Sicon CRM v21 Help and User Guide

1. Settings

Each Sicon CRM module has its own area to configure its settings, however, the methodology is often the same.

You can only configure Maintenance & Utilities from within Sage 200

This Help and User guide will take you through the setup, features, settings, configuration and use for the Sicon CRM system. Each User Interface and module is covered separately.

2. Installation

2.1. Auto Installer

All the Sage 200 elements can be installed using the Auto Installer:

• Sicon Common Components
• Sicon Common Components Reports
• Sicon CRM (the Sage addon)
• Sicon CRM Reports
• Sicon DevExpress Package 1
• Sicon DevExpress Package 2

Where an actual update needs to be applied, this will show a Green Arrow next to the addon title:

You can also update the Companies from here:

If the user has more than one Sicon Addon, they must all be upgraded at the same time. You must not install just a few of them as this may well break one or more of the installed addons. Also, it is important that all users are out of Sage at the time of installation or upgrade.

You must also be aware that there are two specific Versions for Sicon Addons:

2016 and 200c

As the installation progresses you are show a commentary:

If you get an error during the installation a red circle with an exclamation mark will be displayed against the addon installed. If you do, contact Sicon support.

2.2. Required Files

Below are the files associated / required to install Sicon CRM Sage 200 Desktop using Sicon Installer, Sicon WebAPI and Sicon CRM Web (versions will vary).

Ensure you have at least 1 Sage 200 web user licence (this is required to use the Web / Mobile App UI of Sicon CRM).

Check if any other Sicon Products are installed – DO NOT install CRM unless SiconWebAPI 200c v20 or above is installed

Download and install:

• Sicon Installer exe
• Sicon Common Components
• Sicon Common Components Reports
• Sicon DevExpress Package 1
• Sicon DevExpress Package 2
• Sicon CRM
• Sicon CRM Reports
• Sicon WebAPI 200c Platform
• Sicon CRM Web

2.3. Installing Sicon CRM Sage 200 Desktop Version

• Install the Microsoft URL Rewriter this can be obtained from the following location: https://www.iis.net/downloads/microsoft/url-rewrite
  • The installer is now also incorporated into the Sicon WebAPI Platform installer

• Run the Sicon Installer and select Common Components 1 & 2, Dev Express 1 & 2, Sicon CRM, Sicon CRM Reports (versions may vary).

Include any additional addons identified for update. Install and update all companies.

Note: the following addons should then be displayed in Sage 200 System Admin:

Add the features to your Sage 200 roles

Login to Sage 200c and the Menu items should be displayed.

2.4. External Access

To ensure External Access is available, check the following:

• An external access hostname has been decided. e.g: crm.company.com etc.
• A Valid trusted SSL certificate is installed on the server.
• Split-DNS is configured so the external hostname resolves internally. (e.g. inside the network crm.company.com resolves to the IP address of the server (say 192.168.0.1) internally, but resolves to the external IP (say 81.123.123.123) when outside the network.
• Firewall ports opened to allow access to Sicon WebAPI. NB: port number can be chosen by customer’s IT if they don’t want to use port 443.
• If required, sufficient company VPN access is provided so that the internal site can be accessed by the users externally.

*NB: Customer IT Infrastructure is NOT a Sicon responsibility.

2.5. Installing Sicon WebAPI 200c Platform

NB: Please ensure that your version of the Sicon WebAPI is the current & most up-to-date version available.

To install / setup the Sicon CRM Web and / or the Sicon CRM Mobile App, you must first install the Sicon WebAPI 200c platform (currently Sicon WebAPI 200c 211.0.0).

This is an exe file and is provided by Sicon upon request. It is not available currently through the Installer.

Installing the Sicon WebAPI 200c platform

• Create a Domain User called SiconWebAPI and add them to the Sage 200 Users Group
• Add the SiconWebAPI user to the LOCAL admins group

• Go to SQL and add the SiconWebAPI user to have Read access to the Sage 200 Config DB

• Refresh Sage 200 System Admin and confirm the SiconWebAPI user is present.

Temporarily assign the SiconWebAPI user to a standard Sage 200 role.

Log into Sage as the SiconWebAPI user and ensure you can successfully login.

Having done this:

• Create a Remote User Only role called SiconWebAPI (this role does not need to have any features enabled against it)

• Ensure that the SiconWebAPI user:
  • Is setup as a Sage 200 Web User

• • Reassign / ensure the SiconWebAPI user is a Member of the SiconWebAPI role

• • Has access to all companies

Obtain the Sicon WebAPI 200c installer (currently 211.0.0) from Sicon and install

Set your Default Sage Database

Set your Homepage password. This is used exclusively by the Web API and the user name is admin and the password is admin. Leave this as default.

Set the location of your Sage 200 installation

Confirm (tick) that your SiconWebAPI User is:

Part of the Local Administrator’s Group

Is a Sage 200 Web User

You have logged onto Sage as the SiconWebAPI user

Click Install

The installation will proceed

Click Finish to complete the Sicon WebAPI 200c installation

Upon completion a browser page will be displayed attempting to connect to the SiconWebAPI page with a logon screen. The standard user name and password (as described earlier) is admin and admin.

Click Sign in

If the Sicon WebAPI 200c has been successfully installed, the following page will be displayed

The website for the WebAPI will have been created

Now that the SiconWebAPI has been successfully installed you can install the Sicon CRM Web application.

Important Note: There are two services that need to be running for the Sicon CRM to run correctly:

2.6. Setting up a Sicon CRM Web / Mobile User

Login as your normal Sage 200 user.

In Sicon CRM in Sage 200 go to the menu item Mobile > Login Details

This may alternatively be located under Employees > Employee Login Details

Add your Web / Mobile User Name & password and confirm.

2.7. Installing Sicon CRM Web

To install Sicon CRM Web you will need the following executable. This can be obtained from Sicon upon request and is not available through the installer (versions may vary).

You MUST have installed / setup the Sicon WebAPI 200c prior to installing Sicon CRM web.

Run the Sicon CRM Web installer

Enter the URL for your Sicon WebAPI

If the Sicon Web is going to run internally only, it is recommended to replace localhost with the actual name of the web server.

This URL may vary depending on whether you have setup your web server for external access.

In my example my URL is:

https:///vince******.zapto.org:8080/sicon.sage200.webapi/api/

Install

This will create the Sicon CRM Website in IIS.

Click Finish

Important

The Sicon Web API URL is referenced in the CRMConfig file stored in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\SiconCRM

The initial part of the Web API URL and the Sicon CRM URL need to be the same

https://vince******.zapto.org:8080/sicon.sage200.webapi/api/

https://vince******.zapto.org:8080/SiconCRM

Logging into Sicon CRM Web

In your browser enter the following URL: http://ServerName/siconcrm/sign-in.

If external: https:// external server address /siconcrm/sign-in

If you have access to multiple companies you will be given the option to select the company you wish to connect to.

Note – you can only login to one dataset at a time.

Login with the credentials you setup in section Setting up a Sicon CRM Web / Mobile user.

This will take you to the home page of Sicon CRM Web.

Note on upgrading Sicon CRM Web

If you need to upgrade the web version, you will need to request it (and possibly the latest version of the Sicon Web API as well). If the Sicon Web API does need to be upgraded, you need to install this first and then run the Sicon CRM upgrade.

Once you have done this, you must login to Sage. This updates certain files in C:\inetpub\wwwroot\Sicon.Sage200.WebAPI\bin\Cache

If you don’t do this the upgrade will not take effect.

2.8. Installing Sicon CRM Mobile

Ensure Sicon CRM Web is setup and installed correctly and that you can successfully logon with internal / external address details.

Go to the Menu item Mobile > QR codes. Select the correct mobile OS. Using a QR scanner on your phone scan the Android or iOS QR code.

This will download the App from Google Play or Apple App Store.

Once you have installed the App on your phone you will need to click on the Cog icon and specify the API URL:

The API URL can be obtained by scanning the QR code stored in Sicon CRM in Sage 200. Go to the menu item Mobile > Login Details > API tab.

This will copy the details into the Web API URL onto your app.

Click Set API and you will get a confirmation.

Click Save. You should now be able to login on to the App. If you have multiple companies a dropdown will be displayed.

Note – If you have issues with actually logging into your dataset, check that both web api services are running:

Website

If completed this will put a hyperlink onto the bottom of any task that has been scheduled

Clicking on the hyperlink will take the user directly to the appointment in Sicon CRM Web

3. Sicon CRM Sage 200

It is advised with the set-up of Sicon CRM that users add the logical requirements prior to using the system. There is the assumption that the user has some familiarity with Sage 200 and that that there is someone knowledgeable on the System Administration module of Sage 200.

This document does not look at how Sicon CRM integrates with other modules.

Remember when implementing Sicon CRM it has been designed with simplicity first and foremost. It is not nor is it intended at this time to be a Salesforce or MS Dynamics CRM or the like.

Sicon CRM is designed to seamlessly integrate with every other Sicon Sage 200 addon whilst seamlessly integrating with Sage 200.

There is no synchronisation of separate databases or convoluted installation processes.

This will reduce project creep and customer expectations gap.

It is advisable to work through the settings of each section and then look at the entity’s individual use. This will make the initial use of Sicon CRM far more logical to the user when they begin using it.

There are a series of system fields (dropdown lists) that should be configured by the Administrator.

This applies to all entities: Company, People, Opportunities, Tasks & Cases.

Access to the Sicon CRM Help & User Guide is available from the Sicon CRM menu or from https://www.sicon.co.uk/user-guide/sicon-crm-help-and-user-guide/

4. Companies

4.1. Company Search

Companies can be searched by a series of standard and custom fields. Analysis Codes cannot be added to the Search screen. If territories are enabled, it is also possible to search by them and they can be viewed in the Search list.

From the list view:

• Columns can be moved left or right.
• A New Company can be created.
• Companies can be opened in View or Edit mode.
• When highlighting the Company in the list view a New Task, Email, Case or Opportunity can be created ‘in context’ of the Company.
• At this point in time, entities can be deleted. This will be better controlled in a future release.
• In addition, there is a New… button on the footer of the Search Screen that allows the user to create: Quotes, Orders, Proformas and Returns in the context of the highlighted company.
• It is also possible to create a New Customer or Supplier Account. Note – creating a New Account or Supplier whilst highlighting a Company in the list view does NOT create the Account in the context of the Company.

Note – A Company can be linked to an Account in one of 3 ways:

• Run the Migrate Sage 200 Contacts (see Company Utilities)
• From the Accounts tab within the context of the Company and clicking on the Convert to Customer / Supplier button.
• Creating an Account in Sage 200 which will automatically create a company In Sicon CRM.

4.2. New Company

A Company can be created from various locations such as the Company Search Screen or the New Company Menu item.

A new Company requires the user to complete the fields on the Details tab.

The Prospect Currency field is only displayed if the Company Type is set to Prospect Customer.

The Territory field is only displayed if Territories is enabled (see section Sicon CRM Settings > Contacts).

4.3. Understanding the Company Details Screen

Summary:

• Summary Tab – Displays Primary static data relating to the Company (Read Only).
• Summary Notes – Brief description of key information that the user may wish to record.

