Good Training

Secure Future Appointments

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 21:17:00 GMT

Quick Tip of the Day

Identifying prospects and opportunities can be quite a task, but that is only one part of the formula. Once you identify your target how are you going to get your foot in the doo?. Good question.

I found a short article by Miller Heiman that outlines steps to take to get your prospect to want to speak to you! Read the article, "How to Get Solid Appointments: Pump Up Your Calendar".

(Note: This article expires. If you are interested check it out soon!)

-Brianna

Sep 29, 2008 - Creating Groups for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:38:56 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Creating Groups for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, September 29, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

SalesLogix v7.5 Release Update

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Coming soon, very soon!

Before I head out for the weekend I thought I would give an update on SalesLogix v7.5 - the Release Candidate build is due out next week. This means that as long as no major snags are discovered the public release will not be far behind (I think Sage is still estimating beginning to middle of September). Have you had a chance to see a demo of v7.5? I have seen a few demos and have been quite impressed. I can't wait until I get it installed on my machine and can try it for myself!

-Brianna

Sep 22, 2008 - Creating/Fulfilling Literature Requests for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 20:41:36 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Creating/Fulfilling Literature Requests for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, September 22, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

Sep 15, 2008 - Campaigns for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 22:08:59 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Campaigns for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, September 15, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

600+ Members!

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 21:36:00 GMT

And we're adding new members everyday.

This week Good Training hit another milestone - over 600 members! I remember the day Good Training went live in March 2007 and how exciting it was when the first member joined and the first question was posted. I still get excited today, 600 members and many questions later. I never imagined we would have such a large membership in a little over a year. Thank you all for your participation and support!

-Brianna

There is still time to register for "Managing Your Dashboard for SalesLogix v7.0"

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 07:02:00 GMT

Workshop today, August 11, 2008 at 2pm CDT.

If you are interested in attending today's workshop, "Managing Your Dashboard for SalesLogix v7.0", but haven't registered yet don't worry, we have you covered. Better late than never, right? Join this meeting now!

-Brianna

Branding in an Age of Endless Choices

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 20:40:00 GMT

All about attaching an idea to a product or service.

I found a short, fun article about branding in an age where it can be difficult differentiate products due to the endless amount of choices. The article was published CRM Magazine and highlights a presentation Rob Walker gave at eTail East 2008. I enjoyed this article and I hope you do too! Read the article, "Consumers to Marketers: Get Real".

-Brianna

Sep 08, 2008 - Using Global Replace to Update Records

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 20:45:09 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Using Global Replace to Update Records!

Event details:

Monday, September 08, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

Sage Summit

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:40:00 GMT

November 17 - 21, 2008 at the Denver Colorado Convention Center.

Would you like to connect with peers in your industry who use SalesLogix and exchange ideas? Would you like to learn how you can maximze your use of SalesLogix? Would you like to test product enhancements and learn about products that complement SalesLogix? How about have fun? If you answered yes to any or all of these questions I would like to encourage you to attend Sage Summit. Sage Summit is a customer focused conference that is held annually by Sage Software and a great place to learn more about SalesLogix. Registration for this event has already begun. Don't miss out, learn more about Sage Summit!

-Brianna

Join the Workshop -"How to Make Your Life Easier Using the Tools/Options Menu for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above"

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 07:02:00 GMT

Workshop today, August 4, 2008 at 2pm CDT

If you haven't registered for today's workshop, "How to Make Your Life Easier Using the Tools/Options Menu for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above", don't worry there is still time! Learning more about this under-utilized feature and join us.

Join this meeting now!

-Brianna

Registry Entries for SalesLogix

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:57:00 GMT

Great posting by a Good Training Certified Trainer

Ben White created a post today in The SalesLogix User Group forum that documents some registry entries that he has found useful and it is possible that you will find this information useful as well. Mike Spragg also jumped in and added some useful registry entries. If you are interested check out the post Registry Entries for SLX. Thank you Ben and Mike!

I hope everyone has wonderful weekend

-Brianna

Involuntary Database Administrator?

