Admin Certification
This certification comprises a series of courses designed to make you an expert in using and managing the Sage Sales Management Admin tool.
We will begin with an overview of what Sage Sales Management Admin is and how to access the platform. Next, you will learn to manage users through a menu with various options, allowing you to view the hierarchy, modify user data, and much more. We will also cover how to define roles and permissions for each team member.
We will delve into the types of fields, how to modify them, and how to add new ones in the modules for companies, contacts, opportunities, among others. Additionally, we’ll explore the parameters and widgets menus, essential for customising the user experience of your account.
We will also address data management, as this tool allows for mass exporting of information related to companies, contacts, opportunities, and new clients. Regarding literals, we will go over how to modify the default standard texts in the application.
Finally, we will dive into API keys, where we will examine the most relevant credentials for integrating Sage Sales Management with third-party applications. We will also cover the available integrations in Sage Sales Management and how to activate them.
You are now ready to start the certification.
Introduction to Admin
Workspace
Once we access the Admin application, we will see by default the Workspace environment.
We can observe a summary with general data of our implementation, the database version and the device validation.
On the left side, we can see all the modules where we can perform different configurations.
This menu can be collapsed to make the work area more comfortable. To access the Admin application, click on Go to First Manager or click on the user icon and exit.
Users and Permissions
Features of the User and Permissions Menu
In this menu, you can manage all aspects related to users, including roles and permissions. You can create new users, modify existing ones, and assign roles that control access to different functionalities in the application.
Display Modes
There are two main display modes:
Hierarchical Mode: Displays the organisational structure of users, showing dependencies and team organisation.
Table Mode: Presents all users in a table format for quick editing.
Managing Users
To manage users:
Create New User: Click the “Create” button and fill in personal and job details (name, email, phone, etc.). You can also assign the home branch and set the interface language.
Roles and Permissions: Assign roles, which define what actions a user can perform. Roles like “Sales Manager” come with predefined permissions that control visibility and access to accounts, opportunities, and contacts.
Email Synchronisation: Manage user email data for synchronising communications.
User Modification: You can impersonate, duplicate, or deactivate users. Duplicating helps save time by copying existing settings for new users.
Permissions Menu
The Permissions menu offers an overview of available roles and the permissions associated with each one.
To modify a user’s role or permissions, go to Users > Edit > Roles and Permissions.
Each permission has a brief explanation of its function, helping you understand its impact on user activities.
This menu is vital for maintaining an organised and secure team structure in Sage Sales Management, ensuring users only access areas relevant to their roles.
Fields Menu Overview
In Sage Sales Management, fields are predefined data points within the application that help structure and organise information in the database. These fields allow users to register and manage a variety of details that are critical to running business operations efficiently.
Overview of Fields
Fields are divided into two main categories:
Standard Fields: These come by default within the application, ensuring that all necessary information is captured for basic operations.
Custom Fields: These can be created to suit specific business needs, offering flexibility in how data is managed and tracked.
Field Customisation
One of the key strengths of Sage Sales Management is the ability to customise fields to fit each implementation. Custom fields enable users to tailor the CRM to their unique requirements. Users can create different types of fields to store various kinds of data, each with specific characteristics.
Fields can store information such as:
Text
Numbers
Dates
Drop-down lists
Check-boxes
Dynamic and Dependent Fields
Another advanced feature is the use of dynamic and dependent fields, which allow users to create more complex data relationships. Dynamic fields adjust based on the user’s previous selections, while dependent fields require a specific input before showing additional options.
Understanding the Fields Menu
When accessing the Fields Menu, users will find a central panel where all the available fields are displayed in table format. Each field has specific properties:
Field Name: The label given to the field.
Field Type: Whether the field is standard or custom.
Data Type: Specifies the kind of data the field holds (e.g., text, number).
Read-Only/Editable: Indicates whether the field can be edited by the user.
Visible/Hidden: Shows if the field is visible to users.
Mandatory: Determines whether the field must be filled out before progressing.
Configuring Fields
Create New Fields: Custom fields can be created according to the company’s needs.
Modify Existing Fields: Standard fields can also be modified, depending on the access level, to ensure they match your operational requirements.
Standard Fields
Standard fields in ForceManager refer to predefined data fields available in the platform that help you organise, store, and manage critical information across various modules such as Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Activities.
Accessing Standard Fields
When you access the Fields Menu, you'll notice a bar at the top of the window with tabs representing different modules (Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and Activities). Each tab contains various field columns, sorted alphabetically by their names in the database.
Here’s a breakdown of some common standard fields for each module:
Accounts: Fields include account name, branch, account type, status, segment, BIT number, owners, and contact details (phone, email, web address).
Contacts: Fields include contact name, gender, role, account affiliation, and contact details (phone, Skype, LinkedIn).
Opportunities: Fields include opportunity name, type, status, probability, currency, close date, and assigned owner.
Activities: Fields include activity owner, type, date, associated account, opportunity, contact, and comments.