Details Tab

Company Name – Name of the Company – Mandatory

Source – Dropdown list of where the Company originally came from

Sector – Dropdown list of which industry the company is associated with

Prospect Currency – Dropdown of available currencies where the Company Type is set to Prospect Customer.

Company Type – To identify the type of company record it is – Mandatory

Note – It is advisable not to modify the Company Types as each of these has specific functionality behind them. For example, only a Prospect Customer can be converted to a Customer SL account.

Status – Whether the Company is an Active or Inactive record. Note, this field does not sync with the SL Account status field.

Account Type – A dropdown list that allows the user to further qualify the Type of Company it is.

Territory – Dropdown List of Territories maintained in section Company Maintenance > Territories.

Account Manager (defaults to the Employee creating the Company) – Mandatory. The employee set here will be the default for any sub entities created. (e.g. The Opportunity Account Manager).

Telephone Number – This will become the default number set for any new contacts created for the company. This will also become the main number of the SL or PL account when converted.

Fax Number – This will become the fax number of the SL or PL account when converted.

Email Address – This will become the default email address set for any new contacts created for the company.

Website – The URL of the company’s website

Company Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Company.

It is also where the user enables subscribing themselves or their team to notifications on any new activities (Opportunities, Cases, Tasks etc). They can do this by clicking on the bell icon. (See section Notifications > Managing Notifications).

Company Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Opportunity, Task, Case, Email or Memo and view the change history relating to the specific Company (field value changes).

5. Company Maintenance

This section allows the user to customise areas of the Company entity to suit the individual needs of the business.

5.1. Company Sectors, Sources & Statuses

These all follow the same functionality of being able to add New, Edit, View or Delete.

In certain circumstances there are system types that the user cannot delete but can edit.

In all instances, these fields are limited to single select only.

The Company Sectors, Sources and Status fields are simple dropdown lists with no direct impact on the system

An example of this is the Company Status field:

5.2. Territories

Territories are used as another level of security that if enabled (within Settings > CRM Settings > Contacts > Enable Territories) and setup correctly allows the Administrator to limit access to data for specific users to the Territory assigned to them.

Once enabled, the Administrator can then setup the territories within the Company Maintenance section.

From here it is possible to Create New, Edit, View or Delete a Territory.

Once created the user can reposition, using drag and drop, the territory to any point in the hierarchy.

A little word of warning, all records begin with a blank territory. This means the record cannot be seen by anyone unless they also are not assigned a territory.

So, to all intents and purposes, the blank territory should be considered the top of the territorial hierarchy.

A parent territory will show all records within its own and records of its sub territories.

Territories are then assigned to Sicon CRM Employees (Users). This is managed under the section Employees > Maintain Employees.

In this instance if the Employee was given the Territory ‘Europe’, they would only be able to see Companies and their respective child data that had been set as Europe on the Company Details Tab.

Now when the Employee tries to do a Company Search, only two companies are displayed, because they are the only company records that have been given the Territory of ‘Europe’.

5.3. Company Types

The Company Type field is a system field. This field has effects on the system dependant on the type of value chosen. For example, if the Company Type is set to Supplier or Prospect Supplier it is not possible to add a sales quote or order. In addition, if this is NOT set to Prospect Customer / Supplier, it is not possible to convert the company to an account.

The below Types should never be removed as they are crucial to the functionality of Sicon CRM

Additional Types can be added but not recommended.

Customer – Where a Company is linked to a Sales Ledger account. Only a Customer can have a Sales Order raised against it if it is linked to a Sales Ledger account and the Type is set as Customer.

Prospect Customer – Where a Company is not linked to a Sales Ledger account but can have Sales Opportunities and Quotes recorded against them. Prospect Customers can be converted to a Customer Sales Ledger Account from the Account Tab – Convert to Customer Account. Prospect Customers cannot have Sales Orders, Proformas or Returns raised against them.

In order to use the Prospect Customer functionality, an Account must be setup in the Sales Ledger and then set as the Default Account for Prospect Quotes. This is done in SOP settings.

Create your Prospect Customer record and raise a quote against it.

This will be displayed in the Sales Ledger against the Prospect SL Account.

To Convert the Quote to an Order the user must first convert the Company from a Prospect Customer to a Customer. This is done through the Account tab and clicking on the Convert to Customer Account button. The user will be asked to confirm the Conversion.

Clicking Yes will then prompt the User to enter an Account Reference

If the user selects an account number that already exists a warning message will be displayed, and the user will not be allowed to proceed until they have typed a unique code.

The details held against the prospect Customer are copied over to the SL Account

Upon saving, the record will be created, a link established, and the Account tab will now display the details relating to that account.

Supplier – Where a Company is linked to a Purchase Ledger account. A Company can only have a Purchase Order or Purchase Order Return raised against it if it is linked to a Purchase Ledger account and the Type is set as Supplier.

Prospect Supplier – Where a Company is not linked to a Purchase Ledger account but can be converted to one from the Account Tab – Convert to Supplier Account.

End User – Allows a Case, Opportunity, Quote, Order, Proforma or Return to be associated with an End User Company. An End User Company can best be described as follows:

• Sicon sells Sage addons to a Business Partner.
• The Business Partner sells the Sicon addons to their Customer
• The Business Partner’s Customer is Sicon’s End User.
• Sicon’s End User record will never be a Sales Ledger record as they do not sell direct.
• Linking a Quote / Sales Order etc to an End User allows Sicon to identify which products the End User has been sold.

For Opportunities, the availability to select an End User company is defined in the Linked Companies tab. If a relationship with an End User is not set, they will not be available for selection. (See section Company Maintenance > Company Link Types).

End Users are not restricted to the Company Links for SOP documents. They must be of Type – End User.

Cases do not have the option to have End Users.

Prospect End User – A company / contact that may buy from a business partner in due course but has not yet been sold to.

5.4. Account Types

The Account Types field can be used to further categorise the Company Type. E.g. a Company of Type Customer could be further categorised as a Reseller by using the Account Type field.

The Account Type field is not linked to the Company Type and has no system effects.

5.5. Company Analysis Codes

As with most Sage 200 modules, the CRM entities come with the ability to add Analysis Codes.

Analysis codes are a series of fields which can be used to sub analyse the standard data. A customer can create up to 20 Analysis Codes for each entity. These analysis codes are entirely user defined.

These fields can take the form of Text, Date, Dropdown List (single select only), Numeric or Tick Box and can be made mandatory if required:

If Selected as a Drop-Down List, a grey ellipse button will be displayed. Clicking on it will allow the Administrator to add items to the list.

From the Company Entry screen the analysis codes are available under the Analysis Codes Tab. Please note, the Analysis codes tab will not display if no Analysis Codes have been enabled.

5.6. Company Link Types

Each Company can be linked to multiple companies to show relationships. A Company Link Type has two sides.

• The Source Company (the Company from which you are initiating the linking process)
• The Target Company (the Company to which you are linking)

There are a series of pre-defined Link Types

Each Link has an Opposing Link Type so when a user selects a company link, the link will be created for the other company with the opposing link type.

So if Abbey Retail has a link created with Airport Catering and the link is set to Subsidiary, this will show Abbey Retail as being a linked company of Link Type Parent Company.

New Link types can also be created

It is also possible to set the Account Type for a relationship if required.

End User – A specific feature in Sicon CRM is the ability to link an Opportunity to another Company / Person in addition to the main Customer. This can be achieved by selecting a Company in the Linked Companies Tab with a Link Type of End User.

Quote, Order, Return or Proforma are not restricted to the Link Type only the Company Type.

An End User record will only be available for selection if the relationship has been set in the Linked Companies tab. In this instance a Company called End User Company Ltd has been linked to Abbey Retail with a Link Type of End User.

Note – ANY company can be set with an End User relationship in the Linked Companies tab regardless of what Company Type they are.

Having created this link we can now select End User Company Ltd from the End User field on the Opportunity created for Abbey Retail.

This results in the Opportunity being displayed against both Abbey Retail and End User Company

A Quote, Order, Return or Proforma can also be linked to an End User but is not restricted to the Company Link Type but is restricted to the Company Type ‘End User’.

This information is then displayed against both the Customer Account Tab and the End User Account tab

Selecting an End User, depending on what the End User’s Delivery Address settings are (see Sicon CRM Settings > Contacts) you can set the delivery address details to be those of the End User rather than of the Customer record.

Establishing these sorts of relationships can facilitate various reporting possibilities. For example, All Sales Orders where the Subsidiary company is Airport Catering Services.

5.7. GDPR Analysis Codes

The Company GDPR Analysis Codes functionality provides the user with the means to set various choices specific to the Company record regarding their Marketing preferences.

The GDPR Analysis Codes for Company & People are maintained through the GDPR Analysis Codes menu item under Company > Maintenance. The same fields are displayed at both the Company & Person Level. However, values for a GDPR field set at the person Level override those values set at the Company Level.

The data types for GDPR analysis codes are the same as for standard Analysis Codes:

Text, Date, Drop-down List, Numeric, Tick Box

Where the data type Drop-down List is selected an ellipse button is displayed giving the user the ability to add different values. Note – Only single select Drop-down lists are available.

There is one GDPR field that is a system field and cannot be amended: Marketing Opt Out.

The marketing opt out field is automatically updated between CRM and Mailchimp if that integration is enabled.

5.8. Company Custom Fields

Within Sicon CRM it is possible to create up to 12 Custom fields for the Company entity.

These fields can be any of the following types:

Unlike Analysis Codes which are held in their own tab, the Custom Company fields are held on the main Company Details tab. It is possible to make the fields mandatory and to decide whether or not to add these fields onto the Company Search List and its corresponding filter.

Most of the custom type are self explanatory however, be advised of the following:

Employee – Gives you a list of Employees (Users) that can be selected from (e.g. Secondary Account Manager

Company – Gives you a list of Companies to select from (e.g. Secondary Company)

Person – Provides the user with two selection lists – 1 is the company and 2 is the list of people associated with that company. You must select a company to give you the list of people.

6. Company Utilities Menu

6.1. Migrate Sage 200 Contacts

This feature allows the immediate importing of the SL & PL Accounts along with all their static data (phone numbers, addresses etc) and their contact information into the Sicon CRM module creating a link between the two records.

For example, Better Kitchens is a pre-existing Sage 200 SL account, prior to implementing Sicon CRM.

By using the Migrate Sage 200 Contacts this data is automatically replicated into the Sicon CRM Company entity as a Type: Customer. If it was a Supplier, it would do exactly the same thing.

What do the check boxes mean?

Migrate Customers – whether to migrate Sales Ledger accounts or not

Migrate Suppliers – whether to migrate Purchase Ledger accounts or not

Migrate Delivery Addresses – whether to migrate each customer delivery address from SOP as separate address under the sales company, or to create each delivery address as a separate company in CRM.

Migrate New Accounts only* – whether to migrate only accounts that don’t exist in CRM already.

