Answers.Body: <p>It will mostly work, however, you are on less travelled paths, so you might bump into issues on some "out of the ordinary" actions. For instance, imports or profiles assume(d) a single contact subtype per contact, so you might end up removing subtypes.</p>
  
  <p>I'd suggest you to test creating a few contacts that have several subtypes and try to export import, see if everything works fine.</p>
  
  <p>More generally, are you going to have custom fields for each of these types? do you need to create specific relationships limited to relations between some subtypes?</p>
  
  <p>If not, it might be easier to stick to groups (or mix with tags), these are much more often used (and battlefield tested) and you won't have any problem having a contact with several groups (or tags) </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-12-30T00:05:37.380Z
Answers.Text: We have a very similar reason to have multiple contact sub-types.  Everything seems to be working fine for an Individual to have 2 sub-types.  However, we just encountered an issue doing a data import.  We are updating fields related to one of the contact sub-types.  The result was the elimination of the second sub-type from the contact record.  I need to do some more testing to see if I can make the import work without deleting the other sub-type.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ron Gridley
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-16T10:19:35.680Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-16T10:19:35.680Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Xavier
Answers.Body: <p>UPDATE: What I wrote below is incorrect - I was not up to date (see comments)</p>
  
  <p>Subtypes can be a great way to structure your data. There are however some limitations that you should know about:</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Each contact (person or organisation) can only be one subtype</li>
  <li>Subtypes cannot be changed later on</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>This means that if for example a coach is likely to become a supervisor or trainer at some point I would recommend using custom fields/field sets and groups, tags etc. to structure your information and NOT subtypes.</p>
  
  <p>If you use subtypes you would need to create one contact for each subtype which is most likely not what you want.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-09T09:53:53.253Z
Answers.Text: I didn't think either of those were the case. We have contacts who are multiple subtypes. Also we can change subtypes when needed.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Andrew West
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-09T12:45:01.303Z
Answers.Text: Be careful changing subtypes though! If coaches, trainers, supervisors all have different fields - then when you retype one to another you'll loose some data.
Answers.UserDisplayName: KarinG - Semper IT
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-10T09:51:54.767Z
Answers.Text: I am starting to get a bit confused now....
Answers.UserDisplayName: TonV
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-10T09:56:51.087Z
Answers.Text: Certain contacts can be a coach, a trainer and a supervisor at the same time. E.g. a trainer could perform coach tasks as well. So those contact types are not mutually exclusive what we are concerned. However, I do not know if (proper use of ) CiviCRM functionality limit sub-types to one per contact. I am wondering what is regarded as best practice by CiviCRM guru's. Many thanks guys!
Answers.UserDisplayName: TonV
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-11T07:39:28.783Z
Answers.Text: since version 4.1, CiviCRM allows multiple subtypes. (https://civicrm.org/blog/yashodha/announcing-civicrm-41)
Answers.UserDisplayName: Albert V
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-11T09:53:24.373Z
Answers.Text: Thank you for this pointer, really helpful! So one can clearly use multiple sub-types according to the mentioned announcement. Nice :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: TonV
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-16T07:43:50.353Z
Answers.Text: Hi Guys, thanks for pointing out my mistakes - I was really unaware that CiviCRM can handle various subtypes in one contact (probably haven't tried it since 3.x).
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-09T08:43:48.507Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-16T07:41:41.290Z
Answers.LastEditDate: 2016-05-16T07:41:41.290Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Answers.Body: <p>As long as I know it's a good practice to use multiple subtypes in the same contact.</p>
  
  <p>Doing that you can, for example, create different custom fields for each subtype. So your coaches who are also trainers will have the fields for being coaches and in addition the fields for being trainers.</p>
  
  <p>And if in the future, one of your coaches became a traier, you can add him the subtype and automatically will appear the custom fields for it.</p>
  
  <p>So I will recommend it. :)</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-04T10:58:20.540Z
Answers.Text: Yes, coaches, trainers, supervisors, etc. all need additional fields and that is why I was considering multiple subtypes. But I wasn't sure if that would fit CiviCRM's structure and assumptions. Thank you soo much for pointing this out to me. Awesome. :)
Answers.UserDisplayName: TonV
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-16T20:44:03.630Z
Answers.Text: agree with the general rule of thumb, if a specific sub-type has unique fields, then that is a good reason for sub-type, otherwise see if you can use Tags/Groups or a single Custom Field to do the required and avoid bumping in to edge cases. Such an edge case is the breakage that occured with the 4.6.16 upgrade.
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-05-04T10:39:38.923Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-05-04T10:39:38.923Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Albert V
Body: <p>I am new to CiviCRM and I am wondering what would be best practice regarding the use of contact (sub)types in our organization.</p>
  
  <p>The situation is following:
  Type of business: coaching and training.</p>
  
  <p>We provide coaching to clients(contacts) so we assign one or more Coaches to a client at the start of a coaching period. This coach(or coaches) could be an in-house coach or he/she could be external. However, coaches could also be qualified trainers in certain areas of expertise. Trainers can offer workshops/courses/trainings to clients but also to coaches and other trainers.</p>
  
  <p>Is it good practice to assign multiple contact sub-types to individuals who are qualified as a coach and trainer and possibly as supervisor as well?
  Or would a different approach be a better solution?</p>
  
  <p>Many thanks!</p>
  
Tags: <contacts><sub-types>
Title: Multiple contact (sub)types for an individual
ThreadText: # Multiple contact (sub)types for an individual
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-05-04)
  
  I am new to CiviCRM and I am wondering what would be best practice regarding the use of contact (sub)types in our organization.
  
