How do I add customers to my publication?

You can add customers to your publication in the "Customers" page in Column. Here's how:

1. Go to My Organization > Customers

2. Click "Add Customer" 

3. Enter the customer's email address. Email addresses are required for all customers in Column.

4. If the customer happens to have a Column account already, we'll fill in their information for you. If not, you can enter their contact information, including phone number, address, and account number (if applicable).

5. Set up special preferences. You can assign specific rates to the customer; decide whether they must pay upfront for notices; and allow them to download affidavits before paying invoices, if desired.

6. Click "Create Customer"

7. You're done! The customer will now appear in your customers list.

Note: If you're adding a customer who already has a Column account, and the customer belongs to one or more organizations, you'll also see an option to add selected organizations to your Customer Organizations list. This is recommended if you want to set preferences on all customers placing from an organization such as a law firm or government agency.

When you add a customer to your publication, they'll receive an email notification only if they're new to Column. This email instructs the customer to register for an account, provides some helpful links to get started, and tells them that your publication added them as a customer. 

If they already have a Column account, and they've placed notices with other publishers, the customer won't receive any notification when you add them to your publication.

After you add a customer, here's what happens on your end:

1. You can find the customer in your customers list, and edit their settings if needed.

2. When you upload a notice, you can search for the customer in the Customer Information step of placement.

3. When the customer registers their account, you'll see their status change to "Registered" in your customers list.

It's not required to add a customer before they place their first notice with your publication. You can upload notices for customers who aren't in your customers list, and customers can place notices with you before they're in your customers list. Typically, someone becomes a "customer" as soon as they place their first notice with your publication.

So what are the advantages of adding customers ahead of their first notice? Here are some reason why you might want to do this:

• If you add a customer through the "Add Customer" workflow, you might take more time and care while entering their email address and contact information, thus avoiding confusion down the line. Incorrect email addresses are a common source of confusion among customers who expect to receive notifications by email.

• If you want to charge the customer custom rates, assign an account number, or pre-configure their account to require upfront payment or invoice outside of Column, you can set those preferences before their first notice, thus ensuring that their first notice placement and billing goes as smoothly as possible.

• If you want to encourage a customer to place notices self-serve, you can add them to your customers list to send them an automatic email instructing them to register for Column.