Access for Contact Management?

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We have an extensive Access database of our sales reps. We're looking for a software solution (either within Access, or a program that links to Access) that would allow us to add detailed notes about each contact, set follow-up reminders, create queries and print reports of ongoing issues with each contact. It doesn't look as though ACT 6 is getting good reviews, or that it links and synchronizes with Access. Anyone have suggestions for either a contact management program that works closely with Access, or an add-on for Access that would allow us to do these things?
 
Please see below
--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm

Shelly Ryder said:
We have an extensive Access database of our sales reps. We're looking for
Click to expand...
a software solution (either within Access, or a program that links to
Access) that would allow us to
add detailed notes about each contact
Click to expand...
this can be done within your existing program
set follow-up reminders
Click to expand...
possibly hook this into your Exchange server?
create queries and print reports of ongoing issues with each contact
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Can be done within Access, assuming the data is there
It doesn't look as though ACT 6 is getting good reviews, or that it links
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and synchronizes with Access.
ACT 6.0 is a flat-table database, not relational. It can link to Access,
but it is painful (IMHO)
Anyone have suggestions for either a contact management program that works
Click to expand...
closely with Access, or an add-on for Access that > would allow us to do
these things?

Are you absolutely married to the existing Access database?
How many users?

Modifying what you have already may be the best answer here, but I would
need far more information to help make that determination.

For the record, I have several years of experience with CRM/SFA systems (ACT
3-5, Pivotal, Siebel, SalesLogix, Microsoft CRM, Clientele)
 
Thanks Kevin. I checked with some other folks here before responding to you.

We may have as many as 10 users accessing this file at one time. Based on your response and some of our findings, it's looking like we may be better off creating another Access database. I should mention that this contact management tool (or Access d-base) will need a "live" link to about seven other existing Access d-bases on our LAN. These databases contain information about sales quotas, orders received, detailed information about each employee, etc. It seems that the contact management programs -- at best -- only allow you to IMPORT data from Access, rather than simply displaying certain data from external files. I'm just starting to read through a GoldMine user guide to see how it handles Access data.

If we can use a calendar and set reminders in Access, this should suit us just fine.
 
Linking Access datbases is a piece of cake, but with that many you will want
some very accurate documentation. Most off the shelf CRMs are going to want
to be the "owner" of the data, so you are correct that very few will want to
do a link instead of an import.

If you need the name of a GoldMine reseller to chat with, a friend of mine
is one. Send me an offline email if you want his name.

Good luck!

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm

Shelly Ryder said:
Thanks Kevin. I checked with some other folks here before responding to you.

We may have as many as 10 users accessing this file at one time. Based on
Click to expand...
your response and some of our findings, it's looking like we may be better
off creating another Access database. I should mention that this contact
management tool (or Access d-base) will need a "live" link to about seven
other existing Access d-bases on our LAN. These databases contain
information about sales quotas, orders received, detailed information about
each employee, etc. It seems that the contact management programs -- at
best -- only allow you to IMPORT data from Access, rather than simply
displaying certain data from external files. I'm just starting to read
through a GoldMine user guide to see how it handles Access data.
If we can use a calendar and set reminders in Access, this should suit us
Click to expand...
just fine.
 
Kevin
When I click on your name, it creates a new mail message to a somewhat obscene address, which just got returned to me. What is your e-mail address

Shelly
 
You are supposed to remove the "NopeIDontNeedViagra" portion and leave the
rest...sorry if that embarrassed you.

I made the mistake of posting my email address once...never again :-)

--
Kevin Hill
President
3NF Consulting

www.3nf-inc.com/NewsGroups.htm

Shelly Ryder said:
Kevin,
When I click on your name, it creates a new mail message to a somewhat
Click to expand...
obscene address, which just got returned to me. What is your e-mail
address?
 
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