# View mode + Attachment for customers, suppliers and employees
**URL:** https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [April 11, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724 "2020-04-11T12:07:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2020, 12:07pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/1 "2020-04-11T12:07:56Z")
I was thinking if we can have a view screen for customers, suppliers and employees which we can be used by view only users view object properties that are not visible in columns.
Additionally, we can attach such things as supply/employment agreements, customer/supplier statements, supplier price lists … etc.
This feature would be very handy to have.
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### Author:  [@sharpdrivetek](https://forum.manager.io/u/sharpdrivetek)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2020, 1:18pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/2 "2020-04-11T13:18:02Z")
this was already suggested almost three years back but like many suggestions never saw the light.
> [@View for Customers/Suppliers](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-for-customers-suppliers/12477):
>
> why is it not possible to add a View button for Customers and Suppliers? i understand that the same is not available for Inventory Items too but there is almost no practical use for it as all the necessary details are visible as a column. it is necessary for a business to view the details of their Customers and Suppliers. (just to check their address, maybe the name of the contact person, the contact number, the business identifier, etc.) at present this is only possible by using the Edit but…
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### Author:  [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2020, 1:25pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/3 "2020-04-11T13:25:03Z")
That is a very good suggestion
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### Author:  [@Brucanna](https://forum.manager.io/u/Brucanna)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2020, 5:02pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/4 "2020-04-11T17:02:17Z")
> [@View for Customers/Suppliers](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-for-customers-suppliers/12477/1):
>
> it is necessary for a business to view the details of their Customers and Suppliers. (just to check their address, maybe the name of the contact person, the contact number, the business identifier, etc.)
Can’t this now be achieved by a Custom Report. I realise this would be an “all” in rather than just one on one per a view button.
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### Author:  [@sharpdrivetek](https://forum.manager.io/u/sharpdrivetek)
#### Post date: [April 12, 2020, 4:18am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/5 "2020-04-12T04:18:40Z")
i do not think generating a report every time to view a customer detail would be a solution. it is not necessary that a business is always looking for the accounting data. there are simply other things in day-to-day activities where an office staff would require the tax identifier/email/contact/address/anything you can imagine of a customer/supplier.
also, like @Ealfardan mentioned we can attach the contracts/agreements signed with a customer/supplier.
i really do not understand why Manager would be designed in a way that an user would input all the necessary details of a customer/supplier just so that the software alone decides when and what data appears where it needs. why cannot the user view what he has saved for his reference?
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### Author:  [@Brucanna](https://forum.manager.io/u/Brucanna)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/6 "2020-04-13T11:23:35Z")
> [@sharpdrivetek](#):
>
> i really do not understand why Manager would be designed in a way that an user would input all the necessary details of a customer/supplier just so that the software alone decides when and what data appears where it needs. why cannot the user view what he has saved for his reference?
Now I understand your point more clearly and agree. If you can “create” an Invoice (Purchase or Sales) and see it in either Edit or View mode, why when you “create” a Supplier / Customer, why can’t you also see it in an Edit or View mode.
Especially now as the content can be more sophisticated with Custom Fields etc.
I will go to your original topic, which pre dates the Idea’s category and add it to the already bloated Ideas.
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### Author:  [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 12:40pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/7 "2020-04-13T12:40:53Z")
> [@Brucanna](#):
>
> when you “create” a Supplier / Customer, why can’t you also see it in an Edit or View mode.
Because View applies only to transactions and invokes a theme. The theme, in turn, displays information that is not part of a specific transaction record, but related to the business (logos, addresses) as well as processed totals, etc. That would hardly be a convenient or useful way to display customer/supplier information.
It seems the question really being asked goes more to fine-grained user permissions. @Ealfardan apparently wants users to be able to see all customer/supplier data without being able to edit it.
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### Author:  [@sharpdrivetek](https://forum.manager.io/u/sharpdrivetek)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/8 "2020-04-13T12:53:12Z")
> [@Tut](#):
>
> Because View applies only to transactions and invokes a theme.
so what about `Folders` or `Emails` in Manager?
there is no need for fancy presentation but just the need to view what data has been saved for the reference of the user. if details of customers/suppliers were required only to process data in transactions, i do not find the reason for developing feature to add custom fields for these tabs nor a prior default field for _Telephone_ since Manager cannot be used as VOIP software.
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### Author:  [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/9 "2020-04-13T13:07:56Z")
> [@sharpdrivetek](#):
>
> so what about `Folders` or `Emails` in Manager?
What about them? Notice that a folder in View mode is presented by a theme. But there is no usable information that was not visible in Edit mode. The only reason for View in the Folders tab is because attachments can be made only in View mode. If your argument is that this is somewhat awkward, I agree.
> [@sharpdrivetek](#):
>
> if details of customers/suppliers were required only to process data in transactions, i do not find the reason for developing feature to add custom fields for these tabs nor a prior default field for _Telephone_ since Manager cannot be used as VOIP software.
The point of custom fields for customers/suppliers is to allow users to add information that is **not** required for processing transactions. Users want to store all sorts of information the program does not use, and custom fields are the way to do it.
The history of the `Telephone` field goes back to earlier days, before custom fields were available, and the developer apparently thought the information would be commonly desired. During the evolution of custom fields, `Telephone` was eliminated as a standard field and no longer appears in new businesses. If you had entered phone numbers, the conversion script automatically created a custom field and made the transfers.
