Concursive ConcourseSuite CRM Help

General

Who is Concursive Corporation?

Concursive Corporation is the developer of ConcourseSuite, the first front office application suite to integrate CRM, content management and Enterprise 2.0 capabilities. A Java-based application with a standards-based plug-in architecture, ConcourseSuite 5.0 allows third-party developers to integrate applications and share data with key company applications including HR, financial, inventory/delivery, and logistics systems. It's used today by Fortune 500 companies in large configurations and by thousands of smaller enterprises. ConcourseSuite includes all common CRM modules and adds significant capabilities such as collaborative Project Management, Website Authoring, Content & Document Management, Customer Surveys, and sophisticated Help Desk functions

What is ConcourseSuite?

ConcourseSuite (formerly known as Centric CRM) is one of the earliest Open Source CRMs within the industry. Upon its manifestation the creators wanted a product that was open source, secure, scalable, and something we would like to call 'enterprise class'. To this date ConcourseSuite contains over 2 millions lines of code and 50+ man years of effort written in the fast secure Java Programming Language. Our product creates an ecosystem consisting of a company's infrastructure and its clients.

What kind of security features does ConcourseSuite offer?

Many features within ConcourseSuite ensure the security of your company's data. The included features are as followed:

• LDAP Authentication
• SSL logins as well as encrypted passwords.
• Single session sign-ons per user.
• Client browser auto logout.
• Action Level Permissions / User Hiearchy

Is my data backed up?

Systems are backed up daily to ensure that data is kept safe.

Accounts

What is the difference between a Lead, a Contact, and an Account?

• A Lead is a raw prospect. You might have received their name from a trade-show, a Lead Supply company, or from word of mouth.
• A Contact is someone who has responded to some form of marketing you have performed. Examples would be responses to bulk mailings, email campaigns, or cold calls. They're not yet a paying customer, but they have expressed interest in your product or service.
• An Account is a paying customer. This is someone who is receiving your product or service and has given you some money in exchange.

Why is it important to separate leads, contacts, and accounts?

These are three distinct groups of people and you treat them very differently. Grouping them in this way helps you track things such as conversion rate as you move them through the sales pipeline. It also helps to group them this way to easily perform actions, like mass email marketing or customer surveys.

Does an account have to be an organization?

No, an account is a revenue generating contact. This contact could be a member of a large organization, or a single person business.

Is there an ability to get the history of all the activities done related to an account?

History is recored automatically against an Account based on actions taken in the application, including activities completed/canceled, quotes created, tickets opened/closed, opportunities opened/closed, and other functions. Comment notes can also be attached.

Admin

What does the 'manage users' link do?

The manage users section allows you to view and add users to the system and manage their reporting structure. Users are typically employees in your company who interact with your clients or customers, but can be outsides that you have granted permissions on the system.

My employee is on leave can I limit their access?

The easiest way to limit access to an employee on leave is to construct a special role and assign it to them. This way they can still access company documentation and other information.

What is a Portal Role?

A portal role is a permission given to a customer account. It gives the customer access to review their account data such as outstanding tickets.

Contacts

What is the difference between a Lead, a Contact, and an Account?

• A Lead is a raw prospect. You might have received their name from a trade-show, a Lead Supply company, or from word of mouth.
• A Contact is someone who has responded to some form of marketing you have performed. Examples would be responses to bulk mailings, email campaigns, or cold calls. They're not yet a paying customer, but they have expressed interest in your product or service.
• An Account is a paying customer. This is someone who is receiving your product or service and has given you some money in exchange.

What should I do with my contacts?

Because a contact has expressed interest in your product or service you can target your marketing to suit their interests. Using tools like the Marketing Module and Pipeline Module that are provided by ConcourseSuite you can deliver quotes and targeted email blasts to these interested parties.

Why is it important to separate leads, contacts, and accounts?

These are three distinct groups of people and you treat them very differently. Grouping them in this way helps you track things such as conversion rate as you move them through the sales pipeline. It also helps to group them this way to easily perform actions, like mass email marketing or customer surveys.

Is there an ability to get the history of all the activities done related to a contact?

History is recorded automatically against a contact based on actions taken in the application, including activities completed/canceled, quotes created, tickets opened/closed, opportunities opened/closed, and other functions. Comment notes can also be attached.

Marketing

Can print campaigns be created?

The marketing module can manage the creations of print mailings. The system will automatically word merge contact information and send it to your printer.

Product

How do products get into the catalog? Products can be added to the catalog in one of two ways. They can be imported or added manually.

Can you upload images for products?

The system has an easy upload function. You can load thumbnail images to large images of your products.

Can you change pricing on the fly?

You can set pricing range to change based on a date range. These can be used for running sales and other types of marketing activities.

Is there an ability to get the history of all the activities done related to an opportunity?

History is recorded automatically against an opportunity based on actions taken in the application, including activities completed/canceled, quotes created, tickets opened/closed, opportunities opened/closed, and other functions. Comment notes can also be attached.

Quotes

Can you attach a company logo to quotes?

You can easily select which logo you would like to attach to the quote from a drop down menu during the construction of a quote. Please see how to build a quote for details.

What are the delivery methods available for a quote?

The quoting system can deliver a quote in 3 different ways. It can print out a quote to be hand delivered or mailed, It can fax a quote, or it can Email a quote.

Where quotes tracked in the system once they are sent?

You can view quotes in 2 different areas once they are sent. The quotes module, and the recipient of the quotes' profile.

