You can change the tabbing order for data entry on the Customer and Vendor screens. Go to View from the Home Window and click on Customize Journals. Then you can change the tabbing order for every journal listed on the left side.
If you are in a multi-user environment remember that these settings are personalized for the logged on user. They will not affect any other users tabbing order.
Yes, it can be a pain but this can save 'hours'

I've already changed the tabbing order - first thing that took more of my valuable time. Now I have to change the payment method whenever I select a new client or vendor, instead of simply tabbing through - more of my valuable time. Sure, of course I charge my clients for my valuable time, but I'd rather not waste it, just the same.
Please, oh pretty please, Sage 50, change this new waste of time back to the old way that worked perfectly fine.

All I can suggest is to stick with the previous 2016.3 version until payroll updates force you to the next version.  Perhaps the 2017.1 release will work differently, with the benefit of some feedback from a wider release. 

I think I would have built that feature so that <unselected> was the new default, instead of 'Pay Later'.   And so that if no default payment method was set, it would keep the last default (Pay Later, Cash, Cheque, WhateverCard) from the screen.  
 
We usually have 8 people working in one company file all day, 5 days a week.  Our company has hundreds of vendors that are always paid using one of a half-dozen methods. So it will be useful for us not having to remember to switch, and not accidentally wasting cheques on vendors that we already have set up for EFT, bank payment, or TelPay. 

I don't see why this software can't have new features that are designed to more efficiently meet our SME needs without adding extra keystrokes and clicks to someone else's day.

Randy Wester

Interesting, and thanks for that perspective. Most of my clients are small sole proprietors...

Here's hoping Sage can make an adjustment that suits us all!

While I agree that this change has not been built to satisfy the vocal few, I can see some benefits to it and a work-around that will take some time to set up but in the long run it will/could save time.
I do not work for Sage, I am like many of you where I have a client list to satisfy, and as yet there have been no complaints.
Ideas for change are submitted through the Help/Contact Sage/Give us your Feedback. If you go to this Help facility you will find that there are a number of comments already there regarding this concern. Not only are they on the list they have all been marked as "Under Review" so work is being done. Whether it will get into the next update or the one after that will depend on what it takes to program the changes. Oh yes, another change which will not satisfy everyone. I guess they call this progress.
That is my rant for this evening.

Funny, when I went to the Help/Contact Sage/Give us your Feedback, this is where I ended up. I'll try again to provide feedback in the correct place!
Thanks.

Hey everyone,

Sorry for the delay in replying, but I was working thru best way to resolve the issue and then determining when we can deliver on the solution.

We will keep the default payment method for vendors and customers as this is needed for some customers in the way they use the product in their business. We will be adding a Push Pin to keep the currently selected payment method and ignore the default payment method in the vendor/customer record. This will allow for the easy entry of vendor purchases from a credit card statement and other similar work flows.

Thank you for providing the feedback in this forum and bringing this issue to our attention. Getting feedback from everyone helped us identify the issue and prioritize this for our upcoming December release.

Regards,
Alistair Ellis
Product Manager, Sage

Thank you Alistair, I knew you could resolve the issue. I am impressed with the turn around as well. Getting this change made with the December update should be a good point for many. While I have not had a problem with any of my customers where I do the bookkeeping for them I am aware of other customers where this could be a problem. I will be busy between Christmas and New Years updating data sets for those I have advise to hold off.
Thanks again.

hopefully, the pinning action will apply when a vendor needs to add
right now, I select a payment method, add a vendor, and when I return to the payment form the payment method is back to cheque

Alistair,
When will this new pinning method be available? The current update is a huge problem for me and my clients.
Thanks in advance for letting me know.
Lhasa

Lhasa, Alistair already answered this question in his post.