How-to

Adding a customer

Create a new customer record from the Customers page.

Most customers get added automatically the first time they book or interact with your pharmacy — you'll rarely create one manually. The flow has two phases: a short Find step that surfaces possible matches from Light and AIR before you create a new record, then the full Add Customer form for the rest of their details.

Find the person first

When you tap Add on the Customers page, the sheet opens on the Find step. Fill in what you have:

  • Name — given and family name, or tick the mononym box if they only use one
  • Date of birth
  • Medicare card number and IRN if they're on hand
  • Postcode

You don't have to fill in every field — provide enough to make a useful search and Light starts looking as you type.

Possible matches

As you fill in the Find step, Light searches in the background and shows results in a Possible matches panel below the form, grouped by where the match came from:

  • Light — an existing customer record at your pharmacy. Tap the row to use the existing record instead of creating a duplicate.
  • AIR — a patient on the Australian Immunisation Register. Tap the row to create a new customer record at your pharmacy using the AIR details, so you don't have to type them in.

Each match row shows enough detail to disambiguate — name, date of birth, address, and contact — so you can tell two people apart before accepting. The source label (Light or AIR) sits on the row so it's obvious where the suggestion came from.

If none of the matches are right, keep typing; new matches appear as you go.

When none of the matches fit

Tap Create New Customer (or Enter details manually) to move to the second phase. The Find-step values you've already typed carry across so you don't lose them.

Enter the rest of their details

The Add Customer form takes the full record:

  1. Confirm or fill in identity and contact

    Name and date of birth carry across from the Find step. Add a contact method — at least one of email or mobile is needed.

  2. Add identifiers if you have them

    Medicare (with IRN and expiry), IHI, DVA file number, and concession card can be added now or later. Medicare is required for PPA claims; without it, the claim can't be submitted.

  3. Save

    Tap Add Customer. The customer's profile opens and you can book for them, upload files, or add notes right away.

What's stored and what isn't

  • Identity and contact details — name, email, mobile, date of birth, gender, address
  • Identifiers — Medicare (with expiry), IHI, DVA file number, concession card (type, number, and expiry)
  • Link to bookings and services — automatic, as soon as a booking is made
  • Immunisation history — fetched from the Australian Immunisation Register when you view the Immunisations tab, not stored on the customer record itself

For the model behind how customers work in Light, see The customer record.