CRM: Lead, Prospect & Client
What do these Roles mean?
Contacts are divided into three basic types: Leads, Prospects, and Clients. The Role of a Contact indicates what they currently are in your "sales funnel."
LEAD: A Lead is a potential Client whom you’ve met and exchanged contact information with, but have no concrete business plans currently in the works. Leads do not have login credentials for your platform Portal.
PROSPECT: The next step after a Lead is a Prospect. A Prospect has moved one step further in your sales funnel and is essentially a Lead who has been given the ability to log in to your platform. This level allows you to share private sales and promotional material, private messages, Estimates, Proposals, and other resources that might be appropriate at this stage.
CLIENT: When the Contact officially reaches the point of doing business with you, the Prospect can then be converted to a Client. After a Contact's role is established as a Client they can be sent Invoices and can be assigned to Projects.
Moving through the Sales FunnelThe roles of Lead, Prospect & Client are designed to help you organize the movement of Contacts through a typical Sales Funnel. The designed direction is Lead > Prospect > Client and this is the only direction the roles can be changed. You are able to change a Contact's role "into the funnel" from Lead > Prospect > Client --- BUT, you are not able to change a Contact's role in the other direction. The reason for this is that permissions are expanded as a Contact moves "into the funnel" and they are able to be assigned to more and more elements like Estimates, Invoices, Projects, etc. and after a Contact is connected to these elements, there is no ability to easily remove them from those elements. As such, changing the role of a Contact in the reverse direction is not allowed.
IMPORTANT: Note that you cannot change the Role of a Contact using the import functionality. The Role can be initially established via Import, but after that 1st creation of the Contact, a Role change can only be achieved manually or via a No-Code Automation.
How Role changes workCONVERTING A LEAD: After you've had some interactions with a Lead and they've shown promise, or perhaps they have confirmed that they'll start doing business with you, you can move them to another Role.
Navigate to CRM > Contacts.
Use the Options menu button to convert the Lead to either a Prospect or a Client.
CONVERTING A PROSPECT: If you've been successful with a Prospect and they've confirmed that they'll start doing business with you, you can convert the Prospect to a Client. Use the Options menu button to convert the Prospect to a Client.
IMPORTANT: You can only convert Contacts in a progressive manner (Lead > Prospect > Client). Therefore, you cannot change a Client into a Lead/Prospect, or a Prospect into a Lead.
Last updated on March 27, 2023
CRM: Adding & Editing Contacts
How do I add a Contact?
To add a Lead, Prospect, or Client, navigate to CRM > Contacts and click the +Add Contact button.
You will be presented with several fields to fill out for your Contact. You can create Secondary Contacts in the same way.
CLICK HERE to learn more about Secondary Clients
The required fields are Role, First Name, and Last Name. The Email field will also be required if the Contact is a Prospect or Client. You also have the option to assign a Company to the Contact. You can upload an avatar for your Contact and fill in Default and Custom Field information as needed.
In addition to the Contact information you can also assign the Coordinator, Salesperson As well as additional assignments.
To add your Assignments, click the dropdown arrow to reveal all available options.
TIP: Please note, the assignments that are available will depend on what ROLE you have selected for the Contact.
Inviting Prospects and Clients to the PortalDuring the creation process, you will have the option of immediately sending the Prospect or Client a Portal Access Invitation. This email will contain a link to activate their account. They will be required to choose a password before gaining access to the Portal. If you would prefer to not send them the activation link right away, you can uncheck this option.
In some cases, you may want to add the Contact to the platform but not send the activation link right away. While the Contact is in "Not Invited" status, you have the freedom to build the resources that you intend for them to see. While in this status, a Contact will be unable to access the portal and will not be sent any email notifications for created or assigned content. Once you are prepared, you can select Send Invite from the Options menu button.
TIP: An exception to the rule of blocking any notification emails to a Contact in "Not Invited" status is if you have enabled the ability for Documents to be signed without logging in and you assign them a Document.
CLICK HERE to learn about Documents
If you have chosen to send the Portal Access Invitation, your Prospect or Client will have the "Invited" Status in the CRM list under Last Login until they activate their account. While in Invited status, you can choose to Resend the Invite at any time via the Options menu button (3 dots).