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 20:59:00 GMT

Database Maintenance Tips

Have you been given the role of Database Administrator but you are not a professional DBA? I have found this to be a common situation, and if you answered yes you are not alone. When a person is put in the role of DBA when it is not his/her area of expertise troubles can arise, but effective database management can be learned. I found a wonderful article published by TechNet Magazine that offers top tips for effective database maintenance. There areas covered in this article are:

Data and log file management
Index Fragmentation
Statistics
Corruption detection
Backups

While this article is a generic overview of database maintenance, the areas covered are key to almost all DBA's. Read Database Maintenance Tips.

-Brianna

Aug 25, 2008 - Creating a Contact Process for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:44:01 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Creating a Contact Process for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, August 25, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

Marketing Budgets

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 21:22:00 GMT

How can you keep your budget from being cut?

When the economy slows many companies react by cutting budgets, and often marketing budgets are the first to go. While this is not always the best course of action it does happen.

"When revenue and profits are threatened, chief executive officers (CEOs) and chief financial officers (CFOs) will naturally consider all the various budgets to seek ways of reducing costs and unnecessary expenditure. Unfortunately, many see the marketing budget as an easy target, and an opportunity to make savings."

What can you do to keep your marketing budget from getting the axe? I found an article published by MyCustomer.com which explains actions that marketers can take to help save the marketing budget. Read tips for managing marketing.

-Brianna

New User Orientation Today!

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 07:02:00 GMT

Workshop today, July 28, 2008 at 2pm CDT.

Attention all new users - today's workshop is for you! "New User Orientation" is a great way to familiarize yourself with the SalesLogix workspace and to start off on the right foot. Join this workshop now!

-Brianna

Workshop Reminder: Merging Records for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 07:02:00 GMT

Workshop today, July 21, 2008 at 2pm CDT.

If you would like to attend the workshop, "Merging Records for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above", but haven't registered, now is the time! The ability to merge records is a great skill to have and we wouldn't want you to miss out. Join this meeting now.

-Brianna

Workshop Suggestions

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 19:58:00 GMT

All ideas are welcome.

Happy Friday! Like many of you I am looking forward to the weekend but I am also looking forward to next week. Why? Because I will be on vacation! I am going on a canoe trip in the Boundary Waters. My goal is to see a moose, they are elusive animals so I am keeping my fingers crossed. The Concierge will keep you up-to-date with any SalesLogix news while I am away.

I just want to remind both old and new members that we gladly take workshop suggestions. If you have any ideas of a new class we can offer please share. Post your workshop ideas.

-Brianna

SalesLogix Teams

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 21:25:00 GMT

Granting read only access.

Many companies configure SalesLogix to grant read only access to certain individuals, or teams, and today we had a member who was wondering how this can be done. If you have a need for granting read only access, or may in the future, I encourage you to check out the SalesLogix Teams question.

-Brianna

SalesLogix v7.5 Functionality Part 2

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:44:00 GMT

End User Questions

I have some additional end user questions about v7.5 that I would like to share with you, they maybe helpful if you are considering an upgrade. Here they are:

Can you upgrade from the 7.1 LAN client directly to the 7.5 Web client for network & remote installations?
Yes.
There is new functionality on the Welcome page - is this standard with the 7.5 release or does it require an add on product?
It is standard and included.
What will it cost to upgrade from the Client version to the Web version?
The Web client software may be included depending on the server level that you purchased. If it was not included with your original purchase, your BP can get you pricing.

If you read the questions from yesterday you may want to scroll down the page to read some additional information that Ryan Farley had to share, you can do so here...

-Brianna

SalesLogix v7.5 Functionality

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 22:12:00 GMT

End User Questions

Today my company performed a sneak peek of SalesLogix v7.5 with the help of one of my Sage Software contacts. The demo was beautiful and I am getting increasingly excited for the v7.5 release. The demo was geared toward SalesLogix end users and I thought I'd share some of the questions that came up and the answers to those questions:

Have the contact processes (work flow) improved since 6.2.4?
Workflow is completely new in 7.5 and is no longer limited to Contacts only. Workflow can be applied to any entity and across entities.
Are all of these features available with the LAN-client versus the Web-client?
New features are for the Web client only, the Windows client has not changed in the 7.5 release.
Does SpeedSearch come with the upgrade or is it a separate purchase?
Standard SpeedSearch is included, Advanced SpeedSearch may be an extra cost depending on the server level you own.
FireFox (3) compatiblity?
Yes, however the active mail, Outlook integration will not function.