Customising Standard Fields
To customise a standard field, follow these steps:
Click the pencil icon or double-click the field to enter edit mode.
Available customisation options include:
Visibility: Make the field visible or hidden.
Requirement: Mark the field as required or optional.
Modifiable/Read-only: Specify whether the field can be modified.
Literal: Customise the field title (literal) that appears in the application.
You can change a field's literal by copying the literal key, navigating to the Literals Menu, and replacing the current value with your desired label.
Case Studies
Case Study 1: Modifying Field Visibility and Requirements
Make the "Segment" field in the Accounts tab read-only.
Use the filter icon to quickly find the field.
Set the "First Name" and "Last Name" fields in the Contacts tab as required.
Hide the "Intermediary Two" field in the Opportunities tab.
Case Study 2: Changing Field Titles
Change the label for "Segment" to "Sector" in the Accounts tab.
Copy the literal key, navigate to the Label Menu, and replace "Segment" with "Sector".
Preview the changes to see how the new label appears across the application.
Custom Fields
Custom fields in ForceManager allow users to tailor the platform to their specific business needs by adding and configuring fields that suit their workflow. These fields are designed to provide flexibility and help capture information that is not covered by the standard fields available in the application.
Where to Find Custom Fields
Custom fields are located at the bottom of the Fields Menu, beneath the standard fields. All custom fields are organised in tabs, and the platform provides a General Tab by default. Users can add new tabs to better organise their custom fields, which will be covered later in this guide.
Features of Custom Fields
There are several key actions users can perform with custom fields:
Create a Custom Field: Click the "Create Custom Field" button to start the process.
Duplicate a Field: You can also duplicate an existing field by clicking the "Duplicate" button.
Delete a Field: To remove a field, click the "Delete" icon.
Search for Fields: Fields can be easily located by dragging them from the left-hand side.
Editing Custom Fields
Custom fields offer more flexibility compared to standard fields. When editing or creating a custom field, users can adjust specific parameters, such as the data type.
Data Types for Custom Fields
One of the main differences between standard and custom fields is that you can select the data type when creating a custom field. Available data types include:
Text
List of values
Multivalue list
Integer
Decimal
Currency
Date and time
Boolean
Percentage
Managing Tabs
Custom fields are organised into tabs, and users can manage these tabs by creating, editing, or deleting them as needed:
Create a Tab: Click "Create", then "Create Tab", and select the related values list and description.
Edit a Tab: Click on the pencil icon to edit an existing tab.
Delete a Tab: Click "Delete" to remove a tab.
Sort Tabs: Use the "Sort Tab" option to rearrange the tabs.
Case Studies
Case Study 1: Creating a Date Field in the Accounts Section
Click Create and select Create Custom Field.
Enter the field name, such as Contract Expiration, and define its name in the database and API.
Choose Date as the data type and place it inside the Economic Info tab.
Click Save.
Case Study 2: Duplicating a Boolean Field
Select a boolean field, such as Accept Sending of Advertising, and click Duplicate.
Rename the field to Exclude Sending Emails, and update its name in the database and API.
Click Save.
Case Study 3: Creating a New Tab and Text Field in the Opportunities Section
Create a new tab called Competition.
Click Create, then Create Custom Field.
Enter the field name, such as Information About the Competition, and define its name in the database and API.
Select Text as the data type and place it in the Competition tab.
Differences in Standard and Custom Fields
What are the differences between Standard and Custom Fields? The next video will provide you with the answer.
Main Differences Between Standard and Custom Fields
Understanding the differences between standard and custom fields is essential for effectively managing data within the application. This article provides an overview of the main features and configuration options for each type.
What Are Standard Fields?
Standard fields are predefined by default within the application and include commonly used information fields that are relevant to most users. These fields require minimal configuration and are ready for use as soon as you set up the system.
What Are Custom Fields?
Custom fields, on the other hand, are created by users to meet specific business needs. They allow for greater flexibility in data management, enabling you to track additional information that isn’t covered by standard fields.
Configuration Similarities Between Standard and Custom Fields
Both standard and custom fields share similar configuration options, which help in customising how information is displayed and managed. For both types of fields, you can:
Rename or adjust the field label.
Set a default value for new entries.
Specify whether the field is mandatory or optional.
Control its visibility, choosing to make it visible or hidden.
Define its access level as either editable or read-only.
Unique Configurations Available for Custom Fields
Custom fields offer additional flexibility and customisation options beyond what’s available for standard fields. With custom fields, you can:
Create new fields from scratch based on your specific data requirements.
Edit or delete fields and tabs as your organisational needs evolve.
Set the data type and define how it should be organised within the system.
Restrict visibility to specific branches or departments, ensuring only relevant teams see certain fields.
Establish dynamic relationships and dependencies with other fields, allowing for advanced data management and inter-field functionality.
Custom fields provide a valuable way to tailor your data structure to fit your exact business needs, supporting more efficient data handling and customisation.