Flash Presentation:

We have created a NEW Flash Presentation which will allow you to see some of the features of the Prospecting Plug-in. To view this presentation click here... The Prospects Application

Excel 'Prospects Application' Interface

Simple Record Navigation: Navigation buttons are consistent with those used in a database or on a webpage. There is also a record count in the form "Customer X of Y" so that the user knows where they are in terms of their workload.

Layout: Customer Data and Interactive Form elements are kept separate from one another, making it easier to understand the layout and functionality within the form. Similarly, interactive elements are controlled by pre-defined combo boxes but there is also a free-form text box which enables extra detail for every customer record. The interactive section means that users don't have to use paper because they can keep track of exactly what has happened at each stage using just the form menus. This also means that customer data is more secure because there won't be hard copies of this information in circulation.

Lead Filter: The Lead Filter allows the user to select a specific type of Lead. If they just want to focus on Loans then they can do so by Selecting 'Loan' from the Lead Filter drop-down menu. As the leads are used (archived) the Filter will automatically remove any leads that are no longer available. This leaves the user in no doubt as to how many leads are left and of what type. This is also helped by the live record count which adjusts as soon as any of the leads are actioned and archived.

Advanced Search Functionality: There are 2 types of search form. The first is referred to as the Customer Search form and it allows the user to search ALL data elements within the form including anything that they have already input into the free-form notes box. The second search form is the Account Balance Search Form it allows the user to find any customer that has accounts that fall within a given balance range. This search functionality effectively allows the user to considerably extend the power of the leads that they have been supplied. They can search for specific customers that will help them achieve their sales targets, over and above the lead type already supplied. If the search form finds records it will display them automatically in the main window. To return to the full set of records all the user needs to do is close the search form.

Submit Results: When the user has finished with their Prospects they click the submit button and this will automatically collate the results and send them in an email back to the Marketing Department. The report will then be locked so that it cannot be accidentally reused.

Note: For a full demonstration of the functionality contained within the Prospecting Application please Contact Us.

Access Interface

The main Microsoft Access form is automatically displayed on database startup and contains most of the functionality for running the Prospecting Plug-in. It comprises 3 parts:

1. The Prospects Process: Used for the creation and distribution of the Prospect Applications.

Progress Indicators: Demonstrate which steps have been run and the outcome of each. This makes it easy for a user to keep track of work-flow and establish whether steps completed successfully. If a process is either cancelled or fails then the Status bar will display 'Failed' on a red background and give the user clues as to how to fix the issue.

Similarly, there are other progress bars that indicate how long you can expect a process to run. These are utilised for intensive operations like creating and locking reports or emailing the finished reports to endusers.

Concise Dialogue Boxes: Says what needs to be done in the simplest terms.

Error Message Boxes: Give details of the error and/or suggests a way to fix the problem.

Form Tips: Hovering over a form object will give extra information to help understand what it does.

Sub-Forms: There are various sub-forms that perform a number of operations. All have been designed with the user in mind. The options are extensive, but still only use simple point-and-click functionality. The excerpt below shows how easy it is to send emails to end-users, but also how easy it is to determine whether delivery was successful or not.

Documentation:
PDF doc for Administrators of the Prospects Database - A "How To" Guide for Administrators (Opens in new window)

Note: For a full demonstration of the functionality contained within the Prospecting Database Please Contact Us.