I hope to have more information about v7.5 to share with you soon!

-Brianna

Lead Creation Date

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 21:20:00 GMT

Good Question of the Day, Monday July 14, 2008.

Happy Monday and welcome back to work. My week is starting off well and I hope the same can be said for all of you!

We had a great question come in today from a member who was wondering about the Lead create date when converting a Lead to a Contact. By default, when a user converts a Lead to a Contact the create date shows as the date the Lead is converted, not the date the Lead was created. The member would like the create date to show as the day the Lead was created when the Lead has been converted to a Contact. Can this be done? How? I think this is an excellent question and it may be useful for some of you to review the answer. Read the Lead Creation Date question.

-Brianna

Aug 11, 2008 - Managing Your Dashboard for SalesLogix v7.0

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 20:33:44 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Managing Your Dashboard for SalesLogix v7.0!

Event details:

Monday, August 11, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

SalesLogix Promotions

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 19:48:00 GMT

Offers valid starting NOW!

Sage Software has entered Q4 of its fiscal year and the SalesLogix promotions have started. I sat in on a business partner call today in which we reviewed the 4 promotions that are being offered now through September 26, 2008. Here is an overview of the available promotions:

Swiftpage for SalesLogix Promo

12 months of Swiftpage e-mail marketing for the price of 9 months, a savings of $749.85, and save 20% on concurrent users (plus applicable prorated M&S).
Offer includes 5-users, 5,000 emails per day, and Platinum Drip Marketing

Customer Loyalty Package - for customers that have not renewed M&S for 12 or more months

Receive one Mobile Enterprise Server License and up to 10 Mobile users when you upgrade to SalesLogix v7.5

SalesLogix Mobile Startup Package - for active Prospects and Customers

2 Mobile Package options with substantial savings:
-One SalesLogix Mobile Enterprise Server License and 5-user licenses for $1500 (plus applicable pro-rated M&S), or
-One SalesLogix Mobile Enterprise Server License and 10-user Licenses for $2800 (plus applicable pro-rated M&S)
Add more users to either package for $200 a user

Business Intelligence Tools Promo

Save 20% on SalesLogix Business Intelligence Tools:
-SalesLogix Visual Analyzer (plus applicable pro-rated Annual User Subscription)
-KnowledgeSync Enterprise, Corporate, and Alerts Edition (plus applicable pro-rated Annual User Subscription)

If you have questions or an interest in any of these promotions contact your business partner. Reminder - these offers expire SEPTEMBER 26, 2008.

-Brianna

The CRM Market Continues to Grow

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 21:40:00 GMT

And doesn't show any sign of stopping.

Though many areas of the economy are sluggish it hasn't seemed to effect the CRM market.

"According to Gartner, sales of CRM software rose dramatically in 2007, driven in part by the take-up of software as a service (SaaS) offerings, according to analyst group Gartner. Global spending on CRM software surged in 2007 to roughly $8.1 billion, a 23.1% jump over 2006's total of about $6.6 billion."

The CRM market has definitely matured and the value of owning a CRM system has been realized by many companies, but why has growth continued it what is considered slow economy and can this growth continue? I found a quick read published by MyCustomer.com that takes a look inside the current CRM market and what could possibly come in the future. Read why the CRM market is still growing.

-Brianna

Grouping at the Account Level Based on Contact Level Data

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Good Question of the Day, Tuesday July 8, 2008.

We all know that when it comes to creating a group the list of possible conditions can seem endless, and sometimes the condition you are looking for does not seem to exist. I know this from first hand experience. I remember trying to create a group where one of the criteria was a custom field, for the life of me I could not find this field. Luckily, I work with a group of people with thorough knowledge of SalesLogix and, after some frustration, it all worked out.

