Allow Fieldworkers to View Your Entire Customer Database (When Creating Bookings)
This setting controls whether fieldworkers can search and select customers from your full CRM/customer list when creating bookings, quotes, and invoices in the Fieldworker App.
It is configured from Settings → General Settings → Fieldworker Permissions using the flag: Allow fieldworkers to view your entire customer database when making new bookings.
What this permission does
- Enabled: Fieldworkers can view and search your entire customer database when creating bookings/quotes/invoices, and select any customer without restriction.
- Disabled (default for many businesses): Fieldworkers can only see and select customers that they personally created. If they need to book a job for an existing customer in your database, they may need to create a new (duplicate) customer record.
Why this setting matters
- Reduces duplicates: Fieldworkers select the real customer profile instead of re-entering details.
- Faster job creation: Less time spent capturing customer info on-site.
- Privacy control: You decide whether fieldworkers can view contact details (phone, email, address) across all customers.
Enable access to the entire customer database
Enable this setting if your fieldworkers regularly create jobs for existing customers and you want them to select customers from the main CRM list without re-entering details.
- Go to Settings → General Settings → Fieldworker Permissions.
- Find Allow fieldworkers to view your entire customer database when making new bookings.
- Turn the toggle ON, then Save (if applicable).
What changes for fieldworkers when enabled?
- They can search the full customer list when creating new bookings, quotes, and invoices.
- They may be able to view customer contact details (phone, email, address) depending on your overall access controls.
Restrict access (hide the full customer database)
Disable this setting if you want to limit customer data visibility for privacy, compliance, or customer-relationship control. When disabled, fieldworkers will only see customers they created themselves during customer selection.
- Go to Settings → General Settings → Fieldworker Permissions.
- Find Allow fieldworkers to view your entire customer database when making new bookings.
- Turn the toggle OFF, then Save (if applicable).
What fieldworkers see when access is restricted
When this permission is disabled, fieldworkers can only select from customers they created. If they search for a customer that already exists in your CRM (but was created by someone else), it may appear as “not found” for them.
If the fieldworker needs to proceed, they may have to create a new customer profile (duplicate) — unless your process is to have office/admin staff create the booking or share the customer another way.
Controlling customer privacy and data access
Giving fieldworkers access to the full customer database can improve speed and reduce duplicate records, but it also grants broader visibility into customer contact information. Before enabling it, consider:
- Privacy & compliance: Many businesses must limit access to personal data to only what is necessary.
- Customer-relationship control: Some companies prefer customers to communicate through the business, not individual workers.
- Risk management: Reduce the chance of unauthorized use of customer lists and contact details.
Best-practice security checklist
- Least privilege: enable full database access only for roles that truly need it.
- Train fieldworkers: require searching by phone/email before creating a new customer.
- Offboarding controls: remove access immediately when a fieldworker leaves.
- Audit & governance: keep admin oversight for edits/deletes via user credential permissions.
Avoiding duplicates (recommended process)
If you keep this permission disabled, duplicates can happen when fieldworkers re-create customers that already exist. To keep your database clean:
- Option A (recommended): Enable full database access so fieldworkers select existing customer profiles.
- Option B: Keep access restricted, then have admins regularly merge duplicates into the correct customer profile.
Tip: If you expect frequent duplicates, schedule a regular “CRM cleanup” routine (weekly/monthly) using the system’s duplicate-customer tools.
FAQs
Is it safe to allow fieldworkers to view the entire customer database?
It depends on your business model and privacy requirements. It can speed up booking creation and reduce duplicates, but it also increases exposure of customer contact details. Use role-based access and clear policies before enabling it.
Will restricting the database affect fieldworkers creating bookings?
Yes. If access is restricted, fieldworkers can only select customers they created. If they need to create a booking for an existing customer, they may have to create a new customer record (duplicate).
Can fieldworkers edit or delete customer records?
That depends on the permissions assigned to the fieldworker role/user credentials. You can restrict editing and deletion to admin users only.
Related guides
- Fieldworker Permissions & Access Control
- Allow fieldworkers to add new customers
- Merge duplicate customer records
- Delete customer profiles (and when to merge instead)
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