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Adding a Client

Clients are the organizations you perform security assessments and consulting work for. This guide covers creating and managing client records in CHAOTICA.

Prerequisites

Before adding a client, ensure you have: - "Add Client" permissions in your role - Basic client information gathered - Contact details for key stakeholders

Creating a New Client

Step 1: Navigate to Client Management

  1. Go to the main dashboard
  2. Click "Clients" in the navigation menu
  3. Click "Add New Client" button

Step 2: Basic Information

Fill in the essential client details:

Client Name: Full legal name of the organization
Short Name: Abbreviated name or acronym (optional)
Client Type: Organization, Individual, Government, etc.
Industry: Primary industry sector
Website: Company website URL

Client Name Guidelines: - Use the full legal entity name - Ensure consistency in naming convention - Avoid abbreviations in the main name field - Use the short name field for common abbreviations

Step 3: Address Information

Enter the primary business address:

Street Address: Physical address
City: City name
State/Province: State or province
Postal Code: ZIP or postal code
Country: Select from dropdown

Multiple Locations: If the client has multiple locations, add the primary headquarters first. Additional locations can be added after client creation.

Step 4: Contact Information

Add primary contact details:

Phone: Main business phone number
Email: Primary contact email
Fax: Fax number (if applicable)

Step 5: Classification and Security

Set appropriate security and classification levels:

Security Classification: Client's security clearance level
Risk Classification: Risk assessment level
Restricted Access: Enable if access should be limited

Security Guidelines: - Set classification based on client's cleared level - Consider the sensitivity of work to be performed - Restrict access for highly sensitive clients

Step 6: Financial Information

Configure billing and financial settings:

Currency: Primary currency for billing
Payment Terms: Standard payment terms (30 days, etc.)
Billing Contact: Separate billing contact if different
Tax ID: Client's tax identification number

Step 7: Account Management

Assign account management responsibilities:

Primary Account Manager: Main client relationship owner
Secondary Account Manager: Backup/support manager
Client Success Manager: Post-delivery relationship manager

Assignment Guidelines: - Assign based on client relationship and expertise - Ensure account managers have appropriate permissions - Consider workload distribution across the team

Client Information Sections

Overview Tab

Basic Details: - Client name and identifiers - Industry and classification - Contact information - Account manager assignments

Status Indicators: - Active/Inactive status - Last engagement date - Upcoming scheduled work - Outstanding issues or actions

Contacts Tab

Manage client contacts and stakeholders:

Adding Contacts: 1. Click "Add Contact" in the contacts tab 2. Enter contact details (name, role, email, phone) 3. Set contact type (Technical, Business, Procurement, etc.) 4. Assign to specific areas of responsibility

Contact Types: - Primary Contact: Main point of contact - Technical Contact: Technical discussions and coordination
- Business Contact: Business and commercial discussions - Procurement Contact: Contract and purchasing matters - Security Contact: Security clearance and compliance - Billing Contact: Invoicing and payment matters

Framework Agreements Tab

Set up overarching contractual arrangements:

Creating Framework Agreements: 1. Click "Add Framework Agreement" 2. Enter agreement details: 

Agreement Name: Descriptive name
Start Date: When agreement becomes active
End Date: Agreement expiration
Total Value: Overall contract value
Remaining Value: Unused contract value
Currency: Agreement currency

Framework Benefits: - Streamlined job creation under existing agreements - Budget tracking across multiple engagements - Simplified procurement for repeat work - Better financial reporting and forecasting

Documents Tab

Store client-related documentation:

Document Types: - Contracts and agreements - Statements of work - Security clearance documentation - Compliance certificates - Previous reports and deliverables

Document Management: - Upload files directly or link to external storage - Set access permissions for sensitive documents - Track document versions and updates - Add metadata and tags for organization

Jobs Tab

View all jobs associated with the client:

Job Overview: - Historical and active engagements - Job status and progress - Assigned teams and resources - Financial summary

Quick Actions: - Create new job for this client - View detailed job information - Access job reports and deliverables - Review job history and outcomes

Notes Tab

Internal notes and communications:

Note Categories: - General client information - Relationship management notes - Technical requirements and constraints - Business development opportunities - Issues and resolutions

Best Practices: - Use @ mentions to notify team members - Tag notes with relevant categories - Include timestamps for important events - Reference external systems and tickets

Framework Agreements

Framework agreements are pre-negotiated contractual arrangements that track day budgets across multiple jobs for a client. They can be created from the Framework Agreements tab on the client detail page.

Key features include:

  • Budget tracking — days used, scheduled, and available across all associated jobs
  • Allocation controls — allow or block over-allocation, or close the framework entirely
  • Breakdown dashboard — per-job, team, delivery role, service, and monthly burn-down analytics
  • Scheduler integration — automatic validation checks when scheduling against framework jobs

For full details, see the dedicated Framework Agreements page.

Client Classification System

Security Classifications

Match client security requirements:

  • Public: No special security requirements
  • Internal: Standard business confidentiality
  • Confidential: Enhanced protection required
  • Secret: Government or high-security clients
  • Top Secret: Highest security classifications

Risk Classifications

Assess client-related risks:

  • Low Risk: Established relationship, standard services
  • Medium Risk: New client or complex requirements
  • High Risk: Challenging requirements or relationship
  • Critical Risk: Significant business or security risks

Best Practices

Client Data Management

Data Quality: - Keep contact information current - Regular review and updates - Standardize naming conventions - Maintain consistent formatting

Privacy and Security: - Limit access to appropriate personnel - Follow data protection regulations - Secure handling of sensitive information - Regular access reviews and updates

Relationship Management

Regular Communication: - Schedule periodic check-ins - Proactive issue identification - Business development discussions - Feedback collection and analysis

Service Excellence: - Meet or exceed service commitments - Proactive communication about changes - Quality delivery and follow-up - Continuous improvement initiatives

Integration with Jobs

Streamlined Job Creation

When creating jobs for existing clients: 1. Client information auto-populates 2. Framework agreements are available for selection 3. Previous job templates can be reused 4. Contact information is readily available

Consistency and Efficiency

  • Standardized client information across all jobs
  • Consistent billing and payment terms
  • Reusable framework agreements and terms
  • Historical context for better service delivery

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Duplicate Clients: - Search thoroughly before creating new clients - Check variations in naming (Inc., Ltd., LLC, etc.) - Merge duplicates if found after creation - Implement naming standards to prevent duplicates

Missing Framework Agreements: - Verify agreement has been properly created - Check start/end dates for validity - Ensure user has access to view agreements - Review client assignment and permissions

Contact Information Issues: - Regularly validate email addresses - Confirm phone numbers are current - Update contacts when personnel changes occur - Maintain backup contacts for key roles

Data Migration

When migrating from other systems: - Map existing client data to CHAOTICA fields - Validate data integrity and completeness - Test import procedures with sample data - Plan for data cleanup and standardization