and two), city, state, and postal code.
Company People
View all contacts associated with this company. Click "Add Contact" to create new people linked to this company. Each person's name is clickable to view their full profile. Shows email addresses for quick reference.
Company Leases
View all current and past leases with this company. Each lease shows the property name (clickable link), property address, and lease terms. Helps track tenant relationships and rental history.
Company Types
Categorize companies to help organize your contacts and understand relationships:
- Tenant: Companies that lease your properties
- Vendor: Service providers and suppliers
- Contractor: Construction and maintenance companies
- Custom types can be added based on your needs
Company types appear as colored badges throughout the system for easy identification.
Key Features
Organization-Based Security
All contacts are strictly scoped to your organization, ensuring complete data privacy and separation. You can only view and manage contacts within your organization.
Powerful Search
Real-time search across multiple fields including names, emails, phone numbers, and company names. Find any contact instantly.
Automatic Message Integration
Contacts are automatically linked to message threads. View communication history and add unrecognized participants directly from messages.
vCard Export
Download any contact as a vCard (.vcf) file for easy import into email clients, phones, and other contact management systems.
Lease Integration
Company contacts are automatically linked to lease agreements, providing complete visibility into tenant relationships and rental history.
Contact Duplication
Quickly create similar contacts using the duplicate feature. All information is pre-filled and can be modified before saving.
Best Practices
Complete Information
Fill in all available fields including email, phone, address, and company associations. Complete data improves communication tracking and reduces errors.
Add from Messages
When you see unrecognized contacts in message threads, add them immediately. This creates a complete communication history and makes future conversations easier to track.
Regular Updates
Update contact information promptly when you learn about changes. Accurate data ensures smooth communication and prevents delivery issues.
Use Company Types
Assign appropriate company types (Tenant, Vendor, Contractor) to help organize and filter your contacts effectively.
Link to Companies
Associate individual contacts with their companies. This helps track organizational relationships and provides context for communication.
Delete Carefully
Before deleting, remember contacts are removed from all messages and records. Consider exporting the contact first as a backup. This action cannot be undone.
Troubleshooting
Can't Find a Contact
Solution: Verify you're viewing the correct organization. Contacts are organization-specific and won't appear if you're viewing a different organization's data. Check the organization selector if available.
Duplicate Contacts Appearing
Solution: Compare the duplicate contacts to determine which has more complete information. Use the Delete function to remove the less complete duplicate. Export both contacts first if you're unsure.
Contact Won't Delete
Solution: The contact may be associated with active records. Check for links to open leases, unresolved issues, or important message threads. You may need to reassign these records before deletion is possible.
Missing Company Association
Solution: Edit the person's profile and click "Add Company." The company must already exist in your system. If it doesn't, create the company first, then link the person to it.
Contact Not Showing in Message Thread
Solution: The contact may have a different email in your system than what's used in the message. Check for variations (e.g., personal vs. work email). The system matches contacts by email address, so they must match exactly.
Related Features & Integrations
The Contacts module works seamlessly with other parts of the system:
- Messages & Inbox: Contacts are automatically recognized in email threads and displayed in the Thread Participants section. Add unrecognized participants directly from messages. All communication history with a contact is accessible from their profile.
- Leases: Company contacts are automatically linked to lease agreements, providing complete visibility into tenant relationships. View all leases for a company on their detail page.
- Issues & Maintenance: Assign issues to specific people or companies for better tracking and accountability. Contact information is readily available when coordinating repairs or addressing concerns.
- Properties: Associate contacts with specific properties they manage, own, or have relationships with. This helps organize communication and track property-specific relationships.