How to Manage Clients in PIPPS

A simple guide for beginners

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What is the Client Manager?

The Client Manager is where you create, view, edit, and delete client records in the PIPPS system.

Client records store:

Client names (First, Middle, Last)
Contact information (phone numbers and email)
Address details
Personal notes about the client

Why this is important:

Keeps all client information organized in one place
Makes booking appointments faster with saved client info
Helps you maintain accurate client contact details
Provides easy search and access to client records

What You Can Do in Client Manager:

View a list of all clients
Search for specific clients
Create new client records
Edit existing client information
Delete client records (with restrictions)

Understanding the Screen

Left Side (Sidebar):

"+ Add New Client" button at the top - creates a new client
List of all clients sorted by Last Name, First Name
Click any client's name to view/edit their record

Right Side (Main Area):

List View: Shows a searchable table of all clients with key details
Form View: Displays when creating or editing a client record

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Open Client Manager

Look at the blue menu bar at the top of the screen
Find and click on "Client Manager" or "Clients"
The Client Manager page will open showing all existing clients

Step 2: Viewing and Searching for Clients

Viewing All Clients:

When you first open Client Manager, you'll see a table showing all clients with:

First Name, Middle Name, Last Name
Phone Numbers (Cell, Home, Work)
Email Address
Actions (Edit button)

Searching for a Specific Client:

Look at the table displaying all clients
You can use the table's built-in search features to filter clients
Quick Method: Click the client's name in the left sidebar
Table Method: Find the client in the table and click the Edit button

Step 3: Creating a New Client

Click the "+ Add New Client" button in the sidebar
The main area will switch to the Add New Client form
Fill out the required fields:
- First Name (required)
- Last Name (required)
Fill in optional fields as needed:
- Middle Name
- Address Line 1
- Address Line 2
- Email
- Cell Phone (10 digits)
- Home Phone (10 digits)
- Work Phone (10 digits)
- Notes
Click the green "Create Client" button
A success message will appear, and you'll return to the list view

Phone Number Formatting: When you enter a 10-digit phone number, the system will automatically format it as (XXX) XXX-XXXX for easy reading. You only need to type the digits!

Required Fields: You MUST enter First Name and Last Name. If these are missing, you'll see an error message and the form will stay open.

Step 4: Editing an Existing Client

Find the client using one of these methods:
- Click the client's name in the sidebar, OR
- Click the Edit button in the client's row in the table
The form will switch to Edit Client mode
Modify any fields you need to change (First Name, Last Name, phone numbers, address, email, notes)
Click the green "Update Client" button
The system records all changes in the audit log
A success message will appear, and you'll return to the list view

Example: Updating a Phone Number

Find "Smith, John" in the sidebar and click it
The edit form opens with John's current information
Click in the Cell Phone field
Change the number to 8765551234
System automatically formats it to (876) 555-1234
Click "Update Client"
Changes are saved!

Step 5: Deleting a Client

Open the client's record in Edit Client mode (click their name in sidebar or Edit button in table)
Scroll to the bottom of the form
Click the red "Delete Client" button
A confirmation prompt will appear: "Delete this client?"
Click OK to confirm deletion, or Cancel to stop

⚠️ Important Deletion Restriction!

You CANNOT delete a client if they have any future booked appointments.

If you try to delete a client with future appointments:

The deletion will be blocked
An error message will tell you how many booked slots are preventing deletion
You must cancel ALL future appointments for that client first
Then you can return and delete the client record

Note: Deletion is permanent! Once deleted, the client record cannot be recovered. Make sure you really want to delete before confirming.

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Step 6: Canceling Changes

If you're in the Create or Edit form and change your mind:

Look for the gray "Cancel" button at the bottom of the form
Click "Cancel"
You'll return to the list view without saving any changes

Understanding Client Fields

Field Name	What It's For	Required?
First Name	Client's first name	✓ Required
Middle Name	Client's middle name or initial	Optional
Last Name	Client's last name/surname	✓ Required
Address Line 1	Street address	Optional
Address Line 2	Apartment, suite, unit number, etc.	Optional
Email	Client's email address	Optional
Cell Phone	Mobile phone number (10 digits)	Optional
Home Phone	Home phone number (10 digits)	Optional
Work Phone	Work/office phone number (10 digits)	Optional
Notes	Any relevant information about the client	Optional

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Quick Tips

Phone numbers are automatically formatted when you enter 10 digits
You can update client information anytime by clicking their name
The sidebar list is sorted alphabetically by last name
Use the Notes field for any special information about the client
All changes are tracked in the system's audit log
You can't delete clients with future appointments - cancel appointments first
The Cancel button lets you exit without saving changes
Client records created during appointment booking will appear here automatically

Common Questions

Q: What happens if I try to create a client that already exists?

A: The system will allow it, but you'll end up with duplicate records. Always search first to see if the client already exists.

Q: Can I delete multiple clients at once?

A: No, you must delete clients one at a time using the Delete button in their individual edit form.

Q: Why can't I delete a client?

A: The client has future booked appointments. Go to Schedule Appointments, find and cancel all their future appointments, then try deleting again.

Q: Do I need to format phone numbers with dashes or parentheses?

A: No! Just type the 10 digits. The system automatically formats it as (XXX) XXX-XXXX.

Q: What if I only know one phone number - do I need to fill all three?

A: No, all phone fields are optional. Fill in only the phone numbers you have.

Q: Can I see when a client record was created or last modified?

A: This information is tracked in the system's audit log but may not be visible in the client form. Ask your administrator if you need this information.

Q: What should I put in the Notes field?

A: Any relevant information: preferences, special requirements, medical notes (if applicable), reminders, or anything else that will help when working with this client.

Q: If I create a client here, can I use them when booking appointments?

A: Yes! Clients created here will appear in the search dropdown when booking appointments.

Q: Can I recover a deleted client?

A: No, deletion is permanent. The client record and all their information will be permanently removed from the system.

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