Scenarios:

• All four boxes ticked:

Will update any Customer or Supplier companies that have already been migrated, Migrate all SOP Delivery Addresses as either New Customer Companies or Add / Update existing Company addresses to existing Customer Companies

• Migrate Suppliers:

Will update existing Supplier Companies

• Migrate Customers:

Will update existing Customer Companies

• Migrate Suppliers and Migrate New Accounts only

Will just create New Supplier Companies

• Migrate Customers and Migrate New Accounts only

Will just create New Customer Companies

Please note, any future Accounts that are created in either the Sales or Purchase Ledgers will automatically create a new CRM Company of either Type Customer or Supplier and a link will be established

6.2. Importing Data

This feature includes importing, Company static data, Addresses, Memos and GDPR data.

These import features include the ability to validate the data to be imported and to generate Import templates.

Important

At this time a data import deduplicates solely based upon the Company name only. Where more than one company exists with the identical name the import validation will fail with an error.

Prior to running a data import it is worth making subtle changes to Company names to make them unique

Company Import Template

Company Import Screen and Validation Routine on Import file

Company fields that can be imported

Company / Person Addresses Import Template

Company / Person Address fields that can be imported

Company Memo fields that can be imported

Company Memo fields that can be imported

Company / Person GDPR Import Template

Company / Person GDPR fields that can be imported

The same information that can be imported can also be exported.

6.3. Exporting Data

This feature includes exporting Company static data, Company / Person Addresses, Company Memos and Company / Person GDPR data.

Below is an example of the Company static data export. All exports follow a similar process and data exported includes the same fields as those in the import templates

7. Company Tabs

7.1. Activity

See section Notifications for full details on the Activities functionality.

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for simply recorded Tasks.

The Company Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Company in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Opportunity is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

Memos can be launched directly from and will be recorded to the Activities tab

7.2. Summary

This Summary Tab (don’t mistake it with the Details tab) is automatically populated with certain static data entered into the Addresses and People Tabs. Those sections are read only from the Summary tab.

The summary tab also includes a section called Summary notes. This section is editable in the Summary tab and allows the user to add additional information regarding the company.

7.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Company. This contains standard and custom Company fields.

7.4. Analysis Codes

Additional unique information which can be gathered.

7.5. Addresses

Allows the creation of multiple addresses and also allows the user to define the Primary Address. Where a Company address is linked to the address of it’s corresponding Account, this is identified with a Link symbol. If the user has the necessary permissions, updating the address here will update the address of the SL or PL Account.

If the the Loquate addon is enabled, it is possible to search by postcode and select the address which will then automatically populate the address fields.

7.6. People

Allows the creation of multiple contacts and also allows the user to define the Primary Contact. Where a Company Contact is linked to the contact of it’s corresponding Account, this is identified with a Link symbol. If the user has the necessary permissions, updating the contact here will update the contact of the SL or PL Account.

The People Tab includes the ability to Filter them via a free text search against the First and Last names. This is helpful where Companies have a lot of contacts.

Where a contact is created in the context of the company from the People tab, that context is shown in the Company field and establishes the link between the Company and Person. Additional information can then be added to the Person record.

7.7. Account

When a Company record is not linked to an SL or PL account the Account tab displays a button (Convert to Customer / Supplier Account) which when clicked allows the user to populate the company with an Account Code. When saved this will create the account and create a link between the two.

Note – The Convert button is only available if the Company is set to a Company Type of Prospect Customer or Prospect Supplier.

Information held on the Company record that is common to both the Company and Account are automatically copied over.

The Company Type is then automatically set to Customer or Supplier.

At this time you must ensure that if a company already exists in CRM and then needs to be converted into Sage 200, the user must run the convert from CRM and not simply create a new account in Sage 200. If you do, this will result in a duplicate record being created (if an account is added directly to Sage 200 this will automatically create the corresponding Company in CRM).

Note – At this time there is no Merge record functionality in Sicon CRM.

Once the Company is linked to an Account a variety of information in lists and graphics relating to that account is displayed including Turnover, Quotes, Proformas and Sales Orders, Invoices, Credit Notes and Returns.

The graphics can be popped out using the full screen icons to the bottom right of each graphic.

From the Account tab, it is also possible to Create New Quotes, Proformas, Orders and Returns or Edit and View Quotes, Proformas and Sales Orders.

Note – It is not possible to link more than one company to a Sales Ledger Account. If attempted the following message is displayed:

The Sales Order Items Tab shows Stock items or Free Text lines that have been invoiced.

Customer / Supplier Account Creation Task

Where a user does not have access to the Enter New Customer or Enter New Supplier Account functions in Sage System Admin as below

The user can instead request for the Account to be created in CRM which will schedule a task for a given Team / User.

To do this, the default Team and / or User that need to be setup. (See section CRM Settings > Tasks).

Once the settings have completed if a user who does not have permission to create an account clicks on the Convert to Customer / Supplier button instead of being presented with the screen to fill in the Account Number, a task is automatically opened.

The Team and User are automatically populated with the Team and User set in the CRM settings. Once saved, the task is also sent as an Outlook invite and set in the user’s calendar.

The assigned team / user as set in the CRM Settings can then go to the Company and Convert the Company to an Account.

7.8. Tasks

The Tasks specifically relating to this Company and its sub entities. Outstanding tasks are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The tasks can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Tasks ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

7.9. Cases

Displays a list of all Cases that are attached to this Company and its sub entities. Outstanding Cases are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The Cases can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Cases ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

7.10. Opportunities

Displays a list of all Opportunities that are attached to this Company and its sub entities. Outstanding Opportunities are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The Opportunities can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Opportunities ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

7.11. Emails

Displays a list of all emails that are attached to this Company and its associated entities. The emails can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

Emails can be dragged and dropped from Outlook onto this tab – marked as In.

New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab – marked as Out. These emails are created using the internal email editor.

7.12. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a Company and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped here. All are held in the context of the Company and its associated entities.

Outlook .msg files can also be attached here.

7.13. Memos

Implicit from the name, this is a simple method of recording additional information. Memos have no ‘type’ and therefore would be best used as FYIs or something similar.

Memos are unlimited in the number of characters.

Memos are also recorded against the Activity tab

7.14. GDPR Analysis Codes

Are available under the GDPR Tab.

In this instance additional GDPR analysis codes have been created in addition to the system Marketing Opt Out. The GDPR Analysis codes have been created as dropdown lists and the Phone Marketing option set as Mandatory and marked accordingly (shaded in Red). The user must populate this field before any changes to the record can be saved.

GDPR Attachments

This gives the user the ability to store files, folders or links to information that is pertinent to the GDPR questions.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped here.

7.15. Linked Companies

From the Company entity the Linked Companies are displayed withing the Linked Companies Tab.

In this example the link is initiated from the company record Abbey Retail (the Source Company)

to the company record Airport Catering Services (the Target Company) and the Link type is specified.

In this example, Airport Catering is specified with the Link Type – Holding Company (see section Company Link Types).

Looking at the Airport Catering company record on the Linked Companies tab, we can see that the flip side of the relationship is automatically set (in this example the Link Type for Abbey Retail is a Subsidiary Company of Airport Catering).

7.16. Sales Orders

The Sales Orders tab displays a similar list view to the Sage 200 Sales Order List. The main difference is that all actions and displays are shown in the context of the Company they are linked to.

Where other Sicon addons are installed, additional tabs or buttons will be displayed – such as here where Contracts and Documents are installed.

8. People

8.1. Person Search

People can be searched by a series of standard and custom fields. Analysis Codes cannot be added to the Search screen.

From the list view:

• Columns can be moved left or right.
• A New Person can be created from the People List view.
• People can be opened in View mode (no data can be added or altered) & Edit mode.
• When highlighting the Person in the list view a New Task, Email, Case or Opportunity can be created ‘in context’ of the Person.
• When highlighting the Person in the list view a New Quote, Proforma, Order or Return can be created ‘in context’ of the Company the selected Person is linked to.
• At this point in time, entities can be deleted. This will be better controlled in a future release.
• It is also possible to create a New Customer or Supplier Account. Note – creating a New Customer or Supplier whilst highlighting a Contact in the list view does NOT create the Account in the context of the Company.

Note – Company can be linked to an Account in one of 3 ways:

• Run the Migrate Sage 200 Contacts (see Company Utilities)
• From the Accounts tab within the context of the Company and clicking on the Convert to Customer / Supplier button.
• Creating an Account in Sage 200 which will automatically create a company In Sicon CRM.

8.2. New Person

A Person can be created from various locations such the Person Search Screen or the New Person Menu item or Company People tab.

A Person must be created in the context of a company.

A new Person requires the user to complete the fields on the Details tab.

8.3. Understanding the Person Details Screen

Summary Tab

Displays Primary static data relating to the Person (Read Only).

Details Tab

Salutation – Dropdown list of formal addressing of the Person

First Name – The First name of the Person – Free text

Last Name – The Last name of the Person – Free text

Job Title – Description of the Job role of the Person relating to the Company – Free Text

Job Department – Description of the Department the Person relating to the Company works in – Free Text

External Reference –  Free Text

Gender – Description of the gender of the Person – Dropdown list

Company Name – Name of the Company – Mandatory – automatically populated if the Person record is created in context of a company

Source – Dropdown list of where the Person originally came from

Status – Whether the Person is an Active or Inactive employee of the company.

Telephone Number – This is automatically populated with the Telephone number of the company where the person is created in context. This will also become the main number of the contact of the SL or PL account when converted.

Mobile Number – This will become the mobile number of the contact on the SL or PL account when converted.

Person Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Company.

It is also where the user enables subscribing themselves or their team to notifications on any new activities (Opportunities, Cases, Tasks etc). They can do this by clicking on the bell icon. (See section Notifications > Managing Notifications).

Company Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Opportunity, Task, Case, Email or Memo and view the change history relating to the specific Company (field value changes).

9. Person Maintenance

This section allows the user to customise areas of the Person entity to suit the individual needs of the business.

9.1. Person Statuses

These all follow the same functionality of being able to add New, Edit, View or Delete.

In certain instances there are system types that the user cannot delete but can edit.

In all instances, these fields are limited to single select only.

A simple example of this is the Person Status field:

9.2. Person Analysis Codes

Analysis Codes follow the same format as Company Analysis Codes and are accessed from the Person Entry screen under the Analysis Codes Tab.

Person Analysis codes are entirely separate from the Analysis codes of any other entity.

9.3. Person Custom Fields

Person Custom Fields are managed within the Person Custom fields menu item.

Person Custom fields follow the same format as Company Custom fields and are accessed from the Person Entry screen.

The field types available are the same as any other entity.

Unlike Analysis Codes which are held in their own tab, the Person Custom fields are held on the main Person Details tab.

It is possible to make the fields mandatory and also to decide whether or not you wish to add these fields onto the Person Search List and its corresponding filter

Person Search view showing Custom field ‘Likes Golf’ in the Columns and in the Filters

It is also possible to search by the Person’s Postcode

9.4. Person GDPR Analysis Codes

There is one GDPR field that is a system field and cannot be amended: Marketing Opt Out.

The Person GDPR Analysis Codes functionality provides the user with the means to set various choices specific to the Person record regarding their Marketing preferences.

The GDPR Analysis Codes for People are maintained through the Company GDPR Analysis Codes. The same fields are displayed at both the Company & Person Level. However, values for a field set at the person Level override those values set at the Company Level.

10. Person Utilities Menu

10.1. Importing Data

Importing data into the Person entity follows the same method as the Company import.

This feature includes importing, Person Static Data and Memos.

