The Communication section allows you to create and store all contact with a customer. The Communication tab of the Customer screen stores all contact details and appointments. Appointments are also shown visually on the Appointments diary.
The 2 displays are interlinked so that changes in the customer screen flow through to change the appointment diary and vice versa.
Before using Communication entries ensure you have setup some Actions and Resources in order to select them from the lists.
Double-click on the tab heading Communication to launch the list of appointments in their own window. In the expanded view you can click and drag the first row to expand the row height so you can see more of the comments. You can resize the whole window by clicking and dragging the edge of the window.
Creating a New Appointment
1. Begin by creating a new customer in the customer database. Click 
Add and complete all of the details including the classifications. Press 
Update to save your new customer.
2.The first thing to record against a new customer is the initial meeting/phone call. Click the Contact button in the customer screen.
3.Set the date, time and duration at the top of the window.
4.Select an action. Actions include appointments, calls, letters, visits etc. Click 
Edit Popup Contents so you can add your own. (See schedule actions).
5.Select a Resource from the next drop down box. This will usually be the person involved with the appointment. This will default to the salesperson of the customer but can be changed.
6.Enter any free text information into the comments box.
7.If appropriate, you can enter an estimated value, which could be an initial budget given by the customer or an estimated value of a quote you will do.
8.If this is an appointment scheduled for the future you can press Update to save the appointment as it is, without specifying a result. You will see this on a new line on the customer screen. You will be able to reopen this appointment when you have a result to record.
TIP - To save time, if users often begin Communication by selecting the same fields (resource, action and duration) you can set defaults within Users.
Editing an Appointment
When an appointment has been created it will appear on the Customer screen under the Communication tab. (The same details also appear on the Projects screen).
Right-click on an appointment’s date to recall the edit window. Here you can change any of the details previously entered including the date, time and duration and the appointment details such as changing the resource.
Click Update to save the changes immediately.
(The same edit window can be recalled from the appointments diary view).
Recording the Results
1.When the appointment is over you need to record the result. Return to the customer screen and right-click the date of an appointment to open up the edit screen. (You can also open the Appointments diary screen and click the Appointment Results button).
2.Now select an outcome of this event in the Results box. For example this could be:
a.Quoted – when you have given the customer a quote. You then get an additional box to record the quote reference.
b.Lost - if the customer does not want to go any further select Lost.
c.ReAppoint – It is likely that you will need to have a follow up appointment. When you select ReAppoint and press Update you are immediately given a new appointment window where you can select your new date and input new details. Complete this box the same as the first appointment.
Click the Edit Popup Contents icon to add in your own answers and decide which results should prompt for a reasons box to appear.
Right-click 'Ref'
Right-click on the Ref number of an appointment to access a right-click menu.
Open Appointment/Call
Open the appointment record to see all details and make changes.
New Appointment/Call
Start a new Communication item for this customer.
Print Appointment/Call Details
Print the appointment details sheet. This prints all the customer's details, appointment notes.
Order Details
Shows window to record the value of the (future) order and finance details.
Create Quote/Sales Order and Create Quick Quote/Sales Order
Click to begin a new full quote or quick quite for this customer.
(Only available if the customer does not already have a quote or order on the system).
Open Quote/Sales Order
Click to open this customer's quote/order.
(Only available if there is already an order on the system).
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