Today we had a question come in regarding making the LeadSource available at the Account level. The member had a request from her sales team to have leads from tradeshows grouped at the Account level instead of the Contact level, and she could not find LeadSource as an option at the Account level. How was she able to solve this problem? Read the question and answer for Group at Account level based on Contact level data.

-Brianna

Great Questions About Running Reports

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Good Questions of the Day, Monday July 7, 2008.

Happy Monday! I had a fantastic 3-day weekend - barbequed with friends, played croquet and frisbee, saw fireworks - and I don't think it could have been any better. I hope all of you had a great weekend as well!

Today we held the workshop "Running Reports for SalesLogix v7.0", and during this workshop we took an in-depth look at reports. This workshop generated many questions which I promised the attendees that I would post in The SalesLogix User Group forum. I think that many Good Training members and visitors would benefit from looking over the questions and the answers and I encourage all of you to do so. All of the report questions have the subject, "SalesLogix Reports".

-Brianna

IT Going Green

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:49:00 GMT

The shift to eco-friendly.

This is a topic near and dear to my heart.

Forrester Research has been conducting studies assessing the amount of "green" awareness among enterprise technology professionals. There have been a total of 3 studies, the first of which began in April 2007. The number of participants have greatly increased since the first survey was initiated, signaling a shift toward eco-friendly business.

"The report authors suggest that any company's first step in achieving The Green Dream is to create a detailed plan of action, one that details its "goals, priorities, and activities" to address this issue."

This a short and interesting article which discusses the survey findings, as well as company and consumer views on green awareness. Read Enterprise IT Goes Green, published by CRM Magazine.

-Brianna

Product Import and Lead Distribution

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:16:00 GMT

Good Questions of the Day, Wednesday July 2, 2008.

We've hit mid-week and I'd like to draw your attention to a couple of good questions that we've received recently.

Importing products into SalesLogix is a serious process and it is important that it is executed correctly. One of our members recently imported products into SalesLogix and now is experiencing problems with products and opportunities. Exactly what is going on here? See the product import question and answer.

Having many leads to enter into SalesLogix is nice - more opportunities to generate revenue, possibly commission as well. SalesLogix out-of-the-box allows you to assign leads to teams or individuals and this does not normally cause issues for companies that receive a small amount of leads on a regular basis. It can be an issue when you are distributing upwards of 100 leads a day to 20 reps. This is the exact problem one of our members is facing, read what can be done about this lead distribution question.

-Brianna

Providing the Best Route to a Solution

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:14:00 GMT

Choice is a vital component of good customer service.

Customer service is a key component in every business, but one size does not fit all. There are times when speaking with an actual human being is necessary and other times when an automated service is just fine.

Examples: I prefer being able to pay my bills online (I refuse to write a check) and am glad I don't have to wait for a customer service representative every time I need to make a payment. I like that I can change my wireless plan online at 1am if I so choose. When I forget the password to one of my accounts, and find myself locked out, I am glad that I can reach a customer service rep who can get me back in. If I didn't have all of these choices would I be as happy with the service I receive? I don't think that I would be, and I am not alone.

Customers are used to many choices when it comes to service and it is becoming increasingly important that companies keep up with these demands - or risk loosing out on business.

"Furthermore, it is evidently possible to encourage customers to use particular channels for particular objectives, according to their needs and those of the business. The remaining challenge is to deploy channels with a degree of interconnectedness that will guarantee a consistent experience for the customer and high levels of business opportunity for the organisation."

I found a nice article published by MyCustomer.com that discusses the increasing importance of offering customers multiple customer services channels as well as the benefits of doing so.

-Brianna

Opportunity Problem

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 22:24:00 GMT

Good Question of the Day, Monday June 30, 2008.

Welcome back to work!

Today we had a great question come in from a brand new Good Training member. It makes me happy when new members jump right in and start asking questions, that is why this site exists! The issue that he had occurred when he tried to opened an opportunity it would take an eternity to load - not just seconds but minutes. This issue had been plaguing him for over a year but I believe today it was resolved. Read about his opportunity problem.

-Brianna

Aug 04, 2008 - How to Make Your Life Easier Using the Tools/Options Menu for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:07:24 GMT

Attend the Workshop - How to Make Your Life Easier Using the Tools/Options Menu for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, August 04, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

What's New in SalesLogix Mobile v5.1

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 21:57:00 GMT

Improved setup.

