Address data forms the backbone of every ERP system. It is not simply an address book, but the central anchor point to which all other processes connect. From here, quotes, orders, purchase orders, invoices, and logistical workflows such as shipping and goods receipt all branch out. When master data is maintained cleanly, these processes run almost automatically and without errors. When it is incomplete or inconsistent, avoidable problems arise: duplicate customers, suppliers that cannot be found, or even tax errors that can become costly.
In day-to-day work, it is therefore essential that when creating and maintaining addresses, you develop a basic understanding of which data is central and why it is relevant. An address is always more than just a name and street: it contains contact details, tax information, bank details, and often shipping notes as well. This data represents the "adjustment screws" through which your ERP system controls processes automatically — from payment terms to shipping options.
Note
B2B and B2C – two different worlds:
An important distinction to keep in mind is the type of relationship: are you dealing with a business customer (B2B) or a private customer (B2C)?
For business customers, master data is more complex. The focus is on the organization, supplemented by contact persons in specific roles — for example in purchasing or accounting. Particularly important is the VAT identification number (VAT ID) for European customers, as it determines whether an invoice is created with or without VAT. To illustrate: if you create a new GmbH from Austria without a VAT ID, your ERP treats this customer as a domestic case by default — i.e. with German VAT. If you enter the VAT ID correctly, it automatically becomes an intra-community supply, which is tax-exempt. A single field therefore determines whether the invoice is tax-compliant.
For private customers, on the other hand, the data situation is simpler. In most cases, a first and last name, an address, and an email address are sufficient. The tax logic is clear: invoices always include VAT. Other payment methods are also typical, such as prepayment or PayPal, whereas business customers often have individual payment terms such as "14 days net".
In Xentral, you will find all addresses in a dedicated module. Every record — whether customer, supplier, contact, or employee — is stored centrally here and is then available across all processes. This means: create an address once correctly, and you can reuse it in quotes, invoices, purchase orders, or shipping processes without having to re-enter data.
One important rule: not every address is automatically a customer or supplier. An address can initially also be neutral, i.e. managed as a general contact only. As soon as you assign it a customer or supplier number, it becomes document-ready and can be used in the respective processes. Numbers are assigned either from a central or from project-specific number ranges.
Employees play a special role. They also receive sequential numbers, but not as customer or supplier numbers — exclusively for user management. This allows employees to appear as processors on documents or to be used for internal approvals and role-based controls.
The setup is deliberately kept flexible. You do not need to fill in every field immediately — only the information the system needs to create a document. For customers, this is typically the name, address, and country. For suppliers, bank details are practically always required so that accounting can process payments correctly. Everything else — contact persons, additional delivery addresses, shipping options — can be added step by step.
Tip
When you maintain addresses in Xentral, you are laying the foundation for all business processes. Every record directly affects how quotes and invoices are created, which taxes are applied, whether payments can run automatically, or whether duplicates appear in the system. Fields such as VAT ID or IBAN are not just formalities — they are critical for the correct handling of tax and financial processes. By using groups and templates, you ensure that default values such as currency, language, or payment terms are set consistently. The more cleanly address data is maintained, the more smoothly sales, purchasing, accounting, and logistics work together.
Further reading: Creating and managing customers in Xentral
This article provides a detailed step-by-step explanation of how to correctly create new customers, maintain master data, and avoid typical errors.
Further reading: Creating and managing suppliers in Xentral
Here you will find detailed instructions on how to correctly record suppliers in the system, maintain bank details and terms, and organize your purchasing processes smoothly.