gitlab-org--gitlab-foss/doc/user/crm/index.md

---
stage: Plan
group: Product Planning
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
---

# Customer relations management (CRM) **(FREE)**

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/2256) in GitLab 14.6 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `customer_relations`. Disabled by default.
> - In GitLab 14.8 and later, you can [create contacts and organizations only in root groups](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/350634).
> - [Enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/346082) in GitLab 15.0.
> - [Feature flag removed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/346082) in GitLab 15.1.

With customer relations management (CRM) you can create a record of contacts
(individuals) and organizations (companies) and relate them to issues.

Contacts and organizations can only be created for root groups.

You can use contacts and organizations to tie work to customers for billing and reporting purposes.
To read more about what is planned for the future, see [issue 2256](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/2256).

## Permissions

| Permission | Guest            | Reporter | Developer, Maintainer, and Owner |
| ---------- | ---------------- | -------- | -------------------------------- |
| View contacts/organizations | | ✓        | ✓ |
| View issue contacts |         | ✓        | ✓ |
| Add/remove issue contacts |   | ✓        | ✓ |
| Create/edit contacts/organizations | |   | ✓ |

## Enable customer relations management (CRM)

Customer relations management features must be enabled at the group level. If your
group also contains subgroups, and you want to use CRM features in the subgroup,
you must enable CRM features for the subgroup.

To enable customer relations management in a group or subgroup:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group or subgroup.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand the **Permissions and group features** section.
1. Select **Customer relations is enabled**.
1. Select **Save changes**.

## Contacts

### View contacts linked to a group

To view a group's contacts:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Contacts**.

![Contacts list](crm_contacts_v14_10.png)

### Create a contact

To create a contact:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Contacts**.
1. Select **New contact**.
1. Complete all required fields.
1. Select **Create new contact**.

You can also [create](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationcustomerrelationscontactcreate)
contacts using the GraphQL API.

### Edit a contact

To edit an existing contact:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Contacts**.
1. Next to the contact you wish to edit, select **Edit** (**{pencil}**).
1. Edit the required fields.
1. Select **Save changes**.

You can also [edit](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationcustomerrelationscontactupdate)
contacts using the GraphQL API.

## Organizations

### View organizations

To view a group's organizations:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Organizations**.

![Organizations list](crm_organizations_v14_10.png)

### Create an organization

To create an organization:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Organizations**.
1. Select **New organization**.
1. Complete all required fields.
1. Select **Create new organization**.

You can also [create](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationcustomerrelationsorganizationcreate)
organizations using the GraphQL API.

### Edit an organization

To edit an existing organization:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Organizations**.
1. Next to the organization you wish to edit, select **Edit** (**{pencil}**).
1. Edit the required fields.
1. Select **Save changes**.

You can also [edit](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationcustomerrelationsorganizationupdate)
organizations using the GraphQL API.

## Issues

If you use [Service Desk](../project/service_desk.md) and create issues from emails,
issues are linked to contacts matching the email addresses in the sender and CC of the email.

### View issues linked to a contact

To view a contact's issues, select a contact from the issue sidebar, or:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Contacts**.
1. Next to the contact whose issues you wish to view, select **View issues** (**{issues}**).

### View issues linked to an organization

To view an organization's issues:

1. On the top bar, select **Menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Customer relations > Organizations**.
1. Next to the organization whose issues you wish to view, select **View issues** (**{issues}**).

### View contacts linked to an issue

You can view contacts associated with an issue in the right sidebar.

To view a contact's details, hover over the contact's name.

![Issue contacts](issue_crm_contacts_v14_6.png)

You can also view issue contacts using the
[GraphQL](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationcustomerrelationsorganizationcreate)
API.

### Add or remove issue contacts

### Add contacts to an issue

To add contacts to an issue use the `/add_contacts [contact:address@example.com]`
[quick action](../project/quick_actions.md).

You can also add, remove, or replace issue contacts using the
[GraphQL](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationissuesetcrmcontacts)
API.

### Remove contacts from an issue

To remove contacts from an issue use the `/remove_contacts [contact:address@example.com]`
[quick action](../project/quick_actions.md).

You can also add, remove, or replace issue contacts using the
[GraphQL](../../api/graphql/reference/index.md#mutationissuesetcrmcontacts)
API.

## Autocomplete contacts **(FREE SELF)**

> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/2256) in GitLab 14.8 [with a flag](../../administration/feature_flags.md) named `contacts_autocomplete`. Disabled by default.
> - [Enabled on GitLab.com and self-managed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/352123) in GitLab 15.0.
> - [Generally available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/352123) in GitLab 15.2. [Feature flag `contacts_autocomplete`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/352123) removed.

When you use the `/add_contacts` or `/remove_contacts` quick actions, follow them with `[contact:` and an autocomplete list appears:

```plaintext
/add_contacts [contact:
/remove_contacts [contact:
```

## Moving objects with CRM entries

The root group is the topmost group in the group hierarchy.

When you move an issue, project, or group **within the same group hierarchy**,
issues retain their contacts.

When you move an issue or project and the **root group changes**,
issues lose their contacts.

When you move a group and its **root group changes**:

- All unique contacts and organizations are migrated to the new root group.
- Contacts that already exist (by email address) are deemed duplicates and deleted.
- Organizations that already exist (by name) are deemed duplicates and deleted.
- All issues retain their contacts or are updated to point at contacts with the same email address.

If you do not have permission to create contacts and organizations in the new
root group, the group transfer fails.