TIP: The "Resend Invite" is not available for Prospects or Clients who have already activated their accounts. If they are having trouble accessing their account, they are required to change their password.
Creating a Test ClientYou'll need to use a unique email - so you can use an extra email address if you have one or if you know the Google 'unique email' hack, that works here as well.
Navigate to CRM > Contacts, and click the +Add Contact button.
For testing purposes, it is best to choose Client for the Role. Choosing to send the Portal Access Invitation Email immediately will speed up the process.
The following are the only required fields. In this example, the Gmail/G Suite hack is being used.The Client - or in this case, you - will receive the activation email. If you are already logged into the platform it is recommended to open the link via "Incognito" or "Private" mode. You can do this by right-clicking the link and selecting Open link in incognito window in Chrome, Open link in private window in Firefox, or a similar in a different browser. Two users on the same browser cannot be logged into the platform at the same time.
All you need to do now to activate the account is to set a password. The Display Name is typically automatically pre-filled with the First Name/Last Name however this can be any name/nick name of your choosing. In addition to the information that was provided, a 'Handle' will automatically be created. Handles are unique usernames assigned to each user and are mandatory for @mentions. This ensures clear and unambiguous communication within the platform.
Now you can experiment by creating Client pages, sharing Files, creating Invoices, etc., to test what your Clients will see.
How do I manage my Contacts?In the Contacts list, click the Options menu button of the Contact you would like to manage. This is a special menu that has a structure similar to the Flyout Menu.
The options available will depend on several factors (Role, Status, etc.,). You'll be able to quickly accomplish many tasks right from this menu.
You can use the quick icons at the top of the menu to copy the link to the Contact's CRM Dashboard, edit the Contact's information, send a Secure Message, and Impersonate the user.
CLICK HERE to learn about the CRM Dashboard
CLICK HERE to learn about Secure Messaging
CLICK HERE to learn about Impersonating
Contact UIDYou can access the Contact UID by clicking Options. Select the Fingerprint icon to copy the UID.
How do I edit a Contact?Go to CRM > Contacts. The first way is to click Options and select the Edit Icon.
The second way is to click on the Contact you are wanting to edit from CRM > Contacts. This will take you to the Client Dashboard.
From there you will click Edit under Contact Details.
TIP: You can edit all Profile information with the exception of the Display Name and the Handle. To Change these, you can do so by impersonating the Contact and clicking 'Edit Profile'.Please note: The Display Name can be changed to any name of your choosing however the Handle must be unique and not directly match any other handle already taken.
When going into Edit Mode for a Primary Contact, you also have the ability to Prevent the Primary Contact from switching into 'Individual Mode'.
Clicking this setting means that the Portal they enter and navigate is the Company Portal and they will not be able to switch to their Individual portal in the Flyout Menu.
CLICK HERE to learn about Preventing Primary Contacts from switching into "Individual Mode'.
After editing the Contact's details you will see that you have 3 different Save options at the bottom of the screen and also the option to clear the changes.
Save > List: This will save your edits and take you back to the list of Contacts.
Save > Contact: This will save your edits and take you back to that specific Contact's Dashboard.
Save and Keep Editing: This will apply the changes but still give you the opportunity to make further edits.
Clear Changes: This will remove any changes you have made to the Contact. You will still need to choose a save option after clearing the changes.
How do I search for a Contact?You can search for a Contact/Company by Filtering, the Quick Switcher or by the Search functions.
Filtering
Go to CRM>Contacts or CRM>Companies and click the Filter icon in the CRM list options.
You can then use the Filter options to find the relevant Contact/Company.
The Quick SwitcherIf you are already in a Contact/Company record in the CRM, you can click the arrow next to their name to open the Quick Switcher.
Start to type the name at the top of the dropdown box to quickly locate your Contact/Company, alternatively all of your Contacts/Companies will appear in the dropdown box.
The Search/Find BarFrom any page you can search for a Company or Contact. Click the Magnifying Glass Icon located in the bottom right of the page
Add the Contact/Company Name into the search bar and it will show both Contact and/or Company records that the name is associated with.
You can now use the icons to Edit, Message, Impersonate, or go to the CRM record.
Edit by clicking the Pencil icon for either the Contact or Company.
