Debtors Management Guide

Overview

Debtors are the individuals or businesses that owe money in your collection system. This guide helps you effectively manage debtor information, maintain accurate records, and build relationships through proper debtor management practices.

What is a Debtor?

A debtor represents a person or company that has outstanding financial obligations. Each debtor profile contains:

• Contact Information: Name, phone, email, address
• Company Information: Business name, tax ID, company details
• Multiple Contacts: Different contact persons within the debtor organization
• Payment Preferences: How they prefer to make payments
• Communication Preferences: Methods they prefer for receiving communications
• Custom Parameters: Tailored fields specific to your business needs

Creating New Debtors

Method 1: Create from Contacts Page

1. Navigate to Contacts section
2. Click “Create Contact” button
3. Fill in contact details:
   • Name: Full name of the contact person
   • Email: Valid email address
   • Phone: Contact phone number
   • Company: Associated company name
   • Job Title: Position or role
4. Click “Save” to create the contact

Method 2: Create from Accounts Page

1. Navigate to Accounts section
2. Click “New Account”
3. When prompted, create a debtor record:
   • Debtor Name: Name of the debtor (business or individual)
   • Contact Person: Primary contact name
   • Phone: Primary contact phone
   • Email: Primary contact email
4. After saving, assign the account to this debtor

Method 3: Create from Import

For bulk debtor creation:

1. Prepare a CSV file with debtor information
2. Navigate to Import section
3. Select “Debtors” as the import type
4. Upload your CSV file
5. Map columns to Abrianto fields
6. Review and submit

Viewing Debtor Profiles

1. Go to Debtors section
2. Click on any debtor name
3. View comprehensive debtor dashboard including:
   • Contact Information: All contact details in one place
   • Associated Accounts: See all accounts linked to this debtor
   • Account Summary: Total outstanding balance across all accounts
   • Transaction History: All payments and interactions
   • Communication Timeline: Complete history of communications
   • Agent Assignments: Which agents are working this debtor

Managing Debtor Information

Updating Contact Details

1. Open the debtor profile you want to update
2. Click “Edit” button
3. Update any of the following:
   • Contact Information: Phone, email, address changes
   • Company Details: Business name, industry, tax information
   • Contact Persons: Add or remove additional contacts
4. Click “Save” to apply changes

Adding Contact Persons

1. Open debtor profile
2. Click “Add Contact” button
3. Enter contact details:
   • Name, phone, email, position
   • Relationship to debtor (e.g., decision maker, finance officer)
4. Click “Save” to add contact to the debtor

Managing Payment Preferences

Configure how debtors prefer to make payments:

1. Open debtor profile
2. Go to Payment Preferences section
3. Set preferences:
   • Payment Method: Bank transfer, check, cash, card
   • Payment Schedule: Monthly, weekly, one-time
   • Payment Window: Days to pay after invoice
4. System uses these preferences when setting up payment reminders

Managing Communication Preferences

Set how debtors want to receive communications:

1. Open debtor profile
2. Go to Communication Preferences
3. Configure preferences:
   • Preferred Communication Method: Email, phone, SMS, mail
   • Communication Hours: When it’s acceptable to contact them
   • Language: Preferred language for communications
   • Time Zone: Their local time zone
4. System respects these settings for all automated communications

Managing Multiple Contacts

Debtors can have multiple contact persons within the same organization.

Adding New Contacts

1. Go to debtor profile
2. Click “Add Contact”
3. Fill in contact details
4. Save the contact

Managing Contacts

• Edit Contact: Click on any contact to modify details
• Remove Contact: Use the delete icon next to any contact
• Set Primary Contact: Mark one contact as primary for easy access
• View Contact Activity: See all interactions with each contact

Contact Roles

Define different roles for contacts:

• Decision Maker: Has authority to approve payments
• Finance Officer: Handles payment arrangements
• Project Manager: Regular point of contact
• Other: Custom roles based on your needs

Debtor Custom Parameters

Custom parameters allow you to capture debtor-specific information relevant to your business.