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### Author:  [@sharpdrivetek](https://forum.manager.io/u/sharpdrivetek)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 1:14pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/10 "2020-04-13T13:14:00Z")
> [@Tut](#):
>
> The point of custom fields for customers/suppliers is to allow users to add information that is **not** required for processing transactions. Users want to store all sorts of information the program does not use, and custom fields are the way to do it.
this is the only point I have been trying to make. users store every information possible yet users are not provided an option to view all these information.
> [@Tut](#):
>
> The history of the `Telephone` field goes back to earlier days, before custom fields were available, and the developer apparently thought the information would be commonly desired. During the evolution of custom fields, `Telephone` was eliminated as a standard field and no longer appears in new businesses. If you had entered phone numbers, the conversion script automatically created a custom field and made the transfers.
I am aware of this hence my statement reads `prior default field for *Telephone*`
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### Author:  [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 1:16pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/11 "2020-04-13T13:16:23Z")
> [@Tut](#):
>
> It seems the question really being asked goes more to fine-grained user permissions. @Ealfardan apparently wants users to be able to see all customer/supplier data without being able to edit it.
Yes that is true, but running a report everytime is not very efficient. Also, to get the attachments we need a view mode.
> [@Tut](#):
>
> Because View applies only to transactions and invokes a theme.
But it also applies for folders which are not transactions.
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### Author:  [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/12 "2020-04-13T13:21:21Z")
> [@Ealfardan](#):
>
> But it also applies for folders which are not transactions.
That is why I said it was awkward. Basically, a folder is forced to be a transaction with no line items. You will notice that you **cannot** input any information except a description unless you create custom fields. That would not be very practical way to display customer/supplier information.
My question is whether you are dissatisfied with the way information about customers/suppliers is presented in the Edit screen, or you just want to be able to control what restricted users can do with it?
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### Author:  [@Brucanna](https://forum.manager.io/u/Brucanna)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 3:56pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/13 "2020-04-13T15:56:23Z")
> [@Tut](#):
>
> Because View applies only to transactions and invokes a theme.
Perhaps currently, but why can’t a non-transaction record (sub-ledger) also have a theme if it has the security of data control.
> [@Tut](#):
>
> @Ealfardan apparently wants users to be able to see all customer/supplier data without being able to edit it.
Yes, and that is where the View mode comes in, in another words, the fine graining of user permissions.
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### Author:  [@Tut](https://forum.manager.io/u/Tut)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2020, 4:13pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/14 "2020-04-13T16:13:03Z")
> [@Brucanna](#):
>
> but why can’t a non-transaction record (sub-ledger) also have a theme
As I already wrote, that is basically what folders do now. They are forced to be treated as transactions with no line items. (See my post #12.) Customers/suppliers might also be forced to be treated that way, but you would not see important information like code, currency, delivery address, email address, credit limit, and active/inacactive status. While the program uses those fields for other purposes, they do not show in a theme-controlled View (except for delivery address in place of billing address on a delivery note).
And while custom fields can be made to show in a theme, they are not used by the program for essential functions the way the other information on a customer/supplier Edit screen is. There is no point is requiring double entries of information. This still comes down to controlling what a restricted user can do: view and edit versus view but not edit.
Please do not misunderstand me. I am not arguing against finer control of user permissions. I just think that is a more useful way to approach this issue than to incorporate View options for customer/supplier information that are not very useful.
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### Author:  [@sharpdrivetek](https://forum.manager.io/u/sharpdrivetek)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2020, 6:16am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/15 "2020-04-14T06:16:53Z")
> [@Tut](#):
>
> Customers/suppliers might also be forced to be treated that way, but you would not see important information like code, currency, delivery address, email address, credit limit, and active/inacactive status. While the program uses those fields for other purposes, they do not show in a theme-controlled View (except for delivery address in place of billing address on a delivery note).
the developer can always convert the available data to plain text for display. this is what happens with most _Reports_, i believe, where the data is gathered and displayed as plain text.
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### Author:  [@compuit](https://forum.manager.io/u/compuit)
#### Post date: [July 20, 2020, 1:14am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/16 "2020-07-20T01:14:39Z")
Digging up an old one here and just drilling down on the original thought for the need of attachments for Suppliers, Employees and Customers for detail such as agreements etc. In my case for employee correspondence would really be handy.
Would love this functionality
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### Author:  [@lubos](https://forum.manager.io/u/lubos)
#### Post date: [January 21, 2021, 10:43pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/17 "2021-01-21T22:43:27Z")
In the latest version (21.1.36) it is now possible to view customers and suppliers which allows attaching documents.
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### Author:  [@Ealfardan](https://forum.manager.io/u/Ealfardan)
#### Post date: [January 22, 2021, 8:53am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/18 "2021-01-22T08:53:54Z")
So many improvements in such little time, thanks a lot @lubos
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### Author:  [@Brucanna](https://forum.manager.io/u/Brucanna)
#### Post date: [January 25, 2021, 1:21pm UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/19 "2021-01-25T13:21:16Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [View mode + Attachments for Inventory, Non Inventory & Reports](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachments-for-inventory-non-inventory-reports/32764)
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### Author:  [@maldroubi](https://forum.manager.io/u/maldroubi)
#### Post date: [January 23, 2021, 10:28am UTC](https://forum.manager.io/t/view-mode-attachment-for-customers-suppliers-and-employees/27724/22 "2021-01-23T10:28:42Z")
why view option has removed from attachments instead ??? 21.1.44
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