Record communications for a partner or contact
This article explains the communications log in the CRM module — the list of phone numbers, email addresses, and other contact channels you keep for a partner or a contact. Recording communications requires the crm:manage permission.
What a communications log is
Each business partner has its own communications log, and each contact person has a separate one of their own. An entry is a single channel: a phone number, an email address, a website, and so on. This keeps a partner's general switchboard number distinct from an individual contact's direct line.
Communication types
Every entry must use one of these fixed types:
| Type | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Phone | Landline or switchboard number |
| Mobile | Mobile / cell number |
| Fax | Fax number |
| Email address | |
| Website | Web address |
| Other | Any channel that does not fit the above |
Fields on each entry
| Field | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Yes | One of the six types above |
| Value | Yes | The number, address, or URL; up to 256 characters |
| Label | No | Optional description, e.g. "Claims hotline"; up to 100 characters |
| Primary | No | Marks the preferred entry for its type |
| Sort order | No | Controls display position; assigned automatically if left blank |
Add communications
- Open the CRM module and go to the partner's detail page.
- Open the communications log for the partner, or for a specific contact.
- Add an entry, choose its type, and enter the value.
- Add an optional label to explain what the channel is for.
- Mark one entry per type as primary if you want it treated as the preferred channel.
- Save. The change is recorded in the CRM audit trail as a communications update.
Primary channels and why they matter
You can mark one entry as primary per type — for example one primary Phone and one primary Email. The partner list uses these to show a headline phone number and email for each partner: it picks the primary phone or mobile, and the primary email, falling back to the first available entry. Marking the right primaries keeps those list columns and CSV exports accurate.
Warning: You cannot mark two entries of the same type as primary. Saving two primary phone numbers, for instance, returns "Only one primary communication is allowed for type Phone." Leave just one primary per type.
Partner-level vs contact-level
Record general, organization-wide channels (main switchboard, info email, company website) on the partner. Record a person's direct line and personal work email on the contact. Both logs behave the same way and follow the same type and primary rules.
Note: Saving the communications log replaces the entire list for that partner or contact in one operation. To learn how editing, removing, and reordering entries works, see "Update the communications log."
Related
- Update the communications log
- Add contacts to a partner
- Manage contact details
- The CRM dashboard
