Chnage the default Contacts form

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Guest

Can anyone tell me how/if it is possible to change the default form used in
Business contact managers contacts, I really would like to be able to add
some common fields, but am not sure if this is possible or how to go about
doing it.
Any advice would be greatfully received
Regards
 
Timsas,

There are perhaps numerous ways you can go through the hassle of figuring out
how to hack into the default contact form layout to customize it but they are
not officially supported by Microsoft. The best way to do what you are
wanting to do (like so many standard BCM users!) is to pay Microsoft much
more $$ and move up to their full CRM application. Another option would be
to migrate away from BCM entirely to an application like ACT where this
modification is easily done because the ACT software was intentionally
designed to easily allow for customization vs. BCM being purposefully
designed NOT to allow you to easily customize. Another BS example is that
you are stuck with the one size fits all standard sales stage fields on the
BCM opportunity form and cannot tailor these to match your own unique
business sales cycle. ACT not only allows this but also allows you to create
and use more than one customized sales process cycle (for different business
products or services). Somehow this is supposed to be a competitive product??
? By whom? For whom?

Don't let anyone tell you these features can't be easily available for BCM.
This limitation is by intentional design as part of a marketing agenda to
steer you into the full CRM application. My comments are not meant to be
needlessly negative. If anything, this is a wake up call for people who are
wishing that BCM is something it was never intended to be. BCM is such a
great potential idea but its built in limits are such an insult to the most
fundamental needs of the end user.

Good software design should not purposefully limit its intended user to have
to live within such flawed limitations. A company as supposedly progressive
as MS should not make its loyal user base wait until the middle of the next
decade for such standard stuff!

PLEASE HEAR THIS MICROSOFT! HAVE SOMEONE ON YOUR DESIGN TEAM READ THE
MULTITUDE OF COMMENTS LIKE THIS IN THESE FORUMS. GO BUY A VERSION OF THE
NEWEST ACT 2006 AND STUDY SOME OF MORE INNOVATIVE FEATURES FOR POSSIBLE
INCORPORATION INTO BCM!!!

NEWS FLASH ... YOUR CUSTOMERS NEEDS WILL BE BETTER SERVED AND ULTIMATELY YOU
WILL SELL MORE!!!!

Ok. My rant is over now.

-THP
 
Tim,

I heartly agree with your rant... Microsoft produces software with
"controlled obsolesence." This way we, as consumers, are continually coming
back for more. Instead of feeding us piecemeal, or forcing a choice between
their product levels (which tie to pricing, as you mention - CRM)... they
should be focused on providing what we, the consumer, wants. If not, they are
forcing us to consider buying the competition (ACT). Their product, and it's
prevelence, is what brings us to MS in the first place... They should do away
with their heavy-handed marketing strategy and go back to the basics... Give
customers what they want, and they'll keep coming back for more. This builds
a strong positive impression in our collective mind - something MS could
certainly use, considering their litigation history.

Have you considered turning your rant into a petition to MS? May be a shot
in the dark... but sometimes the consumer's voice is heard, especially if we
YELL!

Rant on...
jct
 
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