> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Manage additional contacts

> Add spouses, assistants, bookkeepers, and other people who help manage a customer's account.

Use this guide when someone besides the main customer needs messages, scheduling updates, or their own portal sign-in.

## What you will accomplish

* Add a spouse, assistant, bookkeeper, or other helper under the main customer record.
* Choose which messages each person should receive (invoices, scheduling, car updates, and more).
* Turn on **portal access** and send a separate sign-in link when that person should use the customer portal with their own email.
* Edit or remove additional contacts when roles change.

Some customers have more than one person involved in their account. A spouse may need car updates. An assistant may schedule appointments. A bookkeeper may need invoices. A vehicle manager may handle drop-off and pickup.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Not the same as a new customer**
>
> Additional contacts belong **under** one customer account. If someone owns their own cars and billing, create a separate customer in [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all) instead.

## Before you start

* Open the correct main customer record first.
* Have the additional person's first name and last name ready.
* Add an email address if they should receive messages or have portal access.
* Decide whether this person should be the primary contact.
* Decide which types of messages this person should receive.
* Know whether this person needs their **own** portal sign-in (separate email) or only copies of messages.

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Additional contacts are not separate customers**
>
> Use an additional contact for someone connected to the main customer's account. If the person owns their own cars, receives their own invoices, or needs their own customer history, create a separate customer record instead.

## Open the Contacts section on the customer record

**1. Go to All Contacts**

Open [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all).

**2. Find the main customer**

Search for the customer who owns the account.

**3. Open the customer detail page**

Click the customer row or **View Details**.

**4. Scroll to Contacts**

Scroll down to the **Contacts** section. On a wide screen it sits below **CRM Information**.

**If you do not see it:** Someone may have hidden the **Additional Contacts** block. An admin can turn it back on in [Customize the contact page](/docs/contacts/customize-the-contact-page.md).

> [!NOTE]
>
> **Contacts vs Additional Contacts**
>
> On the customer page the heading says **Contacts**. In [Settings > CRM](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/settings/crm) the same block is named **Additional Contacts**. Both names mean the spouse, assistant, or bookkeeper list—not the main [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all) directory.

![Contacts section on a customer detail page showing Jamie Morgan as Spouse with email, 3 of 7 communication types enabled, Portal Access, and action icons](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/E7iDZlayxJZmgUYC/images/contacts/contacts-additional-contacts-section-sep23.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=E7iDZlayxJZmgUYC\&q=85\&s=68f0998def1a1eb711db2879a2b058a8)

*After you save, each additional contact appears under **Contacts** with their role, email, how many message types they receive (for example **3 of 7 enabled**), and whether they have **Portal Access**.*

## Add an additional contact

**1. Click Add Contact**

In the **Contacts** section, click **Add Contact**.

**2. Enter the person's name**

Fill in **First Name** and **Last Name**. These fields are required.

**3. Add email and phone if you have them**

Add an email address if this person should receive messages, invoices, contracts, or portal access.

Add a phone number if your team may call or text them.

**4. Choose the role**

Use **Role** to explain who this person is, such as spouse, assistant, bookkeeper, or other.

If you choose **Other**, add a clear role description.

**5. Choose access and status**

Turn on **Primary contact (main point of contact for this customer)** only if this person should be your main contact. Most facilities leave the main customer as primary and add helpers as additional contacts.

Turn on **Can access customer portal (login with their email)** only if this person should sign in to the portal themselves—not just receive email copies.

**Why this matters:** Portal access gives someone their own sign-in link. Communication preferences only control which **automatic messages** they receive.

**6. Choose communication preferences**

Under **Communication Preferences**, check only the message types this person should receive:

* **Invoices & Billing**
* **Estimates & Quotes**
* **Scheduling Notifications**
* **Car Updates**
* **Contracts**
* **Social Events**
* **Marketing**

![Add Contact dialog showing communication preference checkboxes for invoices, scheduling, car updates, contracts, and marketing](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/ggah6moKlxnkQYNH/images/contacts/contact-communication-preferences-dialog.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ggah6moKlxnkQYNH\&q=85\&s=be6c2586b786f946406ee631bf69407d)

*Turn on only the message types each person should receive. A bookkeeper may need Invoices only; an assistant may need Scheduling and Car Updates.*

**Why this matters:** The main customer and each additional contact can receive different messages. A bookkeeper may need **Invoices & Billing** but not **Marketing**. An assistant may need **Scheduling Notifications** and **Car Updates** only.

**Expected result:** The contact row shows a communication count (how many types are turned on). Fewer checked boxes means fewer automatic messages to that person.

**7. Click Add Contact**

Click **Add Contact** to save the person under the customer record.

**Expected result:** The new person appears in the **Contacts** section with their role, email, communication count, and portal access status.