Creating Custom Parameters

1. Navigate to Admin → Custom Parameters
2. Create debtor-specific parameter (e.g., “Industry”, “Relationship Status”)
3. Define allowed values
4. Make it available on debtor forms

Using Custom Parameters

• Custom parameters appear on debtor profiles
• Enable quick filtering by parameter values
• Support visual indicators (colors, badges)
• Use in search and reports

Viewing Debtor Accounts

From the debtor profile, you can:

• View All Accounts: See every account associated with this debtor
• Filter by Status: Show only active, paid, or overdue accounts
• See Balances: Review balance for each account
• Check Activity: See recent transactions for each account
• Assign Accounts: Move accounts between debtors if needed

Moving Accounts Between Debtors

1. Open debtor profile
2. Go to Accounts section
3. Select account(s) you want to move
4. Use “Move to” dropdown
5. Select new debtor
6. Confirm the transfer

Searching and Filtering Debtors

Find debtors quickly using powerful search options:

Basic Search

• Text Search: Search by name, company, or phone number
• Email Search: Find debtors by email address
• Partial Matching: Search for partial names or companies

Advanced Filters

• Status: Active, paid, overdue, on hold
• Account Count: Number of accounts linked to debtor
• Total Balance: Balance amount range
• Custom Parameters: Filter by parameter values
• Date Created: When debtor was added to system
• Last Contacted: When was the last interaction

Saved Searches

• Save frequently used search criteria
• Create custom saved searches for teams
• Share saved searches with other users

Communicating with Debtors

View Communication History

Every interaction with a debtor is recorded:

• Call Notes: Phone conversation details
• Email Logs: All email communications
• Meeting Minutes: Face-to-face meetings
• Physical Mail: Correspondence sent
• Live Chat: Online communication logs
• Payment Records: All payment-related communications

Communication Log Details

Each entry includes:

• Date and Time: When the communication occurred
• Type: Phone, email, meeting, etc.
• Contact Person: Who was involved
• Notes: Summary of the conversation
• Outcome: Result or next steps

Adding New Communication

1. Open debtor profile
2. Click “Add Communication”
3. Select communication type
4. Enter details:
   • Date and time
   • Contact person involved
   • Summary of conversation
   • Next steps or action items
5. Save the communication

Exporting Debtor Data

Export debtor information for reporting or record-keeping:

1. Go to Debtors section
2. Use filters to narrow results
3. Click “Export” button
4. Choose export format:
   • CSV: For Excel or other spreadsheet software
   • PDF: For printable reports
5. Download the exported file

Export Options

• All Debtors: Export complete list
• Selected Debtors: Export only checked items
• With Contacts: Include all contact persons
• With Accounts: Include account information
• With History: Include recent interactions

Best Practices

For Effective Debtor Management

1. Keep Information Updated: Regularly update contact and company details
2. Build Multiple Contacts: Establish relationships with multiple contacts in each organization
3. Document All Interactions: Record every communication for reference
4. Set Clear Communication Preferences: Configure preferences for each debtor
5. Use Custom Parameters: Capture industry-specific or relationship-specific data
6. Monitor Account Status: Track account statuses and prioritize follow-ups
7. Use Saved Searches: Create and use saved searches for common queries
8. Move Accounts Strategically: Reassign accounts between debtors when appropriate

Common Use Cases

• Collection Agencies: Track multiple debtor accounts across different industries
• Financial Institutions: Manage customer relationships and debt portfolios
• Credit Card Companies: Handle high-volume debtor communications
• Medical Debt: Manage patient billing and payment arrangements

Communication Best Practices

• Use Preferred Methods: Contact debtors through their preferred communication channels
• Respect Communication Hours: Don’t call outside agreed-upon hours
• Document Everything: Always record the outcome of conversations
• Follow Up Promptly: Address overdue accounts quickly
• Keep Records Current: Update contact information as people leave/join organizations

Troubleshooting

Can’t Find a Debtor

• Use broader search terms or search without filters
• Check custom parameter values
• Verify debtor is not archived
• Contact administrator if debtor seems missing

Contact Person Changes

• Update contact information promptly
• Notify team members of new primary contact
• Update communication preferences if changed
• Add new contact with appropriate permissions

Payment Preferences Not Applied

• Verify payment preferences are saved correctly
• Check if account-level overrides exist
• Confirm communication templates use preference data
• Contact support if issue persists

Getting Help

For support or questions about debtor management:

• Documentation: Check our comprehensive documentation library
• Support Portal: Submit tickets through your support portal
• Training Resources: Access video tutorials and guides
• Contact Support: Reach out to our support team directly

Next Steps

Now that you understand debtors, explore:

• Accounts Management Guide - Managing accounts and balances
• Tasks Management Guide - Creating and assigning collection tasks
• Workflows Configuration - Setting up automated collection workflows
• Templates Management - Using communication templates