The communications tab appears in most modules and master records. It allows a user to enter notes that can then be assigned to any user for follow up, perhaps by a specified due date. Notes can be configured to alert users to their existence, either in a pop-up screen or a banner at the top of the window. While Communications in Spire is not a Customer Relationship Management system, it can assist your team in keeping informed on activities and communications throughout your company and for your customers and vendors.
The list of Communications can be opened from either the module list at the left or the top Edit menu.
Filters – Set a filter to display only the communications that the user wants to see. The most common one is an “Assigned To” filter so the user to only see their own communications.
Export – Exports the list of communications to Excel or .csv based on column and position selection.
Add – Adds a communication.
Edit – Edits a communication.
Delete – Deletes a communication.
Print – Any report that has ‘Communications’ as a Crystal Reports template will be presented.
Mark Completed – Click this to set the Completed Date and Time values from the system.
Open Related – Opens the module and record for the source of the message. For records that support Communications banners, notes not yet completed will be displayed in either red, yellow or blue colour when the record is first opened, depending on whether an alert or due date is present on the note. You may be prevented from opening the related record if you don’t have user security rights to that module.
Some information is included on the communications grid that cannot be edited by users:
Module – The module where the communication was created. If you do not have security access to a module, you will not see related communications here.
Item – The record for where the communication was created. For example the customer number, sales order number or inventory item.
Created Date – The date it was created.
Created By – The initials of the user that created the communication.
Modified Date – Date this communication was last edited.
Modified By – The users initials that last edited this communication.
New communication Notes can be added from here, or existing notes or any other module communications may be edited.
Insert Date/Time – The system date and time will be added to the text memo box at the end of the entered text.
Add Attachment – Include a link to a saved file such as an Excel spreadsheet or an image.
Add Link – Include a link to a Web URL or a saved file. A linked-to file should ideally be a location available to all users.
Open Related – Opens the module and record from where the communication is stored. For records that support Communications banners, notes not yet completed will be displayed in either red, yellow or blue colour when the record is first opened, depending on whether an alert or due date is present on the note.
Mark Completed – Click this to set the Completed Date and Time values from the system. This will suppress this note from being displayed in Communications banners.
Subject – Text to indicate the purpose of this communication. It is used in places where communication alerts and banners are displayed, so it should be concise and informative.
Group Type – Choose from a list of company-specified Note types to categorize the note. For example, “Follow-Up” or “Important”.
The text memo box is where the note information is entered, and under this is listed all attachments which can be opened by clicking the one desired to access.
Details
Assigned To – The user’s name that the communication is assigned to.
Number – Extra numeric field, used for reporting purposes.
Due Date – Fields for the date and time when the assigned communication is due for completion. For records that support Communications banners, notes with a due date and not yet completed will be displayed in yellow colour when the record is first opened.
Completed Date – Fields for the date and time when the communication was marked as completed. For records that support Communications banners, completed notes will be suppressed from display, even if it has an alert or due date.
Reports
Print – Enabling this option will printed the note text on whichever form was selected in the Where selection field.
Where – The form that this communication should print on. For example, on Invoices or Purchase Orders.
Display
Alert – Enabling this option will pop up the note subject and text in an alert window when editing a transaction like a sales or purchase order, or when the item, customer or vendor is added to a transaction. For records that support Communications banners, notes with an alert and not yet completed will be displayed in red colour when the record is first opened.
The Print and Alert statuses will display in the Attention column of the communications grid if either are selected, or Both displays when both settings are enabled.
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