Clients & Vendors Overview

This section explains how Fiskl's contact management system helps you organize clients and vendors for efficient invoicing, expense tracking, and financial record-keeping.

Why Manage Clients and Vendors?

Fiskl's contact management system provides the foundation for all your business transactions. By maintaining organized client and vendor records, you create accurate financial documentation, streamline workflows, and gain insights into your business relationships.

Key benefits:

• Centralized contact database for all business relationships
• Automated invoicing with saved client details
• Consistent expense tracking with vendor records
• Accurate financial reporting by contact
• Payment automation through client mandates
• Multi-currency support for international contacts

Two Types of Contacts

Fiskl organizes your business contacts into two distinct categories based on transaction flow.

Clients (Money Coming In)

Clients are individuals or businesses who pay you for goods or services.

What clients are for:

• Creating and sending invoices
• Generating quotes and estimates
• Tracking accounts receivable
• Managing payment collection
• Recording customer payments
• Analyzing revenue by client

Client capabilities:

• Store billing and shipping addresses
• Set default currencies for invoicing
• Configure time-based billing rates
• Enable direct debit mandates
• Track payment history
• View client-specific reports

Example client relationships:

• Customer purchasing your products
• Business hiring your consulting services
• Organization subscribing to your services
• Individual contracting your expertise
• Company licensing your software

Learn more: Managing Clients

Vendors (Money Going Out)

Vendors are individuals or businesses you pay for goods or services.

What vendors are for:

• Recording expenses and purchases
• Tracking accounts payable
• Managing supplier relationships
• Categorizing business expenses
• Analyzing spending by vendor
• Organizing tax-deductible expenses

Vendor capabilities:

• Store vendor contact information
• Track purchase history
• Link to expense categories
• Add notes about vendor relationships
• Archive inactive vendors
• View vendor-specific spending

Example vendor relationships:

• Utility company providing services
• Supplier providing inventory
• Landlord collecting rent
• Software subscription provider
• Contractor performing services
• Office supply retailer

Learn more: Managing Vendors

Contact Management Workflow

Setting Up Clients

Initial client setup:

1. Add client from Clients section or during invoice creation
2. Enter client name and contact information
3. Configure billing address format
4. Set default currency and time rate (if applicable)
5. Add payment preferences and methods
6. Save client record

Bulk client import:

1. Prepare CSV file with client data
2. Go to Clients section and select Import
3. Upload CSV file
4. Map CSV columns to Fiskl fields
5. Review and confirm import
6. Verify imported clients

Setting Up Vendors

Creating vendors:

1. Add vendor from Vendors section or during expense entry
2. Enter vendor name
3. Add contact information (optional)
4. Add notes about vendor relationship
5. Save vendor record

Vendor usage:

• Select vendor when recording expenses
• Select vendor when entering accounting transactions
• Vendor appears automatically in categorized expense reports
• Track spending trends by vendor over time

Client Features in Detail

Default Currency

Set the preferred billing currency for each client.

Why it matters:

• Ensures invoices generate in correct currency
• Supports international client relationships
• Automatic exchange rate handling
• Multi-currency reporting capability
• Professional client experience

Common scenarios:

• US-based business billing European clients in EUR
• Freelancer working with clients in multiple countries
• International company maintaining regional currencies
• Service provider offering local currency convenience

Time-Based Billing Rates

Configure hourly rates for clients billed by time.

Rate configuration:

• Set default hourly rate per client
• Override rate on specific time entries
• Track billable hours automatically
• Include unbilled time on invoices
• Generate time-based revenue reports

Best for:

• Consultants billing hourly
• Law firms tracking billable hours
• Agencies billing client time
• Freelancers with hourly contracts
• Professional services firms

Learn more: Time Tracking

Direct Debit Mandates

Enable automated payment collection through GoCardless integration.

How mandates work:

1. Enable GoCardless on invoice
2. Client receives invoice with mandate setup link
3. Client authorizes direct debit mandate
4. Future invoices collect automatically
5. Track mandate status in client list

Mandate statuses:

• Success - Active and ready for automatic collection
• Pending - Client hasn't completed authorization
• Revoked - Client cancelled or authorization failed

Best for:

• Recurring service invoicing
• Subscription-based billing
• Regular retainer clients
• Monthly service contracts
• Predictable payment schedules

Learn more: Payment Integrations

Contact Organization Features

Contact List Management

Both clients and vendors benefit from powerful list management capabilities.

Search and filter:

• Search by name or contact details
• Filter by currency
• Filter by status (active/archived)
• Sort by name or date added
• Custom tags for organization
• Quick actions per contact

List views:

• Comprehensive contact information
• Transaction summary per contact
• Last activity date
• Total billed or spent
• Outstanding balances (clients)
• Payment status indicators

Importing Contacts

Fiskl supports bulk import for efficient setup.

CSV import features:

• Import multiple clients at once
• Map custom CSV fields
• Validate data before import
• Error reporting for corrections
• Import confirmation summary
• Mobile app contact import

Import workflow:

1. Prepare CSV with contact data
2. Access import function
3. Upload CSV file
4. Map columns to Fiskl fields
5. Review preview
6. Confirm and import
7. Verify imported contacts

Contact Updates and Maintenance

Keep contact information current for accurate records.