Message by clicking the envelope Icon.
Impersonate by clicking the Masquerade Mask Icon.
To go to the Contact/Company profile, click the arrow Icon.
TIP: You can use the keyboard short cut 'F' on any page to open the Search/Find window.
Last updated on May 17, 2024
CRM: Creating a Test Client
You'll need to use a unique email - so you can use an extra email address if you have one, or if you know the Google 'unique email' hack, that works here as well.
Navigate to CRM > Contacts, and click the +Add Contact button.
For testing purposes, it is best to choose Client for the Role. Choosing to send the Portal Access Invitation immediately will speed up the process.
The following are the only required fields. In this example, the Gmail/G Suite hack is being used.The Client - or in this case, you - will receive the activation email. If you are already logged into the platform, it is recommended to open the link via "Incognito" or "Private" mode. You can do this by right-clicking the link and selecting Open link in incognito window in Chrome, or Open link in private window in Firefox, or a similar in a different browser. Two users on the same browser cannot be logged into the platform at the same time.
All you need to do now to activate the account is to set a password.Now you can experiment by creating Client pages, sharing Files, creating Invoices, etc., to test what your Clients will see.
Last updated on April 18, 2023
CRM: Importing & Exporting Clients and Companies
What is a CSV Import?Instead of adding your Contacts and Companies manually or having them self-register, you can choose to bulk-add them via a CSV file import. CSV stands for "Comma Separated Values" and it's a very common method for importing/exporting data. It can be easily viewed as a standard spreadsheet. A CSV can be easily created using Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets as they both have built-in methods to export a CSV.
Before you're ready to import your Contacts/Companies, you will need to do some thinking about how your data will be configured. Will you be using Custom Fields?
CLICK HERE to learn about Custom Fields
Contact ImportCurrently, you can import the following:
First NameMiddle NameLast NamePrimary EmailIndividual Address ItemsAll default extra information fields (Work Email, Home Email, etc.)TagsContact Custom FieldsCompany Custom Fields (Private and Public)Then you can assign the following to each individual Contact:
Role (Please note the Role you choose will affect which of the following actions are available)CompanyCompany CategoryPrimary Contact status (if applicable)Circle(s)Email Marketing AudienceEvent GeneratorsOn-Demand FLOWOn-Demand Invoice GeneratorAccumulating GeneratorRecurring GeneratorProposal GeneratorOn-boarding FLOWEmail/Form Cannons (if you have the PLUS Bundle Power-Up)Community/Space (if you have the COMMUNITY Power-Up)CoordinatorAssign SalespersonTIP: You'll need to have everything in order before Importing. It can be very time-consuming to remove imported data as there is no "undo" mechanism.
Company ImportIf you are working with Companies you can import through the Company Import. This will still enable you to add the Primary Contact however the automation you add for the import will be aimed at the Company not the individual.
When you import your Company CSV you can either create new companies or update existing Companies.
Then you can assign the following to the company:
Role (or you can choose to import all Contacts in the list as one particular Role)Primary Contact EmailPrimary Contact First NamePrimary Contact Last NameExisting Primary Contact (from your existing Contacts)You can also toggle to 'Prevent the Primary Contact from switching into individual mode'.
CLICK HERE to learn about preventing a Primary Contact from switching into ‘Individual Mode’.
Currently, you can import the following:
Company NameCategoryCompany PhoneAll default extra information fields (Work Email, Home Email, etc.)SkypeWebsiteFull AddressIndividual Address ItemsBackground infoTagsCompany Public Custom FieldsCompany Private Custom FieldsCommunity/Space (if you have the COMMUNITY Power-Up)How do I Prepare to Import my Contacts/Companies?Before pulling the trigger on your Import, we highly encourage you to take some time to read through the sections below.
Column Header & MappingYou can create a CSV file from scratch, or you can start with the sample CSV and then modify it as needed. When you're viewing the CSV in a spreadsheet viewer (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, Open Office, etc.), each row of the CSV (except Row 1) will be a Contact to be imported, and each column will be a data point associated with that Contact.
DOWNLOAD: Sample CSV Import File
IMPORTANT: Currently only CSV files in encoded in UTF-8 are supported. You can convert your CSV to UTF-8 through your choice of spreadsheet viewer.