I just realized that I haven't mentioned anything about the newest release of SalesLogix Mobile - v5.1. This release doesn't boast many new features, but the setup and installation have been greatly improved. So what has changed for v5.1?

Unified Install/Setup of Mobile Platform - simplified, streamlined installation wizard for installing core mobile infrastructure with full validation and reporting (print-ready, support-ready installation log), automated install and setup of key components.
Status Dashboard - Consolidated view of key system metrics, such as connector and real-time services status, licensing status, critical issues, as well as knowledge (RSS) newsfeed, and overview of environmental settings. Viewable through Mobile Administrator, desktop browser or mobile browser.
Simplified license activation - integrated with new unified install/setup process.
60-Day Integrated Trialware - Support for 60-day trials, activated through installation process. No additional license key required.
Vista Support for client-side applications

-Brianna

Jul 28, 2008 - New User Orientation

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:18:00 GMT

Attend the Workshop - New User Orientation!

Event details:

Monday, July 28, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

To Associate or Not to Associate...

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 21:32:00 GMT

That is the Good Question of the Day, June 24, 2008.

Hello and how are all of you? I am well and I hope you all can say the same! Today we had an interesting question come in that was meant to spark discussion. The question is regarding whether or not one should associate all activities in the account entity and I think it was great of the Good Training member to put it out there. Read the question and answers, and if you have any thoughts to share please do!

-Brianna

Email Marketing

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:38:00 GMT

Make sure your efforts are successful from the start.

It's Monday - welcome back! I hope that all of you had a great weekend and are ready for another week of work.

Email marketing can be a powerful tool for getting information to your customers and prospects - promotions, new products, updates, etc. When done correctly email marketing can have a positive impact on your bottom line, when done incorrectly it can end up being a waste of effort. Today I found an article in CRM Magazine explaining 4 ways to improve your email marketing tactics that I think is worth reading.

-Brianna

Jul 21, 2008 - Merging Records for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 20:15:30 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Merging Records for SalesLogix v6.2 and Above!

Event details:

Monday, July 21, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

SalesLogix Mobile Questions and Tickets SpeedSearch

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 22:04:00 GMT

Good Questions of the Day, Thursday June 19, 2008.

The week is drawing to a close and if you're like me you are very happy tomorrow is Friday. I'm not complaining, I've had a very productive week, but my brain is tired and needs a few days to recuperate. However, my brain is not too tired to share some good questions we have received.

SalesLogix Mobile is a wonderful tool if you find yourself constantly out of the office with a need for SalesLogix but you don't want to carry around a laptop. If you have been considering SalesLogix Mobile there are details to consider. One member was curious about customizations and synchronization in the Mobile client. Are you curious? Read the SalesLogix Mobile Questions.

If you work in service or support I would bet that you are familiar with Tickets in SalesLogix. Have you ever wondered if there was functionality to be gained by using the Search button in the Tickets detail tab? Today a Good Training member posted a question asking exactly this. I made an attempt to answer the Tickets SpeedSearch question but if anyone else has information to share I encourage you to do so!

-Brianna

SalesLogix v7.5 Update

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Tentative release schedule set. Tentative.

Today I sat in on a Sage Software Business Partner call regarding the next release of SalesLogix - v7.5. This call was the first of a two part series outlining the new features and functionality of v7.5 before it goes into beta testing. The first call focused on lead management, list management, improved user experience using Web 2.0 technology, and comprehensive web CRM. Though much of the information that we covered I shared with you in a previous post (see Next Version of SalesLogix Coming Soon!) it was great to actually see the improvements. Many of the improvements that we covered during the call have been made to the Web client. I admit that my feelings were up in the air with regards to the Web client when v7.0 came out. After seeing what Sage is doing in v7.5 I was very happy - much easier to use and almost all of the functionality of the LAN/Windows client. Beta testing is set to begin on July 8 and a tentative release schedule has been set. Sage hopes to have a Release Candidate by the middle of August and a public release in the beginning of September. Remember these dates are NOT set and are only feasible if everything goes perfectly, which it rarely does.

