FIGURE C


The Details tab allows you to get more specific. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Here you can assign regions, mailing lists, and more. In addition to all the standard options, I was given the ability to create up to 60 fields unique to my own needs--right in the address book--without needing to know anything about programming. The Relationships tab is the place to enter information about all the people involved with the particular contact, while the optional Sales tab is available to pump sales information in from your accounting or ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. Finally, the optional Process tab allows you to assign a specific set of steps for interacting with the customer or for management to specify certain guidelines. This would be perfect to ease the flow of information and actions taken that are inherent in the sales process.

Activities
The Activities database can be used to track every interaction that you have with a particular customer or client. This can include everything from recording an email message, calendar scheduling, listing to-do items, logging phone calls, documenting a meeting, or simply jotting a personal message. Different activities can be created directly from the Contacts tab using the Actions drop-down list, as shown in Figure D.

FIGURE D


Activities can be created using the Actions drop-down list. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Once you have created an activity, you or anyone else that is authorized to see that contact can easily review the activities in the account file screen by going to Account File in the View menu, as shown in Figure E.

FIGURE E


Activities can be reviewed in the account file screen. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Alternatively, you can simply click on the Activities tab and use one of the many views in the Activities database, as shown in Figure F.

FIGURE F


Another option is to select the Activities tab. Roll over picture for a larger image.

Microsoft Office integration
One of the classic problems I have is with the ability to retrieve information from Lotus Notes to be used in Microsoft Office applications. Extensions for Notes has finally addressed this problem. Its mail-merge feature allows you to create a number of Microsoft Word mail templates and to merge data from your address book in order to generate labels or form letters on demand.

In addition, a Word document feature enables you to create Word document templates using the data from your address book. The documents can be launched immediately or stored in the document library provided with the system. For example, if you want to create proposals in Word, you can just set up a proposals template that you can easily access. The proposals are automatically linked to the contact and can be sent via email directly from the application.

Likewise, an Excel reporting feature allows you to create Excel templates and then take data from the Notes database and dump it directly into Excel. The ability to do this is provided in all the Extensions databases, so you can quickly generate reports, charts, and graphs.

The Document Library
Another neat feature is a document management system that's built right into the Extensions software. In it, you can store documents created with Office or other applications that can be used for historical purposes or future reference. You can also record document revisions as soon you make them and link them to the appropriate contact. I found that it's ideal for storing proposals or encyclopedia information that needs to be shared within your organization.