Overview
BrightClient is the central hub for managing all your client records across the Bright product suite. It stores client details, contacts, addresses, and related information in one place so that every Bright product your practice uses works from the same, up-to-date data.
This guide walks you through the key tasks you will need to complete when using BrightClient for the first time, and explains how it fits into your day-to-day workflow.
What BrightClient Does
BrightClient acts as the single source of truth for client data across your practice. Rather than entering the same client information into each Bright product separately, you create or update a record once and it is shared automatically across everything you use.
| BrightClient manages | What this means for your practice |
| Business clients | Companies, partnerships, and other entities your practice acts for |
| Individual clients | Personal clients such as those with self-assessment tax returns |
| People records | The individuals behind your contacts and clients, stored once to avoid duplication |
| Contacts | Roles a person holds in relation to a client, such as Director or Shareholder |
| Addresses | Current and historical addresses for clients and contacts |
How BrightClient Fits Into Your Workflow
Every time you work with a client in a Bright product, that product connects to BrightClient to retrieve or save client data. The diagram below shows the typical flow:
| 1 | Search for the client | Start by searching BrightClient before creating anything new. The client may already exist. |
| 2 | Select or create | Select an existing record to reuse it, or create a new one if the client is genuinely new to BrightClient. |
| 3 | Complete your work | Carry out your task in the relevant Bright product — BrightTax, BrightAP, BrightManager, and so on. |
| 4 | Save and sync | When you save, BrightClient updates automatically. Other connected products reflect the change. |
| Key principle |
| Always search before you create. BrightClient will search automatically as you type, but taking a moment to review results before clicking Create New prevents duplicate records that are difficult to resolve later. |
Core Tasks — Where to Start
Use the links below to find step-by-step guidance for each task:
| Task | When you need it | See article |
| Search for and select a client | Every time you open or work on a client in any Bright product | How to Search for and Select Clients in BrightClient |
| Create a business client | Adding a new company, partnership, or other entity | How to Create a New Business Client in BrightClient |
| Create an individual client | Adding a new personal client for self-assessment or similar | How to Create a New Individual Client in BrightClient |
| Add or manage contacts | Recording directors, shareholders, or other roles linked to a client | How to Manage Contacts in BrightClient |
| Add or update an address | Setting or changing a client's registered, trading, or home address | How Addresses Work in BrightClient |
| Understand data sync | Understanding how changes in one product update others | How Client Data Stays Up to Date Across Your Bright Products |
Key Concepts to Understand Before You Start
Person vs. Client
BrightClient separates the concept of a person from a client. A person is the individual human being — stored once, regardless of how many roles they have. A client is the working relationship your practice has with that person or entity.
This matters most when adding individual clients or contacts. Always search for the person first. If they already exist in BrightClient — even in a different role — reusing their record keeps their details consistent everywhere.
Product Links
When a Bright product uses a client record, it adds a product link to that record in BrightClient. These links appear as coloured icons on search results and client records. They tell you which products are already connected to a client, and they prevent records from being deleted while they are still in use.
Address History
BrightClient keeps a history of address changes. When a client moves, the old address is retained with the dates it was active, and the new address is added. This is useful for compliance and record-keeping. Fixing a typo is treated differently — it overwrites the existing address without creating a history entry.
Two Types of Update
| Update type | Use when | Effect |
| New entry | Something has genuinely changed — a client has moved, or legally changed their name | Both old and new values are stored with the dates they were active |
| Correction | Something was entered incorrectly and needs to be fixed | The existing value is overwritten. No history entry is created |
Permissions and Access
Access to BrightClient is managed through your Bright product settings. You will need the appropriate permissions to create, edit, or delete client records. If you are unable to access a feature described in these articles, contact your practice administrator.
Accessing BrightClient directly via BrightHub
BrightClient is also accessible as its own website through BrightHub. From there, you can view and manage all of your client data in one place, outside of any specific Bright product workflow.
| 📋 Who can access BrightClient via BrightHub |
| Access to BrightClient through BrightHub is available to Hub members with Admin or Owner roles only. If you do not have one of these roles, you will need to access BrightClient through your connected Bright products as normal. |
| Contact your practice administrator if you need your BrightHub role updated. |
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