I am going to sit in on part two of the series next week and I will let you in on anything interesting that I learn.

-Brianna

Visual Analyzer Versus The Alternatives

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 20:35:00 GMT

The technology that puts Visual Analyzer ahead of the pack.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, SalesLogix Visual Analyzer is a Business Intelligent tool that boasts 10 pre-built dashboards that report on important metrics as well as being customizable. Visual Analyzer is a great Business Intelligent tool but it is not the only tool available. So why would you choose Visual Analyzer over the alternatives? One reason is for the technology. I added a .PDF created by Sage Software to the Good Content area of Good Training entitled, "Sage SalesLogix Visual Analyzer Core Components and Benefits." If you are interested in learning more about the technology behind Visual Analyzer as well as the benefits I encourage you to check it out.

-Brianna

Strike While The Iron is Hot

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:53:00 GMT

The best time to put forward a proposal.

It's the beginning of another work week and I hope that all of you had a wonderful weekend! The rain that was forecasted in my section of the world held off and I was able to enjoy beautiful, sunny weather. I love when weather people are wrong (except for when they forecast nice weather and it doesn't happen )!

To start the week I found an article published by Miller Heiman that gives some insight into when to approach a customer with a proposal - situations, attitudes, needs. It is short and sweet, so take a moment to read the best time to make a proposal.

-Brianna

Getting More Value From Your Database

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 21:17:00 GMT

9 Marketing Mistakes to Avoid

Everyday I try to find information that I think may be relevant to the members and visitors of Good Training. Some days I think I do a good job and hit the mark, others times...not so much. Today as I was searching out information to share I came across an article about database marketing that I really liked. Why did I like it? Well for starters it is short. I know everyone on this site is busy and it is unlikely you have a half an hour to devote to reading an article, this one should take you about 5 minutes. I also like this article because the information is staight to the point and relevant. Read about mistakes in database marketing.

-Brianna

Checking for Duplicates

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:38:00 GMT

Good Question of the Day, June 11, 2008.

How many companies are able to keep SalesLogix duplicate free? My guess would be not many. Finding duplicate accounts and contacts when performing a search in SalesLogix is annoying, I know first hand. Thank goodness there is a way to check for duplicates in SalesLogix and then handle them appropriately (merge, delete, etc.). This brings me to the good question of the day - checking for duplicates. Read the question and check out the answers provided.

-Brianna

Don't Talk to Yourself

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:16:00 GMT

Create a dialogue instead.

Many people feel that direct marketing is nothing more than talking at people. Where is the give and take? What about engaging customers and creating meaningful relationships? With new digital channels available there is more potential for marketers to reach and engage customers than ever before. Using the digital channels available is great but not if you continue using the same old formula. It is important to adapt and change traditional marketing to use new resources and respond to the way consumers are making product decisions. I found an article published by MyCustomer.com that explores how marketers can make better use of digital channels to create long-term customer relationships. Read the article here...

-Brianna

Jul 07, 2008 - Running Reports for SalesLogix v7.0

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 20:02:43 GMT

Attend the Workshop - Running Reports for SalesLogix v7.0!

Event details:

Monday, July 07, 2008
From 2:00 PM Central to 2:30 PM Central
(7:00 PM GMT to 7:30 PM GMT)

See Workshop Details

Register Today!

Moving Into a Sales Manager Position

Brianna Tinjum — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 20:17:00 GMT

Have you thought about the adjustment?

The weekend is around the corner and for some of you it has already started. Happy Friday! I hope all of you have the chance to relax and enjoy your free time.

Sales managers are a vital part of the sales team but not necessarily for their ability to sell. Sales managers are ultimately responsible for transferring knowledge, coaching, and encouraging the sales team. Do you have what it takes to be a sales manager? Read this quick article - Developing Sales Managers for Success - published by Miller Heiman.

-Brianna

Outlook Calendar Sync, Contact Sync, and Query Builder

Brianna Tinjum — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 20:40:00 GMT

Good Questions of the Day, Thursday June 5, 2008.