These import features include the ability to validate the data to be imported and to Generate Import templates.

Important

At this time a data import deduplicates solely based upon the Company name only. Where more than one company exists with the identical name the import validation will fail with an error.

Prior to running a data import it is worth making subtle changes to Company names to make them unique

Person Import Template

Person Import Screen and Validation Routine on Import file

Person fields that can be imported

Person Memos Import Template

Person Memo fields that can be imported

The same information that can be imported can also be exported.

10.2. Exporting Data

This feature includes exporting Person static data and Memos.

Below is an example of the Person static data export. All exports follow a similar process and data exported includes the same fields as those in the import templates

11. Person Tabs

11.1. Activity

See section Activity > Recording Activities for full details.

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for creating a Task.

The Person Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Person in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Opportunity is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

Memos can be launched directly from and will be recorded to the Activities tab

11.2. Summary

This Summary Tab (don’t mistake it with the Details tab) is automatically populated with certain static data entered into the Addresses and People Tabs. Those sections are read only from the Summary tab.

11.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Person. This contains standard and custom Person fields.

11.4. Analysis Codes

Additional unique information which can be gathered based upon the Analysis codes setup in the People > Maintenance > Person Analysis Codes

11.5. Addresses

Allows the creation of multiple addresses and also allows the user to define the Primary Address.

It is possible to select an existing address in the context of the company the contact is linked to using the button ‘Add Existing’.

If the the Loquate addon is enabled, it is possible to search by postcode and select the address which will then automatically populate the address fields.

11.6. Tasks

The Tasks specifically relating to this Person and its sub entities. Outstanding tasks are identified by a red circle with a number within it.

The tasks can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

New Tasks ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

11.7. Cases

Displays a list of all Cases that are attached to this Person and its sub entities. Outstanding Cases are identified by a red circle with a number within it.

From here Cases can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

New Cases ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

11.8. Opportunities

Displays a list of all Opportunities that are attached to this Person and its sub entities. Outstanding Opportunities are identified by a red circle with a number within it.

From here Opportunities can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

New Opportunities ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

11.9. Emails

Displays a list of all emails that are attached to this Person and its associated entities. The emails can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

Emails can be dragged and dropped from Outlook onto this tab – marked as In.

New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab – marked as Out. These emails are created using the internal email editor.

11.10. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a Person and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped here. All are held in the context of the Person and its sub entities.

11.11. Memos

Implicit from the name, this is a simple method of recording additional information. Memos have no ‘type’ and therefore would be best used as FYIs or something similar.

Memos are unlimited in the number of characters.

Memos are recorded to the Activity Tab

Memo List

New Memo

Edit Memo

New Memo added to Activity

11.12. GDPR Analysis Codes

Are available under the GDPR Tab.

In this instance the additional GDPR analysis codes have been created in addition to the system Marketing Opt Out. The GDPR Analysis codes have been created as dropdown lists and the Phone Marketing option set as Mandatory and marked accordingly (shaded in Red). The user must populate this field before any changes to the record can be saved.

GDPR Attachments

This gives the user the ability to store files, folders or links to information that is pertinent to the GDPR questions.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped here.

GDPR settings stored against a Person record override their associated company record.

12. Sicon CRM Settings

12.1. Licence

This is where you enter your licence key to use Sicon CRM.

12.2. Employees

This is where you set additional permissions for the user. These are:

• Exporting data from CRM to Excel

• Send tasks to your calendar (effectively enables the creation of CRM tasks into yours or other users Outlook calendars).
• Edit records that are linked between Sicon CRM and Sage 200 (e.g. Company Address and SL Account Address).

• In addition, the User (licence) level can be altered here:

• Other Permissions

Restrict User Access to viewing Cost / Margin information from the Sales Opportunity

• Restrict User access to the Sales / Purchase Order Tab (Enable SOP or POP Desktop List)

• Restrict Access to Sales Turnover and Sales History

12.3. Contacts

This is where the Administrator can:

Add their API Key for Loqate (Postcode Search sold separately)

Enable End Users – (see sections Company Maintenance > Company Types / Company Link Types).

Set SOP Delivery Address to End User Address – When an End User is selected the delivery address is set to the address of the End User rather than the invoice address of the SL Account (see Company Maintenance > Company Link Types).

SOP Delivery Address Sync Mode – Where an SOP delivery address is created does it add the address to the CRM Company, Create a New CRM Company or not sync to CRM at all.

Enable Territories (see section Company Maintenance > Territories).

Enable SOP Desktop List, Turnover and Sales History and POP Desktop List security that can subsequently be specified at a user level (see section Company Maintenance > Company Types).

12.4. Tasks

Customer / Supplier Account Automatic Task creation

When a user attempts to create a Sales or Purchase Ledger account in Sage 200 from a prospect record in CRM, and they do not have permission in Sage to create those accounts, Sicon CRM will automatically create a Customer / Supplier Account Creation task. The default team and default employee are then used to decide which person the task is sent to and added to that user as a Tentative appointment in Outlook.

Add Tracking Note

When a Task is changed is the Tracking Note screen Displayed but not Mandatory, Displayed and is Mandatory or is not displayed at all

12.5. Cases

In Sicon CRM there is a section on the main menu referred to as Dashboards.

Within the Dashboard menu there are six specific dashboards which are referred to as:

My Customer Service – Where a Case is Assigned to the logged on user regardless of Case Type or Team

Team Customer Service – Where a Case is Assigned to a Team and is filtered by Team regardless of Case Type

My Quality Control – Where a Case is Assigned to the Logged on user and the Case Type is Quality Control

Team Quality Control – Where a Case is Assigned to a Team and the Case Type is Quality Control. This Dashboard has a filter at the bottom of the screen which allows the user to filter by other teams. 

My Credit Control – Where a Case is Assigned to the Logged on user and the Case Type is Credit Control

Team Credit Control – Where a Case is Assigned to a Team and the Case Type is Credit Control. This Dashboard has a filter at the bottom of the screen which allows the user to filter by other teams.

The purpose of the above two settings is to select which case type should be used for the cases you want to appear on these two dashboard sets.

Add Tracking Note

When a Case is changed is the Tracking Note screen Displayed but not Mandatory, Displayed and is Mandatory or is not displayed at all

12.6. Opportunities

Enable Tenders – allows the Administrator to turn Tenders on or off.

Tenders are used by Companies who get multiple opportunities for the same work but the opportunity can only be realised once. For example, there is a project to build a new conference hall.

This building could consist of many products, two of which are the customer’s main areas of business.

Many subcontractors may want a quote from the company to supply them with glass or metal to in turn make the bid to the End Customer is Inviting Tenders for the building contract.

By placing these opportunities into a Tender and specifying which opportunity is the one you wish to include into your forecast, you can avoid double counting of opportunities and overinflating your forecast.

Tenders are covered under section 23 of this document.

Add Opportunity / Tender Tracking Note

When an Opportunity or Tender is changed is the Tracking Note screen Displayed but not Mandatory, Displayed and is Mandatory or is not displayed at all

12.7. Campaigns

Allows the Administrator to enable using Mailchimp Integration.

The user must acquire an API Key from within their Mailchimp Account (see https://mailchimp.com/help/about-api-keys/#Find_or_generate_your_API_key)

MailChimp Campaigns are covered in section Campaigns of this document.

12.8. Email

Allows the Administrator to set the SMTP details of their mail server.

This allows users to send emails directly out of Sicon CRM but still using their Outlook Profile.

When an email is sent this appears in the Sent Items of the employee who sent the email.

The SMTP setup also enables users to schedule Tasks for another user or themselves which gets sent as an email invite and references the record that the Task has been scheduled in the context of.

Assistance from the IT provider of the Customer may be required to set this up correctly as Send on Behalf of / Send As permissions may need to be set.

Tasks & Invites are covered in section 16 of this document.

12.9. Mobile

This section allows the user to scan the QR code for using the Mobile App and will prompt the installation on the users mobile phone.

The App is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. (See section Installation > Installing Sicon CRM Mobile).

12.10. Employee Login Details (for web & app)

These details are held under the section Employees in the Sicon CRM menu

This menu item allows the user to be able to see their Web / App User name and set their own.

12.11. Common

Enable Notifications for Subscriptions – This setting enables users to be able to receive notifications on changes that have been made to specific records. (See section Notifications).

13. Email Templates

This section allows the user to create specific email templates relating to specific entities.

The fields relating to the entity (such as cases) include the entity fields and other commonly required fields from other entities such as Company & People.

Click New, add the description for the template, identify which entity this template is for and what Type of Email it is (see section Company Tabs > Emails).

Once this is created, the template becomes available for that entity to design.

From the right hand side of the screen are the available fields for that template / entity. You can drag and drop fields from the right hand side to the Subject or Body of the email.

The user can also add attachments to an email at the point of launching the email or can pre-set them at the point of creating the template.

At this point in time, it is only possible to create email templates for Tasks, Cases and Opportunities.

Once your template has been created you can launch a new email and select the email template.

For example, go to a Case and click on New Email. This will open a New email form and allow you to choose a template that is relevant to that entity:

The user can also add attachments to an email at the point of launching the email or can pre-set them at the point of creating the template.

At this point in time, it is only possible to create email templates for Tasks, Cases and Opportunities.

14. Maintenance

14.1. Reminder Types

These are used when a user creates a Task and wants to be reminded in X amount of time to do the task. These types are setup as standard.

Adding or altering Type is simple.

Note – The Number field is not relevant and can be left as 100.

14.2. Snooze Types

Very similar to Reminder types they are used when a user has created a task with a reminder and they wish to snooze the reminder for X amount of time.

14.3. Email Types

This is a simple dropdown list of types of email and can be used in conjunction with the email templates / email functionality to set a type at the point of creating the email.

15. Employees

15.1. Maintain Employees

A user is created and details maintained within the Maintain Employees section of Sicon CRM which is held within the main menu section, Employees:

For Sicon CRM only a few details are required for the user setup as identified below

Details

If the user is also a Sage 200 user, their records can be linked together but the Sicon Employee still needs to be created.

Username & Password: These credentials are for logging into Sicon CRM Web and App and must meet certain criteria.

Contact Details

The above details are self-explanatory however, the CRM Tab requires further explanation.

Ensure you enter the email address for the employee. This is used for notifying scheduling appointments to outlook and sending emails directly from CRM.

CRM Tab

User Licence Level

The user licence level is the level of functionality rights that a user has:

• None – No Access to Sicon CRM
• Basic – Access to Companies, People and Tasks
• Intermediate – Access to Companies, People, Tasks, Opportunities and Cases
• Advanced – Access to Companies, People, Tasks, Opportunities and Cases and Campaigns

Edit Sage Linked Records

If ticked, the functionality allows Employees to update the Sage 200 records that are linked to their respective Sicon CRM records. Fields that are linked are identified with a small link icon. If these fields are modified they will automatically update the SL / PL account they are linked to. Please note, the fields within the SL / PL accounts do not show that icon.

Territories

This field is only displayed if territories are enabled (see sections Sicon CRM Settings > Contacts and Company Maintenance > Territories).

A user is assigned a territory.

That user is restricted to only being able to see / access companies and their associated records assigned to that territory or sub territory.