  The situation is following:
  Type of business: coaching and training.
  
  We provide coaching to clients(contacts) so we assign one or more Coaches to a client at the start of a coaching period. This coach(or coaches) could be an in-house coach or he/she could be external. However, coaches could also be qualified trainers in certain areas of expertise. Trainers can offer workshops/courses/trainings to clients but also to coaches and other trainers.
  
  Is it good practice to assign multiple contact sub-types to individuals who are qualified as a coach and trainer and possibly as supervisor as well?
  Or would a different approach be a better solution?
  
  Many thanks!
  
  **Tags:** contacts, sub-types
  
  
  ---
  
  ## 3 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2016-05-04. Score: 7 | Accepted answer
  
  As long as I know it's a good practice to use multiple subtypes in the same contact.
  
  Doing that you can, for example, create different custom fields for each subtype. So your coaches who are also trainers will have the fields for being coaches and in addition the fields for being trainers.
  
  And if in the future, one of your coaches became a traier, you can add him the subtype and automatically will appear the custom fields for it.
  
  So I will recommend it. :)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Yes, coaches, trainers, supervisors, etc. all need additional fields and that is why I was considering multiple subtypes. But I wasn't sure if that would fit CiviCRM's structure and assumptions. Thank you soo much for pointing this out to me. Awesome. :)  
  > **username_7**: agree with the general rule of thumb, if a specific sub-type has unique fields, then that is a good reason for sub-type, otherwise see if you can use Tags/Groups or a single Custom Field to do the required and avoid bumping in to edge cases. Such an edge case is the breakage that occured with the 4.6.16 upgrade.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2016-05-16. Score: 3
  
  It will mostly work, however, you are on less travelled paths, so you might bump into issues on some "out of the ordinary" actions. For instance, imports or profiles assume(d) a single contact subtype per contact, so you might end up removing subtypes.
  
  I'd suggest you to test creating a few contacts that have several subtypes and try to export import, see if everything works fine.
  
  More generally, are you going to have custom fields for each of these types? do you need to create specific relationships limited to relations between some subtypes?
  
  If not, it might be easier to stick to groups (or mix with tags), these are much more often used (and battlefield tested) and you won't have any problem having a contact with several groups (or tags)
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_2**: We have a very similar reason to have multiple contact sub-types.  Everything seems to be working fine for an Individual to have 2 sub-types.  However, we just encountered an issue doing a data import.  We are updating fields related to one of the contact sub-types.  The result was the elimination of the second sub-type from the contact record.  I need to do some more testing to see if I can make the import work without deleting the other sub-type.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-05-09. Score: -3
  
  UPDATE: What I wrote below is incorrect - I was not up to date (see comments)
  
  Subtypes can be a great way to structure your data. There are however some limitations that you should know about:
  
  * Each contact (person or organisation) can only be one subtype
  * Subtypes cannot be changed later on
  
  This means that if for example a coach is likely to become a supervisor or trainer at some point I would recommend using custom fields/field sets and groups, tags etc. to structure your information and NOT subtypes.
  
  If you use subtypes you would need to create one contact for each subtype which is most likely not what you want.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_4**: I didn't think either of those were the case. We have contacts who are multiple subtypes. Also we can change subtypes when needed.  
  > **username_5**: Be careful changing subtypes though! If coaches, trainers, supervisors all have different fields - then when you retype one to another you'll loose some data.  
  > **username_0**: I am starting to get a bit confused now....  
  > **username_0**: Certain contacts can be a coach, a trainer and a supervisor at the same time. E.g. a trainer could perform coach tasks as well. So those contact types are not mutually exclusive what we are concerned. However, I do not know if (proper use of ) CiviCRM functionality limit sub-types to one per contact. I am wondering what is regarded as best practice by CiviCRM guru's. Many thanks guys!  
  > **username_6**: since version 4.1, CiviCRM allows multiple subtypes. (https://civicrm.org/blog/yashodha/announcing-civicrm-41)  
  > **username_0**: Thank you for this pointer, really helpful! So one can clearly use multiple sub-types according to the mentioned announcement. Nice :)  
  > **username_3**: Hi Guys, thanks for pointing out my mistakes - I was really unaware that CiviCRM can handle various subtypes in one contact (probably haven't tried it since 3.x).  
  
  ---
  
  