Add a new trading name

Table of contents

• What is a trading name?
• Benefits of using a trading name
• How to create a new trading name?
• Adding custom inquiry forms under different trading names
• Deleting/Editing existing trading names

What is a trading name?

• A trading name is a name used by companies that do not operate under their registered company name, it can be a name (or names) that a person, partnership, or company may use which is different from the name they have registered with. A business may be permitted to use as many trading names as required, but these cannot be registered as official names of the company. Trading names do not have the level of protection a business name has.
• A company typically uses a trading name to conduct business using a simpler name rather than using its formal and often lengthier name. Trading names are also used when a preferred name cannot be registered, often because it may already be registered or is too similar to a name that is already registered.

Benefits of using a trading name

• Using one or more trading names to run several businesses under one company may save you time and money with both administration and company secretarial work. You can also use trading names to differentiate various sections of your business.
• A trading name can also bring benefits if you can create one that matches your website domain. This could be particularly useful if the domain name and social media handles for your registered company have already been taken. You would be able to work around this by using the trading name that matches your desired brand name, website, and social media profiles. This will also help with the branding of your business and create one identity for your business.
• With OctopusPro, you can easily operate under multiple trading names without leaving your account. If your business operates under more than one trading name, you can add information on all trading names by creating several different ones. You will be able to choose which trading name is applicable when creating inquiries, bookings, etc

How to create a new trading name?

• To create a new trading name, from the admin user web view: 

1. Go to Settings
2. Select Company Settings
3. Click Trading Names

• You will be redirected to the Trading Names settings page, click on New Trading Name

• A form will popup, requiring you to fill in:

1. 1. Trading Name: Insert the trading name of your choice. 
   2. Promotional Text: The promotional text is a message you add for your business related to the trading name. 
   3. Is default: By clicking on the checkbox, it enables the current trading name to be the default trading name used for your business. 
   4. Website URL: This is where you enter the URL of your business related to this trading name. 
   5. Phone: Add the phone of your company related to the trading name. 
   6. Email: Enter your email related to your trading name, when clicking on authenticate email, an email will be sent to you with a link to verify your email address, so you will be able to send emails through this address. The tab will turn pending until you verify the email through the link in your email address. 
   7. Color: You can choose the color of your trading name through multiple options provided, either by selecting a color from Basic Colors, Saved Colors, or Advanced Colors. 
   8. Logo: Add the logo related to the trading name by clicking on Choose File to upload an image or file. 
   9. Save: you can then save your new trading name.

Adding custom inquiry forms under different trading names

You can also add custom inquiry forms under different trading names, and you can do that by customizing them when creating a new trading name.

When adding a new trading name, click on Display widget settings

You can make basic changes to the style of your inquiry form. You can customize your form title, button text, button color and button text color, form text color, and title color, or you can make further customizations to your form using CSS code.

1. Widget title: Your Inquiry form Title can be adjusted from the first box, (for example QUICK INQUIRY)
2. Widget title color: You can customize the color of your widget title and select one from the color picker.
3. Button text: Here you can change the text in the button which the customer has to click on to submit his inquiry on your website, (for example, GET QUOTE).
4. Button text color: Change your button text color to whatever color you find suitable for your website theme.
5. Button Color: Change your button color to whatever color you find suitable for your website theme.
6. Primary Color: You can then select a primary color for your trading name, which is the color scheme for your trading name if you haven’t selected a color for the other aspects of the form. The primary color will be used for the submit button background color, title color, and border. The primary color helps the trading name be more independent than your business color scheme. 
7. Font Color: Choose the font color of the text in your inquiry form here.
8. Custom CSS: As previously mentioned, OctopusPro allows you to edit some of the theme features of your inquiry widget form, such as fonts, colors, and buttons; however, you may wish to apply your own custom CSS themes for further customization.

   You can create your own theme or customize the form to fit your branding & style and suit your website, by adding custom CSS to help you change the layout and appearance of your inquiry form.

   Simply paste your CSS code here and click Save to apply the changes to your form.

   Note: Please use stranded CSS codes and use our Pre-assigned classes to override the default style. Ex: .octopuspro_form.octopuspro_form_form-control {color:red; }
   Will override the input text color.

Deleting/Editing Existing Trading Names

• After creating the new trading name, it will appear on the trading names list, where you can view its name, Website URL, and Email Status, and be able to Delete, Edit, or Assign Images to email templates for the trading name. 

1. Delete: By clicking on delete, you can delete the chosen trading name.
2. Edit: You can edit your trading name by clicking on the edit button shown below.
3. Assign Images: By clicking on assign images, you can upload more images and pdf logos to any email template you select.  
4. Search: You can search for any of your business trading names easily.

How To Switch Between Existing Trading Names Within Your Business

You can switch between existing trading names when creating a new inquiry, 

booking, quote, invoice, customer, or gift card.

For example, when creating a new inquiry, you can select one of your trading names for this inquiry from the dropdown menu. 

*Note that if you don’t select a trading name, the trading name set as default will be selected automatically. 

For more information please visit Octopuspro user guide, and subscribe to our youtube channel.