Projects

What is a Wiki?

A wiki is a web page or collection of web pages with content that users can add to or edit collectively. A wiki is a great way for groups of people to pool their knowledge in a central location for everyone to share.

Are Gantt charts available within a project?

Currently project planning is limited to time table lists and plans. These time tables and lists can be exported for use outside the system. Future enhancements such are Gantt charts are planned.

Can I do task assignments and email alerts?

Tasks can be assigned to individuals on teams and tracked with email via the ticketing system.

Do projects support budget/cost/expenses tracking?

Project accounting and budgeting can be managed at a high level in the budget section.

Documents

Can I delete documents?

The document module has an easy permission system on who has rights to view, modify or delete documents.

Can clients have access to documents?

Document can be made to be viewable on websites.

How do I delete a document store?

To delete an entire document store you can do under that stores details tab. You must have delete permissions for this particular store to access this function.

Help Desk

What does a ticket do?

Creating a ticket does two things:

1. 1. It starts the resolution process for a customers issue The problem is logged and tagged with severity, category, and other identifiers so that a problem can be classified specifically
2. 2.It starts the accountability process The ticket can be assigned to a user of the system and any changes to the ticket or re-assignments are logged against the ticket

Can I do task do task assignments and send email alerts?

Yes, once a task is assigned to an individual or team they will receive an email alaert. Future progress of the task can be tracked with email alerts via the ticketing system.

What is the Help Desk inbox for?

The help desk inbox can receive incoming email and attach them to customer data. This way you can generate a record of of issues that specific clients are facing.

Leads

How do I get Leads into the system?

Leads can be put into the system in one of three ways:

1. Manually - You can enter leads from business cards, scraps of paper, or from your memory manually by selecting the Add function and simply typing in the information.
2. Importing - You can import a list of leads from an Excel spreadsheet or other program that can save files in a comma separated value or .csv file type.
3. Automatically - This is one of the greatest features of a next generation CRM system. A website can be integrated into the tool via a Contact Us form, or other query from, contact information from the form can flow directly into the Leads Module.

What is the difference between a Lead, a Contact, and an Account?

• A Lead is a raw prospect. You might have received their name from a trade-show, a Lead Supply company, or from word of mouth.
• A Contact is someone who has responded to some form of marketing you have performed. Examples would be responses to bulk mailings, email campaigns, or cold calls. They're not yet a paying customer, but they have expressed interest in your product or service.
• An Account is a paying customer. This is someone who is receiving your product or service and has given you some money in exchange.

Why is it important to separate leads, contacts, and accounts?

These are three distinct groups of people and you treat them very differently. Grouping them in this way helps you track things such as conversion rate as you move them through the sales pipeline. It also helps to group them this way to easily perform actions, like mass email marketing or customer surveys.

Where can I get more Leads?

Leads can be acquired from a multitude of venues. Buying lists, advertising campaigns, and using the website module to effectively capture contact information are all viable methods.

Pipeline

What's a pipeline?

A pipeline is a sales funnel that starts with an unaware prospect or Lead, transitions to an aware contact, and ends with the conversation of the contact into a paying account.

What makes up an opportunity?

An opportunity contains estimates of dollar figures, the probability of closing the deal, and estimated closing dates. Using these numbers a manager or owner can track the effectiveness of the firms sales techniques.

Do I have the ability to attach any type of documents to an opportunity?

Documents or images of most file types can be attached to Opportunities, Accounts, Contacts, Leads and Help Desk Tickets.

Home Page

Is the homepage mail box a fully functional mail system?

The message system is designed to support internal messaging within the system and to outgoing emails to addresses that are already contacts in the system. This mailbox messaging system should not take the place of a normal email system. This system will not send email to addresses typed in "on-the-fly" and it will not receive email from outside the system.

What is the purpose of Tasks?

Tasks allows you to create and assign actionable items and things for employees to do. Once you create a task, you can assign it to yourself or an employee in the system. The task page also lists details about outstanding tasks such as their priorities, due dates and age.

What are Action Lists?

Action lists allow for the creation of market segmented contact lists that your can address in a specialized way. From this list you can add details about phone conversations, opportunities created, trouble tickets, and send out messages directly to the contact. These actions are also stored in the contacts record.

Reports

I need a report performed that is not listed under the Add a report link, what do I do?

The tool has many reports prebuilt into the system; however, if you need a customized report, our professional services department can address this need for you quickly. You can contact them at professionalservices@concursive.com.

What formats are the reports available in?

Reports can be constructed into PDF, HTML, CSV, and Microsoft Excel formats. The format can be selected during the setup process.

Can I export the reports from the system?

All reports are downloadable via the multi action blue arrow in the reports screen.

Website

How do I get my website to show up on a search engine?

Search Engine optimization takes a bit of time and effort, but if you follow best practices you will be able to see results in your websites. Our professional services department can walk you through some best practice methods of gaining top placement on search engines.

Why should I use this website tool over others?

One of the main underlying reasons of using our web content management system is the simple integration with your CRM. When a site visitor enters in contact information on a contact us form or survey, it shows up as a lead on your CRM. Similar functionality exists with your products catalog and your public documents catalog.

Can I upload my own cascading style sheets?

The web tool has been designed around web standards and does support cascading style sheets. You can upload them in the editing screen.

Does Concursive host my website if I use the tool?

The website will be hosted on the same robust servers that host your tools

Company

Is the employee data stored viewable by other employees?

Only if the other employees have view permissions for the company tab.