Sales Target Year

Allows the Administrator to set the Sales Targets for each employee. This is then compared with actual Opportunities, Orders and Invoices for that Employee on the My Sales / Team Sales Dashboards:

The orders and returns have an additional field called Account Manager that identifies which Orders and Returns are associated with which Account Manager in CRM.

Invoices refer to stock items and Free Text items that have actually been invoiced.

15.2. Maintain Teams

This section allows the Administrator to create or maintain teams that an Employee is then assigned to:

Teams are relevant in various areas such as Analysis of Cases, Opportunities, Orders and Dashboards.

There are additional tabs displayed here which are relevant to additional Sicon modules that have been installed but are not relevant to this guide.

16. Campaigns

16.1. Maintenance - Audiences

Sicon CRM integrates with Mailchimp allowing the creation of Audiences based upon search criteria against CRM data that will then upload to Mailchimp. The user can then create a Campaign and merge their Mailchimp template with the data that has been created from the search criteria.

To setup an Audience, the user is required to populate the below information

16.2. Audience Details

Go to Sicon CRM > Campaigns > Maintenance > Audiences

Click New and enter Audience details

16.3. Criteria

To create your search criteria you need to add a New Filter. Select the field(s) that you want to search by and then specify the filter mode (Equal, Not Equal, Like etc) and then the Value that you wish to filter by.

Clicking on the Preview button will then produce a list of contacts.

Click Save and the Audience will be updated with the new criteria which in turn will update the members list.

Note – the labels are not displayed here so you need to know the actual field names.

16.4. Members

This will get populated as soon as the Audience is saved.

Your available Audience is now displayed.

This will also have created / updated the Audience details in Mailchimp.

16.5. Create Campaign

Go to Sicon CRM > Campaigns > New Campaign

Click New and enter the Campaign name

Select your Audience from the drop down list. The details will be automatically populated from the details of the Audience you setup earlier. You can also rename the Campaign name at this point.

Click Save

16.6. Send Campaign

Go to Mailchimp, login and then click on Campaigns:

Select your campaign by clicking on the name. The Campaign should be available to Send.

You will receive a prompt before sending the email.

Click Send Now.

You will then receive a confirmation notice:

16.7. Campaign Link / Statistics

If you go back to the Campaign in Sicon CRM and click view, you will notice that the link between Sicon CRM and Mailchimp has been created and some basic statistics are shown.

Email is opened:

The statistics are updated within Sicon CRM.

16.8. Opportunities

Opportunities can be linked to a Campaign which allows for analysing the success of a campaign relative to the number of opportunities, their value and their Outcomes.

16.9. Troubleshooting

If you have setup a free Mailchimp account you will only be allowed to create one audience (you will need an actual subscription to create more). This is a Mailchimp restriction not a Sicon CRM one.

If you have already created the Campaign in Mailchimp and sent a Campaign, you will not be able to delete that audience for 1 week.

If you do attempt to create another Audience you will receive the following error:

17. Cases

Cases allow a user to log customer service issues arising from a multitude of reasons.

17.1. Case Search

Cases can be searched by a series of standard fields and also by Custom case fields which can be added to both the search fields and the columns displayed.

From the list view:

• A graphic is displayed showing Cases by Stage.
• A list view which consist of pre-defined system fields and custom fields where columns can be moved left or right.
• Filters which consist of pre-defined system fields and custom fields.
• New Cases can be created.
• Cases can be opened in View mode (no data can be added or altered) or Edit mode.
• When highlighting the Case in the list view a Task or an Email can be created ‘in context’ of the case.

17.2. New Case

A case can be created from various locations such as from the Cases dashboard, the case search screen, or the case tabs from Company or person.

A case cannot be saved ‘Out of Context’. A case must be associated with a Company.

A new Case requires the user to complete the Summary and Details fields.

Once the case has been created the Summary and Description fields are displayed in the own tab – Summary.

17.3. Understanding the Case Details Screen

Summary – Brief description of the issue – Mandatory

Description – Further Detail on the Case – Not Mandatory

Company – Company the case is associated with – Mandatory

Person – Person the case is associated with – Not Mandatory

Assigned Employee and Team (defaults to the Employee and Team who is creating the case) – Mandatory

Case Type – To identify the type of case this relates to. This becomes important as the case type is used to identify what type of case is used in the in the Quality Control and Credit Control Dashboards (as described below). – Mandatory

Stage – The point in the ‘Workflow’ the case currently sits – Mandatory

Severity – How important the case is – Mandatory

Due Date – The date the Case is expected to be completed by – Not Mandatory

SLA – The period of time that can elapse prior to the case being identified as being overdue based on its Due Date – Not Mandatory – SLAs have no further functionality at this time.

Note – No workflow or escalation rules are available at this time.

Case Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Case.

Case Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Task or email and view the change history relating to the specific case.

18. Case Maintenance

18.1. Case Stages

The number of stages that can be created is unlimited.

A Case Stage can be designated as the Default (as in the standard stage the Case will automatically be set to upon creating a new Case).

Multiple stages can be set as a closed stage. If a Case is set to a stage with a designation of Closed, the Case can no longer be considered overdue.

Any case stage is considered to be ‘active’ unless it has been set as closed.

18.2. Case Types

The number of Case Types that can be created is unlimited.

A Case Type can be designated as the Default (as in the standard Type the Case will automatically be set to upon creating a new Case).

Any case type can be chosen to be set as the Credit Control or Quality Control types used in the Credit Control or Quality Control dashboards (see Dashboards).

18.3. Case Severities

The number of Severity Types that can be created is unlimited.

A Severity can be designated as the Default Severity (as in the case is set to when it is created) by creating it and then clicking on the Make Default button.

Note – The number field displayed when creating a new Severity must be unique.

18.4. Case Analysis Codes

Case Analysis Codes follow the same format as Company Analysis Codes and are accessed from the Person Entry screen under the Analysis Codes Tab.

Case Analysis codes are entirely separate from the Analysis codes of any other entity.

18.5. Case SLAs

The number of SLAs that can be created is unlimited.

An SLA can be designated as the Default SLA (as in the case is set to when it is created) by creating it and then clicking on the Make Default button.

When creating an SLA, in addition to a Description, the user can also specify any combination of Days, Hours or Minutes that SLA should be resolved in. At this time the SLAs timings do not have any further effect. There are no escalation rules that run based upon the timings set.

18.6. Case Custom Fields

Within Sicon CRM it is possible to create up to 12 Custom fields for the Case entity.

Case Custom fields follow the same format as the Custom fields of any other entity and are accessed from the Case Details screen.

The field types available are the same as any other entity.

Unlike Analysis Codes which are held in their own tab, the Case Custom fields are held on the main Case Details tab.

It is possible to make the fields mandatory and also to decide whether or not you wish to add these fields onto the Case Search List and its corresponding filter.

19. Case Tabs

19.1. Activity

See section Activity > Recording Activities for full details

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for creating a Task.

The Case Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Case in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Case is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

Tracking Notes can be launched directly from and will be recorded to the Activities tab

19.2. Summary

The Case Summary Tab is automatically populated with certain data entered into the Case Details Tab when the Case was originally created. This consists of the Header (which is read only) and the actual Summary and Description fields (which are editable).

19.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Case. This contains standard and custom Case fields (see Understanding the Case Details screen).

19.4. Analysis Codes

Additional unique information which can be gathered based upon the Analysis codes setup in the Case > Maintenance > Case Analysis Codes

19.5. Tasks

The Tasks specifically relating to this case. Outstanding tasks are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The tasks can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Tasks and New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

19.6. Emails

Displays a list of all emails that are attached to this Case and its associated entities. The emails can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

Emails can be dragged and dropped from Outlook onto this tab – marked as In.

New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab – marked as Out. These emails are created using the internal email editor.

Emails can also be created by selecting an available template (see section Maintenance > Email Types).

19.7. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a case and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped to here. All are held in the context of the specific Case.

19.8. Quotes & Orders

This screen is split between a list of Quotes/Orders/Proformas/Returns and when highlighted, the item lines relating to it.

New Quotes / Order / Proformas & Returns can be created from a case and will be displayed on the Quotes and orders tab. However, only the Orders and Returns forms have a Cases tab. Therefore it would make sense NOT to create Quotes or Proformas from a Case.

Depending on the document type, it is possible to Covert, Print, Edit, View or Delete. These then follow the Standard Sage 200 processes.

From the Quotes & Orders tab it is possible to an SOP document to an Account Manager, Opportunity and End User.

The Account Manager field is automatically populated with the account manager of the Company the document is for. The Opportunity and End User fields can be manually populated.

Where an Order or Return is created from a Case, the Case should be listed on the Cases Tab.

Where a Case is created from an Order or a Return, the Order or Return should be displayed against the Case

Notes:

Currently – Creating a document in the context of a case does not display the Case on the cases tab of the document.

Currently – Creating a case in the context of a document does not display the document on the Quotes / Order tab of the case.

Creating documents in the context of a Case does not create an activity on the activity tab of the case.

The Cases tab is only displayed on Orders or Returns.

19.9. Tracking

This allows the user to record notes as the Case progresses.

Case Tracking Notes are added to the Case Activity Tab

20. Case Utilities

20.1. Importing Data

Importing data into the Case entity follows the same method as the Company import.

This feature includes importing, Person Static Data and Memos.

These import features include the ability to validate the data to be imported and to Generate Import templates.

Important

At this time a data import deduplicates solely based upon the Company name only. Where more than one company exists with the identical name the import validation will fail with an error.

Prior to running a data import it is worth making subtle changes to Company names to make them unique.

Also, if the user attempts to import a Case where a contact name is specified and the contact does not exist within CRM, the validation will fail. All required contacts need to exist in CRM before sub entities are imported (Tasks, Cases or Opportunities).

Case Import Template

Case Import Screen and Validation Routine on Import file

Case fields that can be imported

20.2. Exporting Case Data

Below is an example of the Case static data export. All exports follow a similar process and data exported includes the same fields as those in the import templates

This feature includes exporting Case Static Data, Analysis Codes & Custom Fields.

21. Tasks

Tasks as the title says allows a user to schedule a ‘Task’.

Tasks in Outlook are displayed as Appointments in the Outlook Calendar.

21.1. Task Search

Tasks can be searched by a series of standard fields. Analysis Codes cannot be added to the Search screen and Tasks do not have custom fields which can be searched by.

From the list view:

• Columns can be moved left or right.
• Tasks can be opened in View mode (no data can be added or altered) & Edit mode.
• New Tasks or Emails can be created

Task Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Task.

Task Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Task or Email and view the change history relating to the specific Task.

Note – If a task has been created in the context of another entity, another button will be displayed which allows the user to open the entity that task is related to. In this instance the task is related to an Opportunity.

Note – For all entities other than Companies and People, it is only possible to create a task ‘in context’ by going to the context / entity, going to the Tasks Tab and Clicking new task. It is also not possible to add context to an existing task after creating it other than Companies and People.

So if you wish to create a task for an opportunity, you must go to the opportunity task tab, new task as there is no field for you to add against the task for the Opportunity after.

21.2. New Task

A Task can be created from various locations such as a dashboard, the Task search screen, or the Tasks tabs from Company, Person, a specific Order, Quote etc.

