Edit or deactivate a partner

This article explains how to update a business partner's details and how to deactivate a partner you no longer work with, without losing its history. Both actions require the crm:manage permission.

Edit a partner

Editing lets you correct addresses, add tax details, or reclassify a partner as your relationship changes.

1. Open the CRM module and find the partner in the Partners list.
2. Open the partner, then choose to edit it.
3. Change any of the fields — partner type, name, short name, tax ID, VAT number, policy-number prefix, address, website, or notes.
4. Save. The change sets an updated timestamp and is written to the CRM audit trail with your user identity.

As with creation, the name is required and the partner type must remain either Supplier or Insurance. Text fields are trimmed on save, and clearing an optional field stores it as empty.

Warning: You cannot rename a partner to a name that another partner of the same type already uses. The update is rejected with "A partner with the same type and name already exists." Choose a distinct name or reconcile the duplicate.

Activate or deactivate from the edit form

The edit form includes an active flag. Toggling it is the way to bring a partner back into use after it has been deactivated, or to mark one as no longer active while keeping all its data.

Deactivate a partner

Deactivation is a soft delete: the partner is hidden from active lists but keeps its contacts, communications, and history so you can still refer to past dealings.

1. Open the partner you want to retire.
2. Choose to delete/deactivate it.
3. Confirm. The partner's active flag is set to false, an updated timestamp is recorded, and the action is logged in the CRM audit trail.

Note: Deactivating a partner does not erase it. The record and everything under it remain in the database and can be viewed or reactivated later. There is no hard-delete action in the CRM module — this protects your audit history and any references from other modules.

Finding and restoring deactivated partners

By default the Partners list can be filtered by active state. To locate a partner you previously deactivated, filter the list to show inactive partners (or search by name). Open it, edit it, set the active flag back on, and save to restore it to normal use.

What deactivation affects

• The partner drops out of active-only views and the default working lists.
• Its contacts and communications are preserved exactly as they were.
• Dashboard counts distinguish active from inactive partners, so deactivated records still appear in totals but are counted as inactive.

Tip: Prefer deactivation over trying to remove a partner. If a leasing contract ends or you stop using a workshop, deactivate the partner so the relationship history stays intact and reporting remains accurate.

Related

• Create a business partner
• Search partners and contacts
• Manage contact details
• Validation rules for partners and contacts