Row 1 will serve as the Column Header where you will put the label for the data contained in that column. The values in Row 1 are not imported. Row 1 is used exclusively for identifying and mapping the columns.
How is a Roles Assigned?You have two options on how you will assign the Role to each of your imported Contacts.
Option 1
You can assign every imported Contact a specific role by choosing Lead, Prospect or Client from the first set of values in the Role selector.
In the example above, every Contact imported during this operation would be imported as a Lead, regardless of how the CSV is configured.
Option 2
Or, you can include a Role column in your CSV and select that column using the Role selector. In this case, each Contact will have the Role assigned based on the value assigned to their row in the Role column.
In this example, Art Venere will be given the role of Lead, while Simona Morasca will be given the role of Client.
How to Import Primary Contacts?You can either Import through the Company CSV and assign your Primary Contact or you can create a Companies column in your Contact CSV along with a Primary Contact Column. The Deciding factor will be dependent on who you are wanting to aim the Automation/Actions to when you do import - the Individual or the Company?
Existing CompaniesIf you want to assign Contacts to an existing Company during import, the Company will need to already exist in your account.
IMPORTANT: The Company name in the CSV will need to be an EXACT match the existing Company name in your account. That means if the Company name has capitalization, punctuation, or spacing, that should be carried over precisely to your "Company" column of your CSV.
New CompaniesIf you want to import a new Company and assign Contacts to that Company during the import, select the option to create new Companies if no exact match is found.
The import will look for Companies in the CRM Company column, and associate each Contact with the Company that exists in that column. So, in the below example, James Butt, Art Venere and Lenna Paprocki will all be imported and associated with "Primus Associates, Inc".
In your CSV file, set a column with a header like Is Primary Contact. You can input the accepted values yes or no, or you can leave the cell empty.
After uploading your CSV file you will see a mapping selector for designating the Primary Contact.
If the row is read as yes, then that Contact will be set as the Primary Contact for the associated Company. If the row is read as no, then nothing will be set. If the row is empty, then nothing will be set.
How do I Import Custom Fields with my Contacts or Companies?If you will be using Custom Fields with your Contacts, ensure that those Custom Fields have already been created in the platform before Importing. You will then configure your CSV with a column for each Custom Field.
During the Import steps, you'll map the columns in your CSV to the Custom Fields you've already created in your account.
Certain Custom Field Types need to be mapped in a specific way to ensure that the import goes smoothly:
Checkbox Type: Use checked / unchecked or 1 / 0. This is not case-sensitive.Datefield Type: Once you select your date format, you will need to make sure they all follow that same format.Radio Single Selection with multiselection disabled: The value from the uploaded file column should match with one of the options added to the custom field. This is not case-sensitive.Radio with Multiple Selections enabled: If the value from the uploaded file column contains a comma (delimiter) then the value will be split into multiple values, and each value will be validated if it matches one of the options of the custom field. All values which match will be added to the contact custom field. The delimiter: “,” (comma). For example: apple,pear,plum.Dropdown Type with multiselection disabled: The value from the uploaded file column should match with one of the options added to the custom field. This is not case-sensitive.Dropdown Type with multiselection enabled: If the value from the uploaded file column contains a comma (delimiter), then the value will be split into multiple values, and each value will be validated if it matches one of the options of the custom field. All values which match will be added to the contact custom field. The delimiter: “,” (comma). For example: apple,pear,plum.If you hadn't added your Custom Fields beforehand, you have the option of adding them on the fly during the mapping phase of the Import.
Once you add a new Custom Field, you will be provided with a new field so that you can map it to the respective column in your CSV file.
DOWNLOAD: Sample CSV Import File
TIP: If you want to do an Import that includes data for Custom Fields already created in your account, the best way to get started is to Export data from your CRM Contacts or Company list. That CSV will already have the appropriate column headers for all of your existing Custom Fields, so you can use it as a template to build your Import CSV.
You can also import Company Custom Fields. While importing contacts, if you choose to map the Company field, a section will automatically appear displaying any Company Custom Fields you have created.
How do I execute the Import?Importing is a three-step process - Choose the correct Import type (Companies or Contacts), upload your CSV, then map the columns.