If a Task is created ‘in context’ (i.e. under the tab of a company or person), the Company and Person fields against the case are populated. If the case is created ‘Out of context’, then the context must manually be set.

A new Task requires the user to complete the Summary and Details fields.

21.3. Scheduling a Task / Outlook Integration

Tasks can be scheduled for a user which will in turn automatically be emailed to that user and logged as an Appointment in the user’s calendar. For example, a Task is scheduled against Hayley Bass who is a contact of Abbey Retail Ltd. The task is assigned to an Employee (who has been setup in the Employees section within the Sicon CRM main menu – see Maintain Employees)

That appointment is given a start and end date / time and a reminder Date / Time.

The task is automatically sent as a calendar invite to the user’s email address and added to the users Calendar as a Tentative appointment for the user to Accept or Decline.

Naturally as the Task has been given a reminder, this appears as a reminder in Outlook.

The Task is shown against the contact’s record and where there are outstanding tasks, the Task Tab displays a number in a red circle identifying how many there are:

The task is also displayed in the employee’s Dashboards

21.4. Understanding the Task Details Screen

Summary – Brief description of the Task – Mandatory

Description – Further Detail on the Task – Not Mandatory

Company & Person – to whom the case is associated with (because this may be a task purely associated with the User or their Team)

Assigned Employee and Team (defaults to the Employee and Team who is creating the Task) – Mandatory. Please note – At this time it is not possible to schedule a Task for more than one user per task.

Task Type – To identify the type of case this relates to. This becomes important as the Task type is used to identify what type of Task is used in the Quality Control and Credit Control Dashboards (as described earlier). – Mandatory

Stage – The point the Task currently sits – Mandatory

Priority – How important the Task is – Mandatory

Due / Start Date – The date the Task is scheduled to Start

End Date – The date the Task is scheduled to Finish

Reminder Type – The amount of time before or after the due date that the user wishes to be reminded by (e.g. 10 minutes before the appointment is scheduled to begin).

Reminder Time – As set by the Reminder Type.

21.5. On Screen Reminders

Where a Task has been assigned and has been given a Reminder Type and Date / Time a screen popup will be displayed showing all tasks that meet the reminder criteria

The reminder can be dismissed, snoozed or opened from this screen.

21.6. Follow Up Tasks

From within a Task, it is possible to create a ‘Follow Up’ Task. This behaves exactly the same as any other task, however, a follow up task becomes part of a thread of tasks and is denoted by a button with chevrons in the Footer which allows the user to move backwards and forwards through the thread of tasks.

22. Task Maintenance

This is the section where the various settings required to configure Tasks are set.

22.1. Task Types

The number of Task Types that can be created is unlimited.

A Type can be designated as the Default Type (as in the Task is set to when it is created) by creating it and then clicking on the Make Default button.

Note – When creating a Task Type a Number field is displayed. This will increment to the next available number. The number field must be unique.

Task Type Name – The Description of the Task Type.

Linked to – To filter down the task types available to the specified entity (and sub type for cases).

Sub type – Sub Types are only relevant to cases. The drop down is displayed when ‘Linked to’ is set to Case.

22.2. Task Stages

The number of Task Stages that can be created is unlimited.

A Task Stage can be designated as the Default (as in the standard stage the task will automatically be set to upon creating a new task).

Multiple stages can be set as a closed stage.

If a Task is set to a stage with a designation of Closed, the Task can no longer be considered overdue.

Any Task Stage is considered to be ‘active’ unless it has been set as closed.

22.3. Priorities

The number of Task Priorities that can be created is unlimited.

A Task Priority can be designated as the Default (as in the standard Priority the task will automatically be set to upon creating a new task).

Note – The number field displayed when creating a new Type must be unique. The field will increment to the next available number when a new Priority is created

22.4. Task Analysis Codes

As with most Sage 200 modules, the CRM entities come with the ability to add Analysis Codes.

Analysis codes are a series of fields which can be used to sub analyse the standard data. A customer can create up to 20 Analysis Codes for each entity. These analysis codes are entirely user defined.

These fields can take the form of Text, Date, Dropdown List (single select only), Numeric or Tick Box and can be made mandatory if required:

If Selected as a Drop-Down List, a grey ellipse button will be displayed. Clicking on it will allow the Administrator to add items to the list.

From the Task Entry screen the analysis codes are available under the Analysis Codes Tab

Note – Tasks do not have Custom Fields.

23. Task Utilities

23.1. Importing Task Data

Importing data into the Task entity follows the same method as the Case import.

This feature includes importing, Case Static Data, Analysis Codes. Tasks do not have custom fields and therefore there is no means to import custom data into anywhere other than the Analysis Codes.

These import features include the ability to validate the data to be imported and to Generate Import templates.

Important

At this time a data import deduplicates solely based upon the Company name only. Where more than one company exists with the identical name the import validation will fail with an error.

Prior to running a data import it is worth making subtle changes to Company names to make them unique.

Also, if the user attempts to import a task where a contact name is specified and the contact does not exist within CRM, the validation will fail. All required contacts need to exist in CRM before sub entities are imported (Tasks, Cases or Opportunities).

Task Import Template

Task Import Screen and Validation Routine on Import file

Task fields that can be imported

23.2. Exporting Task Data

Below is an example of the Opportunity static data export. All exports follow a similar process and data exported includes the same fields as those in the import templates

This feature includes exporting Opportunity Static Data, Analysis Codes & Custom Fields.

24. Task Tab

24.1. Activity

See section Activity > Recording Activities for full details

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for creating a Task.

The Task Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Task in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Case is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

24.2. Summary

The Task Summary Tab is automatically populated with certain data entered into the Task Details Tab when the Task was originally created. This consists of the Header (which is read only) and the actual Summary and Description fields (which are editable).

24.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Task. This contains standard fields (see Understanding the Task Details screen). Note – Tasks do not have custom fields.

24.4. E-mails

Displays a list of all emails that are attached to this Task and its associated entities. The emails can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

Emails can be dragged and dropped from Outlook onto this tab – marked as In.

New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab – marked as Out. These emails are created using the internal email editor.

Emails can also be created by selecting an available template (see section Maintenance > Email Types).

24.5. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a Task and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped to here. All are held in the context of the specific Task.

24.6. Change History

What details have been modified for the Task, by whom and when are logged within the Tasks Change History and can be viewed by clicking on the Change History button.

Unlike the Activity tab, change history records changes made at a field level on the specific record. It does not record items such as sending an email in the context of the record.

24.7. Tracking

This section allows the user to effectively progress the Task rather than continuously updating the details of the task.

Task Tracking Notes are added to the Task Activity Tab

25. Opportunities

Opportunities are the potential to win business whereas a quote is simply one of many documents that may relate to the opportunity.

25.1. Opportunity Search

Opportunities can be searched by a series of standard fields. Analysis Codes cannot be added to the Search screen, however custom fields which can be searched by and added to the search filters.

From the list view:

• A series of graphics displaying Opportunities by Stage and key overall information, Opportunity Forecast etc
• Columns can be moved left or right.
• Opportunities can be opened in View mode (no data can be added or altered) & Edit mode.
• An Opportunity cannot be created (out of context).
• When highlighting the Opportunity in the list view a Task or an Email can be created ‘in context’ of the Opportunity.

Opportunity Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Opportunity.

Opportunity Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Task or Email and view the Change History relating to the specific Opportunity.

25.2. New Opportunity

An Opportunity can be created from various locations such as a Sales Dashboard, the Opportunity search screen, or the Opportunities tab from Company or Person.

An opportunity cannot be created ‘out of context’. It must be associated with a Company Record of Type Customer or Prospect Customer.

A new Opportunity requires the user to complete the Summary and Details Tabs.

Summary – Brief description of the Opportunity – Mandatory

Description – Further Detail on the Opportunity – Not Mandatory

25.3. Understanding the Opportunity Details screen

Company & Person – to whom the Opportunity is associated with. The opportunity must have an associated Company.

Assigned Employee and Team (defaults to the Employee and Team who is creating the Opportunity) – Mandatory.

Stage – Identifying the perceived point in the Sales Process the opportunity is currently sat and its associated likelihood of being Won – Mandatory

Expected Order date –The date the user expects the Opportunity to convert to Won – Not Mandatory

Expected Invoice date –The expected date the user expects the Opportunity to be actually paid for – Not Mandatory

Currency – The currency specified against the Company. Note – the currency cannot be altered if the Company is linked to an Account – Mandatory

Classification – Identifying the perceived quality of the Opportunity and its associated likelihood of being won – Not Mandatory

Probability – The % likelihood of the opportunity being won. This can be either manually entered or calculated based upon the probabilities associated with the settings on the Classification and Stage field – Mandatory.

Opportunity Value – The estimated value of the sales enquiry. This value can either be set manually or automatically set by the total quote value if a quote has been created in the context of the opportunity.

Forecast Value – The weighted value of the opportunity – As calculated by the Opportunity value (£) x Probability (%). Automatically calculated.

Cost Value – The estimated costs expected to be incurred in winning the opportunity. This can be either entered manually or automatically calculated from the sum of the costs of the individual lines of the Quote / Order

Margin Value – Opportunity Value (£) – Cost Value (£) – Automatically calculated

Margin % – Margin Value as expressed as a percentage.

Outcome – Effectively the end result after the opportunity has been worked through it’s process to completion.

Access to Costs and Margin fields in CRM are controlled by the Employee settings (see section Sicon CRM Settings > Employees).

Tender – The business may have multiple opportunities that all relate to a specific project. In these circumstances only one of those opportunities can be realised. To ensure that the business’s pipeline is not overstated a Tender can be created, multiple opportunities assigned but the Tender only has one ‘Primary’ opportunity which is used as the value. An opportunity can be linked to a Tender from the Tender dropdown list.

End User Company – This is where the opportunity is for an intermediary business where there is an End Customer (for example a Business Partner to their customer).

End User Person – Contact of the End User Company

Campaign – A dropdown list of marketing Campaigns that have been created in the Campaigns section of Sicon CRM (see section Campaigns). This allows the user to be able to report on the effectiveness of e-marketing campaigns by associating them to the opportunity.

26. Opportunity Maintenance

26.1. Outcomes

Effectively the end result after the opportunity has been worked through it’s process to completion.

Additional Outcomes can be created.

26.2. Classifications

Identifying the perceived quality of the Opportunity, its associated likelihood of being won and the ability to set which Classification is the default when creating a new opportunity.

Additional Classifications can be created.

Classifications can automatically affect the calculated value of an opportunity. For example an Opportunity worth £100 with a classification of ‘Cold’ would have a weighted value of £25.

26.3. Opportunity Stages

Identifying the perceived point in the Sales Process the opportunity is at, its associated likelihood of being Won and the ability to set which Stage is the default when creating a new opportunity.

The number of Opportunity Stages that can be created is unlimited. An Opportunity Stage can be designated as the Default (as in the standard stage the Opportunity will automatically be set to upon creating a new opportunity) and multiple stages can be designated as closed. If an Opportunity is set to a stage with a designation of Closed, it will no longer be considered in the Opportunity Forecast.

Stages can automatically affect the calculated weighted value of an opportunity. For example an Opportunity worth £100 with a classification of ‘Lead’ would have a weighted value of £10.

