Configure company types

Updated Thursday, October 29, 2026 · Marc Staine

Company types classify what kind of organization a record represents. Keep these categories distinct from lifecycle states so segmentation remains meaningful.

Applies to: Supportbench Core. Location: Settings → Customers → Company types. Editing requires Administer company and contact configurations.

Before you begin

Editing requires Administer company and contact configurations. A list that you can view may still be read-only.
Agree the meaning of this Company type and inspect existing Company references. State describes a lifecycle stage; Type classifies the organization. Do not treat the two as interchangeable.
Verify the saved configuration and then a controlled example in the consuming workflow. A successful settings save alone does not prove the operational result.

Configure and verify

Open Settings → Customers → Company types. Choose New Type or open the intended existing definition.
Enter a distinct Name and useful Description. Review Display order and Active using the limits in the field reference. This editor has no Division or parent-hierarchy controls.
Choose Save Changes and reopen the definition to verify it. A protected default’s Active value cannot be changed here.
Open a controlled Company for editing and check that the intended type is available. Save a deliberate test selection and reopen the Company.
Review existing records and reporting before changing a label’s meaning or deactivating it. Updating the definition is separate from changing the value on each Company.

Settings reference

Details and availability

Setting	What it controls	How to choose
Name	The label people select. Required; up to 50 characters.	Use a short, distinct label that describes its purpose.
Description	Administrative explanation; up to 250 characters.	Explain when to choose this option, including an example if useful.
Display order	An integer from 0 to 25; lower numbers appear first and ties sort by name.	Put commonly used choices first without changing their operational meaning.
Active	Controls availability in standard selection lists. Inactive items remain saved.	Deactivate obsolete options when you need to retain their configuration and existing references.

Behavior to know

Default company/contact states and types must remain active and cannot be deleted.
Names are required and limited to 50 characters; descriptions are limited to 250. Choices are configured by your account, not a universal list.

Recommended use

Use terminology that agents and customers already understand. Explain the intended meaning in the description.
Keep the initial configuration small enough for people to choose consistently. Add options when they represent a real operational difference.
Review existing references before renaming, changing scope, or deleting. Where supported, deactivate an obsolete option before considering permanent deletion.

Worked example: classify a Company as Partner

Create the illustrative Partner choice with a Description explaining that it means a partner organization supporting customers through the agreed business relationship. Add an exclusion so agents know when another Company classification applies.
Choose a deliberate Display order and keep the definition Active when ready. Save and reopen the definition; creating a classification does not assign it to existing Companies.
Open an approved test Company, choose the new Company type in the applicable field, save that Company and verify the result. Contact states and types have separate definitions and should be tested through their own guides.
Compare a nearby existing choice. If agents cannot explain the difference, clarify or simplify the definitions before broad use. The classification itself does not create an SLA, route a Case or grant portal access.
When retiring a choice from new use, review existing Company assignments first. Check that the inactive definition remains in configuration while the standard new-selection list excludes it; do not interpret deactivation as migration of every existing Company.

Troubleshooting

Problem	What to check
The choice is missing from a Company picker	Check Active, the saved definition and the consuming Company form; reopen the form after configuration changes.
I cannot edit it	Check Administer company and contact configurations.
Active is locked on a default choice	Protected defaults preserve their active setting. Do not create a duplicate merely to bypass the protection.
An existing Company retains its previous selection	Expected: configuration and Company record edits are separate operations.
State and Type produce confusing reports	Agree distinct lifecycle and classification meanings, then check the actual Company values and report filters.

Customers → Manage companies and customer organization details
Customers → Manage contacts and customer portal access
Customers → Configure company and contact field policies

Was this article helpful?