Table of Contents
Overview
Company Associations is an incredibly powerful tool for your B2B customers to manage their purchasing. Companies can configure users to be able to place orders on behalf of their company, utilize their negotiated credit terms, saved credit cards, etc. The relationships can be somewhat complex, depending on your business. Below is an outline of each type of user.
Company Structure
The Company Account acts as an umbrella for the company, with different roles such as Company Admin, Company Manager, and Company User, each having specific capabilities and permissions.
User Type Definitions
Company Account
The Company Account is the holding account for the company. The intention is that it operates as the umbrella for the company account. The Company Account should not place orders - it is meant to be a placeholder and the orders won't show up in the order list.
Company Account Admin
The Company Admin is the primary administrator level account for the company. This user can approve orders placed by any user in the company. The user can also manage saved credit cards. This user can also manage Company Manager and Company User accounts.
Company Manager
The Company Manager is the mid level management level. This user can approve orders placed by Company Users that have been assigned to it or place orders. This user cannot manage users, or edit saved cards.
Company User
Company users are the front line users of the B2B customer. They can place orders on behalf of the company using the company’s credit terms, and saved credit cards. They cannot make any edits to any company settings.
NOTE: These are the standard user type names. You can customize the user type names as needed in the Company Association configuration.
Approval Workflows
Order approval workflows are one of the most important components of the company associations. It allows users to place orders and have them held until they are approved.
- Company users cannot approve any orders.
- Company managers can approve orders placed by company users that have been assigned to them and orders not assigned to any other manager. (Company User assigned directly to the company)
- Company administrators can approve any orders placed by company users or by company managers.
Example Company Associations
Example 1: Company Account with multiple Company Users and 1 Company Admin
In this example company structure, the company account has 4 company users that can place orders. A single company admin manages the entire company and approves orders for each user when needed.
Example 2: Company Account with Manager, 2 assigned Company Users and 1 Company Admin
In this example, the 2 company users have been assigned to the single manager. Their orders will be approved by either their manager, or the company admin. The company manager, in this case, can place orders. When needed, the company admin can approve those orders.
Example 3: Company Account with Manager, 2 assigned Company Users, 1 unassigned Company User, and 1 Company Admin
Example 4: Company Account with Multiple Managers and Assigned Users, 1 Company Admin
In this example, the Company has multiple Company Managers which have several users assigned to them. Each Company Manager can approve the orders placed by the Company Users assigned to it. The Company Admin can approve any order placed by a Company User and approve the orders placed by the 2 Company Managers.
Example 5: Complex Company Account with multiple Managers, Users and Admins
In this example, the company has multiple Company Managers set up with their assigned Company Users. Each Company Manager can approve the orders placed by the users assigned to it. Each Company Admin can approve orders placed by any Company User or Company Manager. The single Company User that is not assigned to a Company Manager can place orders, and any Company Manager or Company Admin can approve them.