![Add Contact dialog showing name, email, phone, role, portal access checkbox, and communication preference checkboxes with Scheduling, Car Updates, and Contracts selected](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/ggah6moKlxnkQYNH/images/contacts/add-contact-dialog.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=ggah6moKlxnkQYNH\&q=85\&s=68f25045faa65fdf1fec035db737922c)

*Check only the message types this person should receive. Fewer checked boxes means fewer automatic emails and texts.*

> [!TIP]
>
> **What “3 of 7 enabled” means on the list**
>
> After you save, each contact row shows how many communication types are turned on—for example **3 of 7 enabled**. That is a quick reminder of who receives invoices versus who only gets scheduling updates.

> [!TIP]
>
> **Adding many at once?**
>
> You can import additional contacts from a spreadsheet alongside their customers. See [Import additional contacts](/docs/basics/import-customers-cars-and-plans-during-onboarding.md#import-additional-contacts).

## Edit an additional contact

**1. Open the customer record**

Find the customer in [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all) and open the detail page.

**2. Go to the Contacts section**

Scroll to **Contacts**.

**3. Click the edit button**

Click the **pencil** (edit) icon beside the additional contact—or use the edit button with the pencil icon in the **Actions** column.

**Expected result:** A window titled **Edit Contact** opens with the person's current information filled in.

**4. Update the information**

Change the name, email, phone, role, portal access, or communication preferences.

**5. Click Save Changes**

Save the changes and confirm the contact row now shows the right information.

## Send a portal invite to an additional contact

If **Can access customer portal (login with their email)** is turned on and the contact has an email address, you can send that person their own portal invite.

**1. Open the customer record**

Go to [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all) and open the main customer record.

**2. Scroll to Contacts**

Find the additional contact.

**3. Confirm portal access is enabled**

The contact should show **Portal Access** in the Access column.

**4. Click the send invite action**

Click the **send** (mail) icon beside the contact.

A window titled **Notify the customer?** asks if you want to send the invite now. Choose **Yes** to send the sign-in email. Choose **No** or close the window to cancel without sending.

**Expected result:** After **Yes**, the contact receives a sign-in email at their own address—not the main customer's.

![Contacts section on customer detail page showing an additional contact with role, email, communication preferences, and action icons for edit, send invite, and delete](https://mintcdn.com/carstoragesoftware/R5kE8xRstcG_Arf7/images/contacts/customer-contacts-actions.webp?fit=max\&auto=format\&n=R5kE8xRstcG_Arf7\&q=85\&s=e611cd7772e0247c119f8af09f566ee8)

*After you save an additional contact, use the mail icon to send a portal invite, the pencil to edit, or the trash icon to remove the person from the account.*

> [!TIP]
>
> **Each person signs in with their own email**
>
> The main customer and additional contacts can each have their own sign-in link. They see information connected to the same customer account, but they use their own email address to sign in.

If someone needs help after they receive the invite, use [Guide a customer through the portal](/docs/contacts/guide-a-customer-through-the-portal.md) to explain what they can see and do.

## Remove an additional contact

Remove a contact only when the person should no longer be connected to the account.

**1. Open the customer record**

Go to [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all) and open the customer.

**2. Go to the Contacts section**

Find the additional contact.

**3. Click the delete action**

Click the **trash** (delete) icon beside the contact. Confirm when the app asks.

**Why this matters:** Deleting removes portal access and stops messages tied to that person. The main customer record stays.

**4. Confirm the removal**

Confirm only after checking that this person no longer needs messages or portal access.

## Common examples

> [!NOTE]
>
> | Person | Suggested role | Common preferences |
> | - | - | - |
> | Spouse or partner | Spouse | Scheduling, Car Updates, Contracts |
> | Assistant | Assistant | Scheduling, Car Updates |
> | Bookkeeper | Bookkeeper | Invoices, Estimates |
> | Vehicle manager | Other | Scheduling, Car Updates, Contracts |

## What happens next

After adding additional contacts, review the main customer record:

* The correct person is marked primary, if needed.
* Only the right people have portal access.
* Communication preferences match each person's role.
* The main customer still has the correct email and phone number.
* If the **Contacts** section is missing on some computers, restore **Additional Contacts** in [Customize the contact page](/docs/contacts/customize-the-contact-page.md).

## Troubleshooting

> [!WARNING]
>
> **The invite button does not appear**
>
> The contact needs an email address and portal access must be turned on. Edit the contact, add the email, and check **Can access customer portal (login with their email)**.

> [!WARNING]
>
> **The wrong person is receiving messages**
>
> Open the additional contact and review **Communication Preferences**. Turn off message types that person should not receive.

> [!TIP]
>
> **I need this person to be their own customer**
>
> Create a separate customer record from [All Contacts](https://www.carstoragesoftware.com/dashboard/contacts/all). Use additional contacts only for people who belong under another customer's account.


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