Update capabilities:

• Edit contact information anytime
• Update billing addresses
• Change currency or rate defaults
• Add or modify notes
• Update payment preferences
• Archive inactive contacts

Best practices:

• Review contact list quarterly
• Update addresses when notified
• Archive inactive contacts annually
• Maintain consistent naming conventions
• Use notes for important relationship details
• Tag contacts for easy filtering

Client vs. Vendor: Key Differences

Feature	Clients	Vendors
Transaction Direction	Receive money from	Pay money to
Primary Use	Invoicing and quotes	Expenses and purchases
Financial Impact	Revenue and income	Expenses and costs
Detailed Configuration	Currency, rates, mandates	Basic contact info
Payment Automation	Direct debit collection	Manual payment tracking
Default Settings	Currency, time rate	None required
Address Requirements	Billing and shipping	Optional
Reports	AR aging, client statements	Vendor spending, expenses

Integration with Financial Workflows

Contacts integrate seamlessly with Fiskl's financial features.

Client Integration Points

Invoicing:

• Client details populate invoice automatically
• Default currency applies
• Billing address appears correctly
• Payment preferences transfer
• Time rates calculate automatically

Quotes:

• Generate quotes using saved client data
• Convert quotes to invoices instantly
• Client-specific terms apply
• Consistent branding per client

Payments:

• Record payments against client invoices
• Track payment history
• Generate client statements
• Monitor outstanding balances
• Automate direct debit collection

Reporting:

• Client aging reports
• Revenue by client analysis
• Statement of accounts
• Payment trend reports
• Client profitability tracking

Vendor Integration Points

Expenses:

• Select vendor when recording expenses
• Categorize purchases by vendor
• Track tax-deductible expenses
• Link receipts to vendor
• Generate expense reports

Banking:

• Match bank transactions to vendors
• Categorize imported transactions
• Reconcile vendor payments
• Track cash flow by vendor
• Identify spending patterns

Reporting:

• Vendor spending analysis
• Expense category reports
• Tax reporting by vendor
• Cash flow tracking
• Budget variance by vendor

Common Use Cases

Small Business Owner

Client management:

• 20-50 active clients
• Recurring monthly invoicing
• Direct debit for 70% of clients
• Multi-currency for international clients
• Time-based billing for consulting

Vendor management:

• 10-15 regular vendors
• Utility and subscription tracking
• Office supply vendors
• Contractor vendors for projects
• Expense categorization for taxes

Freelancer or Consultant

Client management:

• 5-10 active clients
• Project-based invoicing
• Multiple time rates per client
• International clients in multiple currencies
• Quote generation for new projects

Vendor management:

• 5-10 vendors maximum
• Software subscriptions
• Home office expenses
• Occasional contractor vendors
• Simple expense tracking

Agency or Service Business

Client management:

• 50+ clients across team
• Retainer and project billing
• Team time tracked per client
• Client-specific billing rates
• Automated recurring invoicing

Vendor management:

• 20+ vendors
• Contractor and freelancer vendors
• Software and tool subscriptions
• Office and equipment vendors
• Detailed vendor expense tracking

Product-Based Business

Client management:

• Retail and wholesale clients
• Volume-based pricing tiers
• Multi-currency international sales
• Direct debit for recurring orders
• Statement generation for reconciliation

Vendor management:

• Inventory suppliers
• Packaging and shipping vendors
• Manufacturing vendors
• Distribution partners
• Equipment maintenance vendors

Best Practices

For Client Management

Setup:

• Configure complete client details before first invoice
• Set accurate default currencies
• Establish time rates for all billable clients
• Enable direct debit for recurring clients
• Use consistent address formatting

Maintenance:

• Update contact information promptly
• Archive inactive clients annually
• Review time rates quarterly
• Monitor mandate statuses monthly
• Clean up duplicate entries

Organization:

• Use clear, consistent naming conventions
• Add notes for important client details
• Tag clients for easy filtering
• Group clients by service type or industry
• Document special billing requirements

For Vendor Management

Setup:

• Create vendors as you encounter them
• Use complete, official vendor names
• Add contact information when available
• Note important vendor details
• Maintain consistent naming

Maintenance:

• Review vendor list quarterly
• Archive vendors no longer used
• Consolidate duplicate entries
• Update vendor information as needed
• Remove test or temporary vendors

Organization:

• Use official business names
• Add notes for account numbers or references
• Track primary contact information
• Document payment terms
• Note preferred communication methods

Getting Started

Begin contact management with this prioritized approach:

Step 1: Set Up First Clients

1. Identify 3-5 primary clients
2. Enter complete client information
3. Configure currencies and rates
4. Create first invoice to test
5. Verify client details on invoice

Step 2: Add Regular Vendors

1. List your regular business expenses
2. Create vendor records for each
3. Test vendor selection on expense entry
4. Review vendor categorization
5. Verify expense reports show vendors correctly

Step 3: Import Remaining Contacts

1. Prepare CSV files for bulk import
2. Import remaining clients
3. Import additional vendors
4. Verify imported data
5. Make corrections as needed

Step 4: Establish Routines

1. Add new clients as acquired
2. Create vendors during expense entry
3. Update contact information promptly
4. Review contact list monthly
5. Archive inactive contacts quarterly

Need More Help?

Set up clients: Managing Clients

Track vendors: Managing Vendors

Create invoices: Creating Invoices

Record expenses: Recording Expenses

Payment automation: Payment Integrations

Time tracking: Time Tracking Overview

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Available Guides

📄️ Managing Clients

Learn how to add, import, and manage clients in Fiskl for streamlined invoicing, quotes, and payment processing with accurate financial records.

📄️ Managing Vendors

Learn how to create and manage vendors in Fiskl to track purchases, process payments, and maintain accurate expense records for your business.