Autotask CRM Management
Overview
Autotask CRM manages the core entities that define your client relationships: companies (accounts), contacts, and sites. Proper CRM data is foundational - tickets, contracts, projects, and billing all depend on accurate company and contact information.
Key Concepts
Company (Account)
The primary entity representing a client organization.
| Field | Description | Required | |-------|-------------|----------| | id | Unique identifier | System | | companyName | Official company name | Yes | | companyType | Customer, Lead, Prospect, etc. | Yes | | phone | Main phone number | No | | address1 | Street address | No | | city | City | No | | state | State/Province | No | | postalCode | ZIP/Postal code | No | | country | Country | No | | webAddress | Website URL | No | | parentCompanyID | Parent company for hierarchies | No | | ownerResourceID | Account manager | No | | classification | Classification category | No |
Company Types
| ID | Type | Use Case | |----|------|----------| | 1 | Customer | Active paying clients | | 2 | Lead | Potential new business | | 3 | Prospect | Qualified leads | | 4 | Dead | Churned/lost clients | | 5 | Vendor | Suppliers and partners | | 6 | Partner | Strategic partners |
Contact
Individual people at a company.
| Field | Description | Required | |-------|-------------|----------| | id | Unique identifier | System | | companyID | Associated company | Yes | | firstName | First name | Yes | | lastName | Last name | Yes | | emailAddress | Primary email | No | | phone | Direct phone | No | | mobilePhone | Mobile number | No | | title | Job title | No | | isActive | Active status | Yes | | isPrimaryContact | Primary contact flag | No |
Site/Location
Physical locations for a company (for on-site service).
| Field | Description | Required | |-------|-------------|----------| | id | Unique identifier | System | | companyID | Parent company | Yes | | name | Site name | Yes | | address1 | Street address | No | | city | City | No | | isActive | Active status | Yes | | isPrimaryLocation | Primary site flag | No |
API Patterns
Creating a Company
POST /v1.0/Companies
Content-Type: application/json{
"companyName": "Acme Corporation",
"companyType": 1,
"phone": "555-123-4567",
"address1": "123 Main Street",
"city": "Springfield",
"state": "IL",
"postalCode": "62701",
"country": "United States",
"webAddress": "https://acme.example.com",
"ownerResourceID": 29744150
}Searching Companies
GET /v1.0/Companies/query?search={"filter":[{"field":"companyName","op":"contains","value":"acme"}]}Common Search Patterns
Search by name:
{
"filter": [
{"field": "companyName", "op": "contains", "value": "acme"}
]
}Active customers only:
{
"filter": [
{"field": "companyType", "op": "eq", "value": 1},
{"field": "isActive", "op": "eq", "value": true}
]
}Companies by account manager:
{
"filter": [
{"field": "ownerResourceID", "op": "eq", "value": 29744150}
]
}Updating a Company
PATCH /v1.0/Companies
Content-Type: application/json{
"id": 12345,
"phone": "555-987-6543",
"webAddress": "https://newsite.acme.com"
}Creating a Contact
POST /v1.0/Contacts
Content-Type: application/json{
"companyID": 12345,
"firstName": "John",
"lastName": "Smith",
"emailAddress": "john.smith@acme.example.com",
"phone": "555-123-4567",
"mobilePhone": "555-987-6543",
"title": "IT Director",
"isActive": 1,
"isPrimaryContact": true
}Searching Contacts
Contacts for a company:
{
"filter": [
{"field": "companyID", "op": "eq", "value": 12345},
{"field": "isActive", "op": "eq", "value": 1}
]
}Search by email:
{
"filter": [
{"field": "emailAddress", "op": "eq", "value": "john.smith@acme.example.com"}
]
}Creating a Site
POST /v1.0/CompanyLocations
Content-Type: application/json{
"companyID": 12345,
"name": "Main Office",
"address1": "123 Main Street",
"city": "Springfield",
"state": "IL",
"postalCode": "62701",
"country": "United States",
"isPrimaryLocation": true,
"isActive": 1
}Common Workflows
Client Onboarding
- Create company record
- Set company type to Customer
- Assign account manager
- Add billing information
- Create primary contact
- Mark as primary contact
- Verify email address
- Create site(s)
- Add all service locations
- Mark primary location
- Set up contract
- Associate with company
- Define service levels
- Configure billing
- Payment terms
- Tax information
Contact Management
- Verify before creating
- Search for existing contact by email
- Check for duplicates
- Maintain accuracy
- Update titles when employees change roles
- Mark contacts inactive when they leave
- Add new contacts as needed
- Track relationships
- Note who can authorize work
- Track technical vs billing contacts
Company Hierarchy
For MSPs managing parent/child company relationships:
- Create parent company first
- Create child companies with parentCompanyID
- Contracts can roll up to parent
- Reporting aggregates by hierarchy
Error Handling
Common API Errors
| Code | Message | Resolution | |------|---------|------------| | 400 | Duplicate company name | Check for existing company, use unique name | | 400 | Invalid email format | Verify email address syntax | | 404 | Company not found | Verify company ID exists | | 409 | Contact already exists | Search for existing contact first |
Validation Errors
"CompanyName is required" - Company name cannot be empty or null
"Invalid companyType" - Must use valid company type ID from picklist
"Email already exists" - Contact with this email already exists
Best Practices
- Standardize naming - Use consistent company name formats
- Verify before creating - Always search first to prevent duplicates
- Maintain data quality - Regular audits of contact information
- Use classifications - Categorize companies for reporting
- Track account managers - Assign ownerResourceID for accountability
- Keep contacts current - Inactive former employees
- Document relationships - Use notes for key account information
Related Skills
- [Autotask Tickets](../tickets/SKILL.md) - Service tickets for companies
- [Autotask Contracts](../contracts/SKILL.md) - Service agreements
- [Autotask Projects](../projects/SKILL.md) - Project management