Cascading information from user-defined fields

[constantine]

Hi

I'm new to BCM. I want to know if it is possible to create user-defined
fields at the Account level such that when you enter data into them, the same
data is cascaded down to the corresponding user-defined field of a business
contact linked to that account.

Constantine

 

[Lon Orenstein]

Constantine:

No, BCM doesn't do that. I'm curious -- what's your reason for wanting this?
What are you trying to accomplish?

Thanks,
Lon

___________________________________________________________
Lon Orenstein
pinpointtools, llc
(e-mail address removed)
Author of Outlook 2007 Business Contact Manager For Dummies
Author of the eBook: Moving from ACT! to Business Contact Manager
www.pinpointtools.com

 

[constantine]

Hi Lon,

Thanks for your reply. (I'm sitting here with your Dummies book next to me!)

Let me explain why I want to cascade information down ...

I am setting up a sales database to try to sell my company's language
training courses to corporate clients. I regularly contact Training Managers,
Training Co-ordinators etc. in these multinational companies and gather
information on what the company (as a whole) does in relation to language
training. (i.e. what languages do they teach their staff, how many courses do
they arrange each year, what is their spend, do they have a regular supplier,
etc.

To me it makes sense to store this information at the Account level because
it is common to the company. However, when I want to call one of the contacts
in a particular company, it is time-consuming to have to refer to both the
Account record and the Contact record. It would save time if I was able to
view the general information at the Contact level.

Perhaps I am missing something here because I am used to using GoldMine.
Maybe I just need to work my way through your book and figure out the best
way of using BCM.

Regards

Constantine

 

[mrtimpeterson via OfficeKB.com]

Constantine,

If you are willing to think and approach this need in reverse there is a way
for you to "Cascade" this data from the bottom up. You can create a Business
Note and title the subject line with something like "Current Language
Training Status." Within this Business Note you can spell out all of the
details that you have gathered and need to refer back to. You could then
link this note either to just your main contact or you could also multiple
link this same reference note to more than one contact at the company. If
you have this one or many contacts linked to the Account record, this linked
business note will "roll-up" to and be displayed in the Communication History
of the Account record thus allowing you to reference this same information at
either the Account or individual Business Contact level.

-THP

Hi Lon,

Thanks for your reply. (I'm sitting here with your Dummies book next to me!)

Let me explain why I want to cascade information down ...

I am setting up a sales database to try to sell my company's language
training courses to corporate clients. I regularly contact Training Managers,
Training Co-ordinators etc. in these multinational companies and gather
information on what the company (as a whole) does in relation to language
training. (i.e. what languages do they teach their staff, how many courses do
they arrange each year, what is their spend, do they have a regular supplier,
etc.

To me it makes sense to store this information at the Account level because
it is common to the company. However, when I want to call one of the contacts
in a particular company, it is time-consuming to have to refer to both the
Account record and the Contact record. It would save time if I was able to
view the general information at the Contact level.

Perhaps I am missing something here because I am used to using GoldMine.
Maybe I just need to work my way through your book and figure out the best
way of using BCM.

Regards

Constantine

Constantine:

[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]

 

[Lon Orenstein]

Thanks Constantine!

Yes, I agree that it would be ideal to store the account related data at the
account level. I think you can do that and even though it might be more
clicks than Goldmine, you can still get where you want to get to.

Here's Plan A: When it's time to call an account, open the account record
so you can see the information about the company. Click on the New History
Item button and choose Business Note. Now you have a note that is linked to
the account. To add the contact's link, click inside the note on the Link
To button and add the contact. This way, you save the clicks of opening the
contact record, yet the note is linked to both. Even though it's redundant,
it might be fewer clicks and more palatable to you.

Or, Plan B: Open the account record, review the fields of data, then double
click to open the contact's record, then click on New History Item, Business
Note and that will link to the contact. As Tim said, this will
automatically rollup into the account record when you look in history for
the account. I know it's inconvenient but it sounds like you're making
longer calls than a telemarketer selling auto warranties so it shouldn't
impact your overall performance. Still not optimal, but maybe OK.

HTH,
Lon

___________________________________________________________
Lon Orenstein
pinpointtools, llc
(e-mail address removed)
Author of Outlook 2007 Business Contact Manager For Dummies
Author of the eBook: Moving from ACT! to Business Contact Manager
www.pinpointtools.com