Did you know you could test your dbase filter expressions using the “dBase Expression Tester” built into GoldMine? This tool is accessed from within GoldMine by pressing down the Control, Shift and letter “D” key simultaneously. This tool allows you to test any dBase expression against the active record. After writing or pasting your expression into top box, press the “Eval” button. If the active record meets the expression’s criteria the test will return a result of “TRUE.” On the other hand, it will return the result of “FALSE” if the GoldMine record does NOT fit the criteria. Again, the tester only evaluates the expression based on the active record, which is nice because you don’t have to waste time previewing your filters to see if they are written correctly. The dBase is especially handy for checking expressions you might use within Automated Processes or within the GoldMine Lookup.ini.

Here’s a classic case of synergy. A building supply manager achieved many desired benefits by integrating their accounting system with their GoldMine data. For one, they could better manage longer sales cycles – thanks to integration that allows them to keep track of quotes in their Accounting system and manage their pipeline more effectively.

Other advantages from integration include the elimination of double entries, and giving the sales force a handle on receivables as well as transactional history. Bringing together accounting data with contact management data was the missing piece in the CRM puzzle. The cost of purchasing and implementing an add-on accounting link was a fraction of having an integrator write custom code and the fastest means of realizing the synergy that results from linking sales and accounting data.

For more information on how you can integrate your accounting system and other back end office systems with GoldMine please contact us.

If you’re a sales manager who’s constantly drilling home the importance of follow-up, let GoldMine notify your salespeople, and you if you’d like, if they are failing to follow-up on new leads. GoldMine Automated Processes are useful mechanisms for this.

All automated processes start out with planning.

■To begin with, determine the criteria you believe constitute a “forgotten lead.” It may be a set of factors.
■For example: Contact Type = Prospect, and there is no scheduled call back (Contact2->callbackon is empty), and there is no scheduled next action (Contact2-nextaction is empty).
■Prepare the filter that you will use as the “dBase expression,” which will serve as the “trigger” for an “event.”
■Then determine what action you want your automated processes to perform.
For example, you may wish it to schedule a message to the appropriate person.

In order for this process to notify the appropriate salesperson, there will have to be a field that contains the user login name for the salesperson that is responsible for this prospect. (Tip: Set-up a lookup.ini expression to auto-fill a field with the sales rep login.)

To make sure that the process is applied to prospect records, see to it that this expression is attached to all “prospect” records, also using a lookup.ini expression. And, since follow-up is ongoing, design the properties of your automated process to “restart each time the process ends.” It can be removed using a preemptive event that sees the record is no longer a prospect. Also, to avoid creating a repeating loop in your automated process, which schedules duplicate messages, make sure there is a track(s) that deals with those records that already have pending messages.

Word to the wise – always test automated processes before setting them loose!

If you are one who truly walks-the-talk with regard to sales automation, then you’re going to appreciate the ability that the latest version of GoldMine – 5.7 Business Contact Manager – gives you to create “global toolbars.” While this new feature is not nearly as robust as what third-party products like “SalesMagic” or “AIM ToolBars” enable you to do, it is a step forward for GoldMine.In the past, GoldMine would not allow you to create custom toolbars and/or macros that could be shared by other users. It was too much of a chore for a GoldMine administrator to set up and maintain individually for each workstation. Plus, if a user changed their toolbar, they’d lose all the items. Hallelujah … 5.7 is the solution – now you can turn your most common repetitive and time-consuming scheduling tasks and processes into macros and organize them under task bar categories and give global access to them.

Tip: For truly powerful macros that can print documents, run reports, schedule multiple activities all with a click of a button, assign a GoldMine Automated Processes with macro icon.

Here is a tip to help you deal with the large volume of “non-deliverable email” one gets back as a result of doing a broadcast email with GoldMine. Rather than dealing with the returned (failed) email messages in your email center inbox, create an email rule that automatically files these emails into a special folder to be handled when you see fit.

Simply create a new rule for incoming messages that identifies emails with a subject that contains the various possible scenarios for undeliverable email. (There’s quite a few, and new ones are continually being added.) As the rule’s action, have it file the email to a special folder you’ve created beforehand for undeliverable mail. Remember to activate your rule just before doing a broadcast.

Also, don’t forget to deactivate it a day or two after your broadcast. When you’ve got the time to clean up all those bad email addresses, go into the folder containing all your undeliverable email. To find the corresponding records in GoldMine, just lookup based on “details” for “email address” and type in the email address contained in returned message.

Bonus Benefit – Doing broadcast emails and going through your non-deliverables is a great way to learn about changes in prospect and customer records. With such a large percentage of turnovers in companies, keeping up with non-deliverable email is an effective tactic for alerting you of personnel changes so you can keep your database up-to-date.