Step OneGo to CRM > Companies or CRM > Contacts and use the three dots to locate and choose your Import.
Step TwoGet started by uploading your CSV. Please note that there is no commitment after this step - nothing will be Imported until after finishing Step Three.
Step ThreeAfter your CSV is uploaded, you will be directed to a page where you can associate the various columns in your CSV with the standard fields in your account, as well as any Custom Fields.
On this page, the existing fields in your account will be listed in the dropdown menus. Use the dropdowns to select the desired column headers that match up with the corresponding existing fields.
CLICK HERE to learn about Company Categories
CLICK HERE to learn about Event Generators
CLICK HERE to learn about FLOWs
CLICK HERE to learn about Invoice Generators
CLICK HERE to learn about Accumulating Generators
CLICK HERE to learn about Recurring Generators
CLICK HERE to learn about Proposal Generators
CLICK HERE to learn about Marketing Audiences
CLICK HERE to learn about Circles
CLICK HERE to learn about Cannons
IMPORTANT: This list will change depending on the Role selection. Do not be alarmed to see very few options when selecting Lead. This is expected as that Role does not have access to everything listed here.
You will also have a few additional Import Options presented to you before you initiate the action by clicking Import.
Portal Access Invitation: If checked, all Prospects/Clients that are imported will immediately be invited to the Portal. If left unchecked, then they will all be given a "Not Invited" status, which means they will not receive this email until it is manually triggered by you.
Update existing Contacts: If checked, any rows in the CSV that match with existing Contacts in your CRM (by having the same email address) will automatically be marked as "existing", and they will not be imported as new Contacts. Instead, the existing Contact's data will be overwritten by the data provided from the CSV file.
This feature is useful if you would like to like to update your existing Contacts' data in bulk, rather than having to update each one individually.
IMPORTANT: If you are Updating existing Contacts and you leave a field blank for a data point where existing data was present, that existing data will be overwritten and the existing data will be lost.
Coordinator: By default, the user Importing the Contacts will automatically be assigned as the Coordinator for all Imported Contacts. You can choose a different user from the dropdown menu instead.
Tips for ImportingHere are a few things to understand as you prepare for your import.
Assigning by ID NumberIf you are assigning Contacts to Event Generators or Email Marketing Audiences during import, you should use the numerical "ID" of these items in your CSV file. The ID numbers of Event Generators and Email Marketing Audiences can easily be found in the "ID" column of the tables in CRM > Events > Event Generators and Marketing > Audiences respectively. You will need to enter only the numerical ID of the desired Generator and/or List in your CSV, not the Name. Please see the example CSV attached to this post for an example.
Importing very large data setsSmaller CSV files will be automatically imported and you will see a success message. However, if the file is larger, you will see a message stating that the Import has been queued, and it will take a few minutes to be Imported.
Testing your CSV ImportThere is no UNDO mechanism for importing, so it's a good practice to test with only one or two rows of data before making the full Import. By doing this, you can save yourself a great deal of time in the case the Import doesn't work as you expect.
Import Logs: Understanding any errorsYou can view the status of any Imports (pending and successful), as well as view specific errors related to problem Imports, by viewing the Import Logs.
Navigate to CRM > Contacts or CRM > Companies and click the three dots to reveal your option Logs in the top horizontal menu bar.
It will show you the file name, type, data source, how many rows are in that file, how many were successfully imported, the status of the import, and the creation date.
Clicking Options allows you to:
View Errors Log: This shows you the specific rows that caused errors in your import.
Download Errors Log: The original CSV with an extra column to show the errors will download to your device.
Download Original: The original CSV will download to your device.
Delete: This will remove that import from your logs. The system will ask you to confirm before deleting. Please note that this action cannot be undone.
Download a Sample CSVThis CSV is not meant to be static, but rather a starting point for you to help understand the concepts. Every scenario is different, so you'll want to modify, add to, rearrange, etc. your CSV before Importing.
This is an example of a Contact Import CSV
DOWNLOAD: Sample CSV Import File
What is CRM Exports?The Contact and Company Export function allows you to export all or selected default and custom data for your Contacts. Once an export is initiated, you can download the CSV file.