However, Opportunity Stages can also interact with Opportunity Classifications to calculate the weighted value of an opportunity. For example an Opportunity worth £100 with a classification of ‘Hot’ and at the Stage of ‘Negotiating’ would have a weighted value of £18.75.

26.4. Tender Stages

Identifying the perceived point in the Tender Process to set which Stage is the default and which Stage is perceived as Closed.

When an opportunity associated with a Tender is Closed and Won, the Tender is closed and all other opportunities related to that Tender are considered to be Closed / Lost.

26.5. Opportunity Analysis Codes

Opportunity Analysis Codes behave in the same manner as any other entity’s Analysis Codes

From the Opportunity Entry screen the analysis codes are available under the Opportunity Analysis Codes Tab.

26.6. Opportunity Custom Fields

Opportunity Custom fields behave in the same manner as any other entity’s custom fields.

26.7. Quotes & Orders

Where a Quote has been created in the context of an opportunity, on saving of the quote a popup screen is displayed asking you to confirm which Quote Lines you wish to include for the calculation of the Opportunity Value.

You can now see that the Opportunity Value has been calculated based upon the total of the line items included in the quote.

The Opportunity Value can still be manually overridden if the user chooses to.

27. Opportunity Tabs

27.1. Activity

See section Activity > Recording Activities for full details

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for creating a Task.

The Opportunity Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Opportunity in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Opportunity is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

Tracking Notes can be launched directly from and will be recorded to the Activities tab

27.2. Summary

The Opportunity Summary Tab is automatically populated with certain data entered into the Opportunity Details Tab when the Opportunity was originally created. This consists of the Header (which is read only) and the actual Summary and Description fields (which are editable).

27.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Opportunity. This contains standard and custom Opportunity fields (see Understanding the Opportunity Details screen).

27.4. Analysis Codes

Additional unique information which can be gathered based upon the Analysis codes setup in the Opportunity > Maintenance > Opportunity Analysis Codes

27.5. Tasks

The Tasks specifically relating to this Opportunity. Outstanding tasks are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The tasks can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Tasks and New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

27.6. Emails

Displays a list of all emails that are attached to this Opportunity and its associated entities. The emails can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

Emails can be dragged and dropped from Outlook onto this tab – marked as In.

New Emails ‘in context’ can be created from this tab – marked as Out. These emails are created using the internal email editor.

Emails can also be created by selecting an available template (see section Maintenance > Email Types).

27.7. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a case and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped to here. All are held in the context of the specific Opportunity.

27.8. Quotes & Orders

This screen is split between a list of Quotes/Orders/Proformas/Returns and when highlighted, the item lines relating to it.

New Quotes / Order / Proformas & Returns can be created ‘in context’ of the Opportunity.

Depending on the document type, it is possible to Covert, Print, Edit, View or Delete. These then follow the Standard Sage 200 processes.

From a quote or order it is possible to link it to an Account Manager, an Opportunity and an End User.

The Account Manager field is automatically populated with the account manager of the Company the document is for.

When creating a document in the context of an Opportunity the Opportunity Reference number is automatically populated on the Document header.

An End User can also be selected.

End Users are ‘Customers’ who do not have an actual SL Account. An example of this would be where Company A which is a true Customer record (SL Account) buys Product X but that product is subsequently sold to Company (Type: End User) Y. End User Y will never buy products directly from the business but through 3^rd Parties such as Company A. The business may however wish to keep track of the various products that End User Y has purchased.

The End User drop down list only displays Companies where a Company Link of Type End User has been setup in the Linked Companies Tab.

Creating documents in the context of an Opportunity does not create an activity on the activity tab.

From an SOP document it is possible to open the opportunity linked to it by clicking on the icon next to the Opportunity Ref number.

27.9. Tracking

This allows the user to record notes as the Opportunity progresses.

Opportunity Tracking Notes are added to the Opportunity Activity Tab

28. Opportunity Utilities

28.1. Importing Opportunity Data

Importing data into the Opportunity entity follows the same method as the Case import.

This feature includes importing, Opportunity Static Data, Analysis Codes and Custom fields.

These import features include the ability to validate the data to be imported and to Generate Import templates.

Important

At this time a data import deduplicates solely based upon the Company name only. Where more than one company exists with the identical name the import validation will fail with an error.

Prior to running a data import it is worth making subtle changes to Company names to make them unique.

Also, if the user attempts to import a task where a contact name is specified and the contact does not exist within CRM, the validation will fail. All required contacts need to exist in CRM before sub entities are imported (Tasks, Cases or Opportunities).

Opportunity Import Template

Opportunity Import Screen and Validation Routine on Import file

28.2. Exporting Opportunity Data

Below is an example of the Opportunity static data export. All exports follow a similar process and data exported includes the same fields as those in the import templates

This feature includes exporting Opportunity Static Data, Analysis Codes & Custom Fields.

29. Tenders

The business may have multiple opportunities that all relate to a specific project. In these circumstances only one of those opportunities can be realised. To ensure that the business’s pipeline is not overstated a Tender can be created with multiple opportunities assigned to it but the Tender only has one ‘Primary’ opportunity which is used as the value. An opportunity can be linked to a Tender from the Tender dropdown list on the Opportunity Details tab.

29.1. Tender Search

Tenders can be searched by a series of standard fields.

From the list view:

• A graphics displaying Tenders by Stage
• A list view of key information relating to the Tender. Columns can be moved left or right.
• Tenders can be opened in View mode (no data can be added or altered) & Edit mode.
• A Tender has no context.
• When highlighting the Tender in the list view the user can create a Task ‘in context’ of the Tender.

Tender Header – The header is always displayed regardless of which tab you are on. This shows some basic information regarding the Tender.

Tender Footer – In the Footer, the user can Save, Create a New Opportunity, Task ‘in context’ or Tracking Note and view the Change History relating to the specific Tender.

29.2. New Tender

A Tender can be created from various locations such as the Tender search screen, or the New Tender Menu item.

A Tender does not have context as such. It does not need to be associated with any other entity..

A new Tender requires the user to complete the Summary field and the basic information on the Details Tab.

Summary – Name / Brief description of the Tender – Mandatory

29.3. Understanding the Tender Details screen

Stage – Identifying the perceived point in the Tender Process the Tender is currently sat.

Due Date / Time – When the Tender is expected to be awarded.

30. Tender Maintenance

30.1. Tender Stages

Identifying the perceived point in the Tender Process the Tender is at.

The number of Tender Stages that can be created is unlimited.

A Tender Stage can be designated as the Default (as in the standard stage the Tender will automatically be set to upon creating a new Tender) and multiple stages can be designated as closed. If a Tender is set to a stage with a designation of Closed, it will no longer be considered Active.

When an opportunity associated with a Tender is Closed and Won, the Tender is closed and all other opportunities related to that Tender are considered to be Closed / Lost.

Note – At this time, Tenders do not have Analysis Codes or Custom fields.

31. Tender Tabs

31.1. Activity

See section Activities > Recording Activities for full details.

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for creating a Task.

The Tender Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the Tender in an historical timeline.

31.2. Summary

The Tender Summary Tab is automatically populated with certain data entered into the Summary and Details Tabs when the Tender was originally created. This consists of the Header (which is read only) and the actual Summary field (which is editable).

Details of the Primary Opportunity linked to the Tender are also displayed here (which is read only).

31.3. Details

Area to record the specific information relating to the Tender. This contains standard fields only (see Understanding the Tender Details screen).

31.4. Opportunities

Displays a list of all Opportunities that are attached to this Tender. Active Opportunities are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The Opportunities can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted.

New Opportunities ‘in context’ of the Tender can be created from this tab.

The Primary Opportunity for the Tender can be flagged here.

The Opportunity that was finally awarded the Tender can be flagged here using the ‘Mark As Won’ button.

When an Opportunity is ‘Marked as Won’ a Won / Lost Outcomes box is displayed. This allows the user to finalise:

What Outcome the Opportunity that has WON should be set to

What Outcome the Opportunities that have been LOST should be set to

What Stage the Tender should be set to

On Save this will update the Activity tab that the Tender has been closed and the Details Tab with the Closed Date and Closed by.

The Outcomes of the associated Opportunities are automatically updated and closed with only one opportunity having been won.

Note – Neither the Stage nor the Probability are updated so the user may want to do this manually.

31.5. Tasks

The Tasks specifically relating to this Tender. Outstanding tasks are identified by a red circle with a number within it. The tasks can be Edited, Viewed or Deleted. New Tasks ‘in context’ can be created from this tab.

31.6. Attachments

Files, and Folders can be added to a Tender and links to files and folders can also be created.

Files & Folders can also be dragged and dropped to here. All are held in the context of the specific Tender.

31.7. Tracking

This allows the user to record notes as the Tender progresses.

Tender Tracking Notes are added to the Tender Activity Tab

32. Dashboards

There are a series of dashboards provided out of the box.

32.1. My Sales

The My Sales Dashboard is specifically filtered for the logged on user to display their Tasks, Cases and Opportunities where the Stage is not one designated as a Closed Stage (see Maintenance section for each entity).

Each Dashboard Panel can be popped out to display in its own window that then can be maximised to full screen if required.

Forecast by Month

This dashboard panel displays the Individual Monthly Target of the User where the individual target per employee is set (see Maintain Employee section of this guide).

There is no means to filter this dashboard by other users. This can be done using the Team Sales Dashboard.

Opportunities, Sales Orders and Invoice Values are displayed according to their document date and who they are assigned to.

32.2. Team Sales

The Team Sales Dashboard displays exactly the same information but filtered by Team.

The Team defaults to the logged in User’s Team, however, that Team can then be changed to show details of another team. The information can be further filtered by specifying a user within that Team.

On the same screen, if the filter is altered to the Sales Team that Task information is no longer displayed. However, Cases relating to the Sales Team have now been displayed:

Forecast by Month

This dashboard panel displays the Combined Monthly Target of the Users of that Team where the individual target per employee is set and the assigning of the user to their team is set. (see Maintain Employee section of this guide).

Opportunities, Sales Orders and Invoice Values are displayed according to their document date and who they are assigned to.

32.3. Other Dashboards

There are various other dashboards that follow similar principles. The manner in how the Customer Service, Quality Control and Credit Control information is displayed has been previously discussed (see section Sicon CRM Settings > Cases).

Tasks relating to those Dashboards are filtered by either the Logged on user or the Team selected. They are not limited in anyway by the Case Type.

32.4. My Calendar / Team Calendar

The Calendars display Tasks, Cases and Opportunities filtered by either the Logged on user or the Team selected.

The information displayed is limited and cannot be altered.

The user cannot hyperlink to the displayed item.

New Tasks, Cases or Opportunities cannot be created from the Calendar.

32.5. Custom Dashboards

A dashboard is made up of up to 4 panels and Users can create up to 5 custom dashboards.

32.6. Dashboard Maintenance

Each Panel is defined under the section Custom Panel Configuration

New Panels can be created and existing panels can be edited, deleted or copied.

A Panel is given a Name, Panel Type and the supporting SQL query.

Panels are based upon SQL queries that are user defined. A good understanding of SQL and the Sicon and Sage 200 tables is required to create these custom panels.

