jtgerdes
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Sage ACT! 2013 - Custom Contact Record Types and Views
Long time GoldMine user trying out ACT!. I actually worked some with ACT! several years ago, but this version (Sage ACT! Pro 2013 Version 15.0.301.0) is a lot different.
So what I'm trying to figure out is if ACT! 2013 can do something that I used a lot in GoldMine - namely different record views for different record types. For example, a database for an implement dealership could have a client contact record type and a tractor contact record type. I know a tractor isn't a person, but the dealership may want to link documents to the tractor, track a history of service appointments, etc. on the tractor as well as just track a lot of different information on the tractor. So in GoldMine there was a key field that was a record type field. Changing that field between client and tractor would change the view of the record. A client record had all the usual people info fields like address, phone number, etc. while a tractor record would have fields displayed like make, model, serial #, engine, etc.
I haven't spent a ton of time yet searching in ACT! 2013 but it's not immediately obvious and spending a little time search is coming up fruitless as well. If anyone can give me any information or point me in the right direction to read up on it, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
So what I'm trying to figure out is if ACT! 2013 can do something that I used a lot in GoldMine - namely different record views for different record types. For example, a database for an implement dealership could have a client contact record type and a tractor contact record type. I know a tractor isn't a person, but the dealership may want to link documents to the tractor, track a history of service appointments, etc. on the tractor as well as just track a lot of different information on the tractor. So in GoldMine there was a key field that was a record type field. Changing that field between client and tractor would change the view of the record. A client record had all the usual people info fields like address, phone number, etc. while a tractor record would have fields displayed like make, model, serial #, engine, etc.
I haven't spent a ton of time yet searching in ACT! 2013 but it's not immediately obvious and spending a little time search is coming up fruitless as well. If anyone can give me any information or point me in the right direction to read up on it, I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks
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yeah, so do many other original GoldMine standard users. if only they could consider a cheaper license that only allowed GoldMine to work on SQL Express instead of the full SQL product...
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I don't think groups or opportunities is the way to do this as these items (again a tractor for example) are more like people than anything. That is, a tractor is bought new buy one person, then sold to another, then another, etc. The tractor has a "life" of it's own regardless of who owns it. All the history, linked documents, etc. need to stay with that tractor regardless of who owns it. In fact, in this example, we're tracking a whole lot more information on tractors than on people clients.
One thought I had is to basically just transform the Contacts into Implements (tractors) and then use Companies to track info on the people clients. It's not a perfect scenario, but it would let me link tractors to clients and move them between clients when they are sold. Ideally, I'd still like to use Contacts for people as well, but the issue is I can't find a way to change the view based on if the contact record is a person or a tractor.
Maybe this clarifies it a bit and will jar loose an idea from an ACT! expert?
One thought I had is to basically just transform the Contacts into Implements (tractors) and then use Companies to track info on the people clients. It's not a perfect scenario, but it would let me link tractors to clients and move them between clients when they are sold. Ideally, I'd still like to use Contacts for people as well, but the issue is I can't find a way to change the view based on if the contact record is a person or a tractor.
Maybe this clarifies it a bit and will jar loose an idea from an ACT! expert?
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I would keep the Contacts as people (you can't email to other record types) ... I would think that either Companies or Groups could be the items ... or, if that's not enough, TopLine Designer (as I linked above) should do it for you
ASKER
I appreciate the feedback from you all. Although I didn't get the answer I was hoping for I got some good information so points for everyone.
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