One day left and then it's the weekend! It has been a very busy week and I'm looking forward to its end.

This week we've had some good questions come in as well as follow-ups on old questions that I thought I'd point out:

We had a couple of members bring up an issue with calendar options being greyed out and they wanted to know why this is happening. Ben White stepped in to help out with this Outlook Calendar Sync question and offered possible reasons for the issue.

Another question came in about Synching Contacts to Outlook, particularly from static groups. Both Adam Travers and Mike Spragg offered some great information and I encourage you to check out this question.

Adam Travers jumped in and gave great instruction for building a specific type of group using the Query Builder. The instructions Adam gave worked perfectly for the member and I believe the answer to this question could be of use to some of you as well.

Thank you for contributing to Good Training with your questions! I also want to thank Ben, Adam, and Mike for sharing your knowledge!

-Brianna

Global Replace is Awesome!

Brianna Tinjum — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 18:07:00 GMT

I had forgotten...

So a couple of days ago I was building a group with many different criteria, one criteria was Field: Contact.Status, Value: Active. My company has been using SalesLogix since version 1, and over the years and multiple upgrades the way values are specified has changed. Back to my group...

What I came up with as I was building my group were two different active values for Contact.Status: Active and 1. Active. I thought to myself, what a pain. I now need to specify both values, and do so correctly, so that my group ends up correct. I won't lie, this took me more than one try, but finally I got it. At last I have my completed group in front of me. After I had finished I proceeded to complain to my coworker (Dale Richter) about what a pain it was to have two different values signifying an active contact. He said to me "why didn't you use Global Replace"? Good question. I had totally forgotten what a great help this tool can be. With so many features and functions available it is easy to forget all of the options we have to make our life easier. I decided to conduct a Global Replace for these values so that I wouldn't run into this problem with future groups. Here's how:

Create a Group of Contacts with the status: 1. Active (Or whatever your status is. Make sure when you are building your group that you drag-and-drop Status onto the Layout tab so that it shows in the list view of your group).
Once the Group is created choose Tools => Maintenance => Replace Data
Make sure Contact is the radio button chosen, this is a Contact group after all. Click Next.
Choose Replace with specified value
Chose your field from the pick list. In this case Contact.Status
Enter the new value. For this group it will be Active (we are changing all of the 1. Active to Active). Click Finish.
You can now replace your group one-by-one or just replace all. I like to do a couple individuals first so I know it is correct and then I will replace all.
After replacing all your group should be empty. Delete your group. FINISHED!

I hope this helps some of you out there. You can also check out the On Demand recording of Using Global Replace to Update Records for additional examples.

-Brianna

We Keep Growing and Growing...

Brianna Tinjum — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:03:00 GMT

Good Training membership hits 500!

I am excited to announce that Good Training now has 500 members! This is an exciting milestone for the Good Training sponsors and myself. We've reached this point with minimal advertising in just over a year. I can only assume that the membership growth is due to all of you passing this site along as a great place to get SalesLogix training and information. Thank you all so very much! I want our membership and content to keep growing for years to come and for Good Training to continue to be your favorite source for all things related to SalesLogix training and info. If there is anything we can do to improve this site, and in doing so improve your SalesLogix user experience, please let us know by posting suggestions to the Site Suggestions and Questions forum or the Contact page.

Thanks again!!!

-Brianna

SalesLogix v6.2 Set For Retirement

Brianna Tinjum — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:42:00 GMT

It had a good run but the new versions are where it's at!

It's Monday and we're back to work. Did all of you have a good weekend? I hope the resounding answer is yes! As I mentioned on Friday I had plans to go backpacking in Northern Minnesota. I went and had a wonderful time. The camp site was gorgeous and the weather was perfect. I saw more wildlife on this trip than on any other I've been on - the largest raven ever, a woodchuck, a bear (at night, very scary), snake, and a mother and baby dear. I can't wait to go again.

Last week I received a notice from Sage Software regarding SalesLogix v6.2 - retirement is set for February 2009 and no additional service packs or patches will be released for v6.2, and only minimal support will be available for customers. However, you will still be able to purchase v6.2 add-on licenses.

Let's all have a great week!

-Brianna