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QGate Tips for SalesLogix

 

QGate Tips for SalesLogix are the little things that don't appear in the manuals but which make your experience of using SalesLogix that little bit better. If you have any of your own, please let us know at tips@QGate.co.uk.

Controlling your view of SalesLogix

When you're in SalesLogix, you can move around the different open views, e.g. Accounts, Opportunities, Tickets etc by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing Tab. Of course, you can also use the Window menu across the top of your screen but this keyboard shortcut helps make you quicker and more productive.

Making the best use of Query Builder

In the SalesLogix Help (Help - Help Topics), you will find a SalesLogix Query Builder tutorial. In the Contents list of the SalesLogix Help, go to SalesLogix Query Builder and expand the item. The first file on the list is View the SalesLogix Query Builder Tutorial.

Some simple instructions will tell you that you may have to reset your screen resolution but after that, you're away with an excellent explanation of how to query your data and build groups.

Also in Query Builder, consider the following to change the results you get when you're creating a local join:

  • Left Join will include all records (meeting specified criteria) on the 'left' of the join, regardless of whether there is a corresponding record on the right table.
  • Inner Join will include only records (meeting specified criteria) on the 'left' which have a corresponding record on the right table.

What am I doing today?

If you're having trouble seeing what you're scheduled to do today, consider the following in the Calendar view in SalesLogix:

  • To change what information you show, right click in the calendar and select Show from the menu. You can then choose whether or not you will see details of phone calls, meetings, to dos, personal and completed activities.
  • To change the other SalesLogix users for whom you see diary information, click on your own name in the top right hand corner of the screen and add or remove users from that list. SalesLogix will colour their information differently to yours.

Don't forget that the calendar does provide you with daily, weekly, monthly or yearly views. Simply select the appropriate tab at the top of the calendar.

Sales process enforcement

Make sure your sales team are all using the same processes and close schedules by setting the opportunity defaults.

From the Tools menu, select Manage then Opportunity Defaults... You can specify what sales process you want them to use and what the default close date should be in a given month. You can also choose to use standard naming conventions as set by the administrator.

This is a great way of implementing controlled measurements of opportunities and sales cycles.

Measure activities and their value

Some simple sales tactics call for members of the sales team to assign values to daily activities and track their cumulative totals. A possible scoring system might be:

  • Get a lead or referral: 1 point
  • Schedule an appointment: 2 points
  • Visit a client: 3 points
  • Get a purchase decision: 4 points

You can edit the activity result pick list to assign values to the state of a completed activity. Not just in sales, but in customer services, marketing, finance and so on. This then becomes the basis for tracking the value of the activities your teams are performing. To put this in place, go to the Tools menu, select Manage then Pick Lists.

History, and how to visit it

The SalesLogix History function allows you to revisit any record you've seen since you last logged in. Make sure you have the Standard Toolbar displayed (View - Toolbars - Standard Toolbar) and then click the History icon (below). This will display your Item History. By double clicking any of the records in that list you can go straight to them. You can also use the forward and back arrows next to the History icon to quickly revisit the records you viewed immediately before the one you're on.

SLX History button

Managing your groups

In list views of your groups you can tidy up your view of SalesLogix and free up desktop space by right clicking any of the visible group tabs.

  • Select Stacked Tabs to bring all of your group tabs within your SalesLogix desktop, rather than having them displayed out of sight and having to scroll to see them.
  • Select Hide Group on a given tab to hide that group and free up more space on your SalesLogix desktop.
  • Select Manage Groups to select a group to re-display on the SalesLogix desktop. You can set the behaviour for any of your groups here.

The secrets of F6...

Did you know that the Activity Notepad allows you to create and modify notes on an existing or new (unscheduled) activity from any view in the SalesLogix client? At any time you can press F6 to:

  • Complete scheduled and unscheduled activities.
  • Resize, minimise or maximise the notepad which enables you to perform other tasks and return to your notes as necessary.
  • Right click in the activity text fields to Undo, Cut, Copy, Paste, Delete or Select All.
  • Right click on the field labels or buttons and select Stay on Top to set the notepad to remain on top of the view.

The Activity Notepad is actually the only view in SalesLogix of which you can have as many open as you need. Of course, multitasking is not always recommended!

Adding a splash of colour

You don't need to use the Architect to customise SalesLogix - you can make your own personalisations too. You can change the colours and fonts in your SalesLogix by going to the Tools menu and selecting Options... to change the colours of the Title Bars in SalesLogix.

The Display tab also enables changes to calendar colours and text fonts and colours.