The user can then decide to display the data as a field, List, Pie Chart or Bar Chart.

Custom Dashboard 1

In this scenario Custom Dashboard 1 has been designed to show My customers as a list, My Customers by Industry Type summed by Type as a list and My Customers by Industry Type summed by Type as a Pie Chart.

To design the panels used to create the dashboard the following queries were created

My Customers

Panel Type: List

SQL Query:

SELECT        SiconCRMCompany.CompanyName, SiconCRMCompany.AccountManagerEmployeeID, SiconCRMAddress.AddressLine1, SiconCRMAddress.AddressLine2, SiconCRMAddress.AddressLine3, SiconCRMAddress.AddressLine4, SiconCRMAddress.PostCode, SiconCRMCompanyType.SiconCRMCompanyTypeID, SiconCRMCompanyType.CompanyTypeDescription

FROM            SiconCRMCompany

INNER JOIN SiconCRMAddress ON SiconCRMCompany.PrimaryAddressID = SiconCRMAddress.SiconCRMAddressID

INNER JOIN SiconCRMCompanyType ON SiconCRMCompany.SiconCRMCompanyTypeID = SiconCRMCompanyType.SiconCRMCompanyTypeID

WHERE         [SiconCRMCompany].[Deleted] = 0

AND           [SiconCRMCompany].[AccountManagerEmployeeID] = <EMPLOYEE_ID>

My Customers by Industry

Panel Type: List

SQL Query:

SELECT        ISNULL([SiconCRMSector].[SectorName],’None’) AS [Sector],

              COUNT(*) AS [Count]

FROM          [SiconCRMCompany]

LEFT JOIN     [SiconCRMSector]

ON            [SiconCRMSector].[SiconCRMSectorID]

=             [SiconCRMCompany].[SiconCRMSectorID]

AND           [SiconCRMSector].[Deleted] = 0

WHERE         [SiconCRMCompany].[Deleted] = 0

AND           [SiconCRMCompany].[AccountManagerEmployeeID] = <EMPLOYEE_ID>

GROUP BY      ISNULL([SiconCRMSector].[SectorName],’None’)

My Customers by Industry Graph

Panel Type: Pie Chart

SQL Query:

SELECT        ISNULL([SiconCRMSector].[SectorName],’None’) AS [Sector],

              COUNT(*) AS [Count]

FROM          [SiconCRMCompany]

LEFT JOIN     [SiconCRMSector]

ON            [SiconCRMSector].[SiconCRMSectorID]

=             [SiconCRMCompany].[SiconCRMSectorID]

AND           [SiconCRMSector].[Deleted] = 0

WHERE         [SiconCRMCompany].[Deleted] = 0

AND           [SiconCRMCompany].[AccountManagerEmployeeID] = <EMPLOYEE_ID>

GROUP BY      ISNULL([SiconCRMSector].[SectorName],’None’)

The SQL written can be validated (Validate button) to ensure the query is correct and identifies the expected results of the query:

There is also a Keywords button that provide details of how the current logged on user and their team can be referenced in the query.

The SQL queries shown are examples that the administrator can use to define their own queries.

Note – There is no ability to add New, Edit, View or Delete buttons to these panels nor is there any means to add hyperlinks.

32.7. Renaming Dashboards

Like any other menu item in Sage 200, Dashboards can be renamed if the user wishes to using the Edit Menu option. This is particularly helpful with the Custom Dashboards.

33. Dashboards - Cards

There are three dashboards known as ‘Card Lists’.

Card Lists is a tool that helps organize your records into a series of Panels held within a Card List. In one glance, Card Lists tell you what’s being worked on, who’s working on what, and where something is in a process.

Card Lists allows users to see records (such as Cases, Opportunities etc) in multiple ways at the same time ‘Panels’ (e.g. the user can see a Case in the Closed Cases Panel (filtered by Stage ‘Closed’),  Open Cases Panel (filtered by Stage) and the Complaints Panel (filtered by Description ‘Complaint’).

Cards allows speed of access to edit / view a record and upon saving will display the record in alternate boards depending on their design.

Cards are based upon SQL queries and so, highly customisable.

The three boards

There are no predefined Dashboard Card List queries.

33.1. Card Lists

The Cards List menu option has no predefined filters other than those incorporated into the SQL query.

All Card Lists can be filtered by Free Text

33.2. My Card Lists

The My Card Lists has a predefined filter for the logged on user. It is not possible to change the user this list is filtered by.

It is advised not to add any filters for Employee ID or Team ID in your SQL query.

33.3. Team Card Lists

The Team Card Lists has a predefined filter for Teams and defaults to the logged on User’s Team. However, that Team can then be changed to show details of another team.

The information can be further filtered by specifying a user within that Team.

It is advised not to add any filters for Employee ID or Team ID in your SQL query.

33.4. Maintenance- Card List Dashboards & Panels

Card Lists are structured as shown below

• Card Lists

• Card List Dashboards

• Card List Dashboard Panels

• Card List Dashboard Panel SQL Queries

The Panel has a Heading and the information can also have a predefined Group By:

The available Group By Type is not amendable nor can new ones be added.

Any Card List Dashboard can be displayed against the Card Lists, My Card Lists or Team Card Lists. The key difference is the predefined filters (Card Lists – None, My Card Lists – Logged on User or Team Card Lists – Specified Team and / or User defined in the available filter).

Card List Dashboards can be created for the following entities: Case, Task, Opportunity and Tender entities.

Upon creating a New Card List Dashboard based on one of these entities a predefined ‘Out of the Box’ SQL query is provided.

Example of Tender SQL Query provided ‘Out of the Box’:

Within coded parameters the actual layout of the Card can be modified. For example, the Font and Size cannot be changed but we can modify the SQL query to add the Company Name to the Card Summary Section (see below).

SELECT                    

‘Company: ‘ + [SiconCRMCompany].[CompanyName] AS [CardSummary], ‘#404040’ AS [CardSummaryColour], — Grey

‘Ref:               ‘ + [SiconCRMOpportunity].[OpportunityReference] + CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)

+ ‘Description:   ‘ + [SiconCRMOpportunity].[Summary] + CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)

+ ‘Stage:            ‘ + [SiconCRMOpportunityStage].[StageName] + CHAR(13)+CHAR(10)

AS [CardDetail], ‘#00C000’ AS [CardDetailColour], — Green

[SiconCRMOpportunity].[SiconCRMOpportunityID] AS [CardForeignID],

‘Status:            ‘ + ISNULL([SiconCRMOutcome].[OutcomeName], ‘In progress’) AS [CardStageName],

CASE

WHEN (ISNULL([SiconCRMOutcome].[OutcomeName],”) = ‘Won’) THEN ‘#00C000’ — Green

ELSE’#404040′ — Grey

END AS [CardStageColour],

[SiconCRMOpportunity].[ExpectedInvoiceDate] AS [CardDate], ‘#404040’ AS [CardDateColour], — Grey

[SiconCRMOpportunity].[AssignedToEmployeeID] AS [CardAssignedToEmployeeID],

[SiconCRMOpportunity].[AssignedToTeamID] AS [CardAssignedToTeamID],

[SiconCRMCompany].[SiconCRMTerritoryID] AS [CardTerritoryID]

FROM           [SiconCRMOpportunity] WITH (NOLOCK)

INNER JOIN     [SiconCRMOpportunityStage] WITH (NOLOCK) ON [SiconCRMOpportunityStage].[SiconCRMOpportunityStageID] = [SiconCRMOpportunity].[SiconCRMOpportunityStageID]

AND [SiconCRMOpportunityStage].[Closed] = 0

LEFT JOIN      [SiconCRMOutcome] WITH (NOLOCK) ON [SiconCRMOutcome].[SiconCRMOutcomeID] =  [SiconCRMOpportunity].[SiconCRMOutcomeID]

LEFT JOIN      [SiconCRMCompany] WITH (NOLOCK) ON [SiconCRMCompany].[SiconCRMCompanyID] =  [SiconCRMOpportunity].[SiconCRMCompanyID] AND [SiconCRMCompany].[Deleted] = 0

WHERE          [SiconCRMOpportunity].[Deleted] = 0

Customising Card List Panels

The Layout of a Card list Panel is quite specific and can only be modified to a certain extent. Below is an explanation of how this works:

34. Activity

34.1. Recording Activities

Entries in the Activity Tab should not be mistaken for simply recorded Tasks.

The Activity Tab records the key activities recorded within the entity record in an historical timeline.

Each activity recorded is then displayed against the specific entity record it relates to and its associated hierarchical context. So if a New Task for a New Opportunity is created for Pete Smith of Abbey Retail Ltd, a New Activity will be recorded against all four entities.

From the activity recorded, the user can hyperlink to the relevant entity record (e.g. from a Task recorded in the context of an Opportunity, Person and Opportunity, the user can hyperlink to any of those specific records).

Against a Company or Person a new Memo can be recorded which automatically updates the Activity Tab

Against a Case, Task or Opportunity, Tracking Notes are also added to the Activity Tab

35. Notifications

35.1. Managing Notifications

A User can subscribe themselves or their Team to a particular record and any activity updates associated with that record.

This is enabled through Settings > CRM Settings > Common Tab > Enable Notifications for Subscriptions

The user can then Subscribe / Unsubscribe themselves or their Team to the record by clicking on the Bell icon displayed at the top right corner of the Record Header.

Where an Activity is recorded a Notification Icon with a number will be displayed in the bottom right of the Sage 200 desktop screen.

If the user clicks on the word ‘Notifications’, a screen will be displayed showing all Active notifications for records that the user is currently subscribed to.

The user can then Open or Dismiss the individual notification or Dismiss All notifications.

If the user chooses to Open a notification it will take them to the record in View mode.

A notification is created when an Activity is recorded.

36. Sicon CRM Desktop Tray

The Sicon CRM Desktop Tray is enabled when the user logs into Sage 200 within the normal Windows Sys tray.

Right click on the CRM icon provides a shortcut to Find Screens & New Screens. Which follow exactly the same process as using the standard menu items.

In addition, a ‘Recent’ list is displayed showing the most recent records a user has been working on and allows them to hyperlink directly to that record.

The user can also enable the CRM Email Drop and enable Hotkeys

The User can drag an email from their Outlook inbox and drop it onto the Email Drop icon.

This will open up a filing screen which will allow the user to select the record it relates to. If the email address is recognised, the Company and Contact name will automatically be populated.

On save, the email will be opened in the Sicon Email Editor to allow the user to Define the Type and Description of the email

On save, it will attach the email to the email tab of the associated entities

The email can then be viewed or edited.

It is also possible to enable Hotkeys to launch New or Find actions through Keyboard strokes

37. Reports

There are a series of standard reports that are provided out of the box for CRM users.

These reports are created using the standard Sage 200 Report Designer so additional reports can be written by anyone familiar with it.

38. Release Notes

The release notes page shows which release of the system includes new features or issues resolved.

At the release of Sicon v21 we announced that going forward, we will only be supporting Sage 200c and as such we are able to drop the year from our version numbers. We moved from 201.201.0.0 to 210.0.0.

New features detailed in the Release Notes relating to Pre-Release versions will not be detailed in the current Help and User Guide until the end of development phase.

39. New Features & Important Information