# Contacts and Entities

Keep the person you communicate with separate from the business or individual you service.

Source: https://ziffa.io/user-guide/contacts-and-entities

## The Contact is the person

A Contact stores the person's name and contact details. The main contact receives communications such as proposals, document requests, and form requests.

In our example, **Joshua Gauci** is the Contact.

Choose **Use existing contact** during onboarding when the person is already recorded. This avoids separate records for the same person just because they represent another business.

## The Entity receives the Service

An Entity is the company, organisation, or individual business for which your firm provides Services. It stores its type, registration details, tax details, relevant dates, onboarding status, and assigned Services.

In our example, **Seabreeze Trading Ltd** is the Entity. An Entity does not have to be a limited company; the selected type determines which details are relevant.

Some existing documentation or screens may call an Entity a **Client Company**. This does not mean it must be an incorporated company.

## How they work together

One person may represent more than one Entity. Each Entity has its own Services, fees, documents, and scheduled work.

| Information | Example | Where it belongs |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Name and email of the person to contact | Joshua Gauci, joshua.gauci@example.com | Contact |
| Business name and registration details | Seabreeze Trading Ltd | Entity |
| Financial year end and period end | The dates held for Seabreeze | Entity |
| Bookkeeping fee and assigned Service | Monthly bookkeeping for Seabreeze | The Entity's Service assignment |

An Entity can have a main Contact and additional [Supporting Contacts](https://ziffa.io/user-guide/supporting-contacts), such as another director or finance contact. Always check the actual recipient selection when sending a document; recording a supporting contact does not mean every action emails them automatically.

The Contact's **Role in this entity** describes how they are involved, such as Director or Finance Contact. The same person can have a different role for another Entity. This is separate from a colleague's firm role, which controls access inside Ziffa.

## Lifecycle status matters

An Entity may be a Prospect, Pending Review, Active, Rejected, or Terminated. Services can become active at a configured onboarding status, so status affects when work is generated.

Your firm makes the acceptance and risk decision. A sent email, signed proposal, or completed approval does not replace that review.

To close an Entity your firm no longer services, [terminate it](https://ziffa.io/user-guide/terminate-an-entity). [The Entity page](https://ziffa.io/user-guide/entity-page) explains every control on an Entity.

Next: [Add a client](https://ziffa.io/user-guide/add-client) or [Entity dates and scheduling](https://ziffa.io/user-guide/entities-and-scheduling).