Company ExportsTo export your Companies you will want to navigate to CRM > Companies and then select the "Reports" button.
This will open an options window where you can select and arrange the fields you would like included in the export.
Download: Click this button when you are ready to initiate the export.
Uncheck/Check All: This toggle will update depending on what you have selected. Uncheck All will uncheck/toggle all of the fields below that are currently checked/toggled. Check All will check/toggle all of the fields below.
Remember Selection: Always running the same export? When this option is enabled the options selected and arranged bellow will be the default option the next time you go to run an export.
You can use the = icon to click and drag to arrange the fields in the order you would like to see them in the CSV.
Contact ExportsTo export your Contacts or Individuals, you will want to navigate to CRM > Contacts and then select the "Reports" button.
This will open an options window where you can select and arrange the fields you would like included in the export.
Download: Click this button when you are ready to initiate the export.
Uncheck/Check All: This toggle will update depending on what you have selected. Uncheck All will uncheck/toggle all of the fields below that are currently checked/toggled. Check All will check/toggle all of the fields below.
Remember Selection: Always running the same export? When this option is enabled the options selected and arranged bellow will be the default option the next time you go to run an export.
You can use the = icon to click and drag to arrange the fields in the order you would like to see them in the CSV.
What happens after an Export?After you initiate an export you will be redirected to the Export/Import Logs page. You should see a message at the top of the page indicating that a request has started and you will be notified by email when complete.
When the export has completed, you will be notified by a system email and you will have the option to download directly from the email or via the Export/Import Logs page.
You will also have access if you navigate to the Export/Import logs page directly.
On this page you will have the options to Download or Delete previous exports.
Last updated on May 16, 2024
Onboarding Your Staff
What do these Roles mean?
Contacts are divided into three basic types: Leads, Prospects, and Clients. The Role of a Contact indicates what they currently are in your "sales funnel."
LEAD: A Lead is a potential Client whom you’ve met and exchanged contact information with, but have no concrete business plans currently in the works. Leads do not have login credentials for your platform Portal.
PROSPECT: The next step after a Lead is a Prospect. A Prospect has moved one step further in your sales funnel and is essentially a Lead who has been given the ability to log in to your platform. This level allows you to share private sales and promotional material, private messages, Estimates, Proposals, and other resources that might be appropriate at this stage.
CLIENT: When the Contact officially reaches the point of doing business with you, the Prospect can then be converted to a Client. After a Contact's role is established as a Client they can be sent Invoices and can be assigned to Projects.
Moving through the Sales FunnelThe roles of Lead, Prospect & Client are designed to help you organize the movement of Contacts through a typical Sales Funnel. The designed direction is Lead > Prospect > Client and this is the only direction the roles can be changed. You are able to change a Contact's role "into the funnel" from Lead > Prospect > Client --- BUT, you are not able to change a Contact's role in the other direction. The reason for this is that permissions are expanded as a Contact moves "into the funnel" and they are able to be assigned to more and more elements like Estimates, Invoices, Projects, etc. and after a Contact is connected to these elements, there is no ability to easily remove them from those elements. As such, changing the role of a Contact in the reverse direction is not allowed.
IMPORTANT: Note that you cannot change the Role of a Contact using the import functionality. The Role can be initially established via Import, but after that 1st creation of the Contact, a Role change can only be achieved manually or via a No-Code Automation.
How Role changes workCONVERTING A LEAD: After you've had some interactions with a Lead and they've shown promise, or perhaps they have confirmed that they'll start doing business with you, you can move them to another Role.
Navigate to CRM > Contacts.
Use the Options menu button to convert the Lead to either a Prospect or a Client.
CONVERTING A PROSPECT: If you've been successful with a Prospect and they've confirmed that they'll start doing business with you, you can convert the Prospect to a Client. Use the Options menu button to convert the Prospect to a Client.
IMPORTANT: You can only convert Contacts in a progressive manner (Lead > Prospect > Client). Therefore, you cannot change a Client into a Lead/Prospect, or a Prospect into a Lead.
Last updated on March 27, 2023
My Profile / Settings
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Customize with Your Logo and Brand Colors
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Customize e-Mail with Your Logo and Brand Colors
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Setting Up Your Custom URL
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Customize Your Log-on Page
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