Correcting Duplicate Customers / Vehicles

NOTE: Every shop will have a different degree of database cleanup to do; we can only provide the basic concepts here.

If working with a database converted from another management system, DO NOT un-post converted history tickets from the converted tickets. ONLY history tickets entered into the Management System my be un-posted and re-posted.

PREVENT creating duplicates by making sure that EVERY person knows to ALWAYS 1) begin all new orders with New/F6 to validate customer names and vehicles! 2) When adding appointments to Schedule, ALWAYS use Find Customer to validate existing names!
New orders = [version 5.9 = Start button]    Schedule =

The first task is to determine which orders and posted invoices are under duplicate names and document them. The next thing to do is to decide which records are correct and work towards getting all invoices under those customer/vehicle records to preserve all of the repair history. Typically the lowest numbered customer record and vehicle record are the originals and would have the most complete information but this is not always the case. Please note that It is possible to un-post History invoices to correct and later re-post.

TIP: License plates are UNIQUE; if you enter a license plate and press Tab, the software will take the user to that vehicle record. If you find that a license plate must be “freed” from a vehicle record, do this: 1) Delete the characters in the license plate field, 2) click Exit and when Are you Deleting this Vehicle’s License? displays, 3) answer Yes. The license plate is now free to be entered elsewhere under the desired vehicle record without flipping back to the vehicle record it came from.

Prior to beginning
Create a backup of your database prior to attempting this process.

PART 1: Correcting LIVE orders (still on WIP):

1. Select the order from WIP screen:
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2. Click on Customer Tab, then click Name button to get rolodex (customer list) opened
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3. Locate the CORRECT Name [confirmed by address information] and highlight it; click OK to select it
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4. Select the CORRECT vehicle for the order. (required if customer has more than one vehicle and it’s not already selected)
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5. Click on Exit (in Vehicle Screen):
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6. Dialog displays: Are you changing Customer and Vehicle on this order?’ will display. Answer Yes; this order is now corrected.
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Repeat this process as needed, until all of the invoices under wrong name have been corrected.

PART 2: Correcting Posted Invoices (History file):

1. Go to Utilities menu, select Customer Screen:
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2. Click on Name to open customer list and then select the “wrong” customer and click OK.
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3. With wrong name selected, go to History tab
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4. With desired invoice highlighted, click on Un-Post Invoice.
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5. Answer YES to ’Un-post this invoice?’, answer NO to ‘using current technician rates?’. [Un-post INV function may be password protected]
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   • The un-posted order now appears on the Order screen, ready for correction.
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6. Click on Customer Tab, then click Name to retrieve the correct customer record.
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7. Highlight the CORRECT Name, then select the CORRECT vehicle (if not already selected by default)
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8. Dialog displays; Are you changing Customer and Vehicle on this work order?’. Answer Yes
9. Click on the Order tab and then click Pay/Post Invoice, then OK to re-post this invoice back into the History file.
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Repeat these steps for any additional invoice corrections.

Related information:
There may be instances where a vehicle record needs to be moved to a different customer record; this function is called Change Ownership. This article explains and has a video: Change Ownership Article

PART 3: Database Cleanup – Deleting Wrong Customer & Vehicle Records

When all of your open and posted orders are corrected, you can now delete ’wrong’ customer/vehicle record(s)

1. Open the Utilities menu, select Customer Screen.
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2. Click on Name to access your 1st ’wrong’ customer record. Highlight that ’wrong’ name and click OK or just double-click on it to select it.
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3. Click on Edit menu, select Remove Customer.
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4. ‘Remove this customer from database?’ displays; answer Yes. If they have vehicles it will then ask ‘Remove all their vehicles?’ = Yes 
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NOTE: You cannot remove customers or vehicles if they still have an open Est./RO/Inv. or owe money on past work (A/R); make sure to get any invoice corrections squares away first, then proceed with deletions.

Repeat these steps until your database cleanup task is completed.