The Contact Filter Wizard

View - Contact - Change values for a selection of contacts

You can use the wizard to change values for a selection of contacts simultaneously, such as removing or adding group fields or user-defined fields, change common parameters such as Our reference or Line of business, or change settings such as payment terms, delivery terms, currency or language.

The wizard may save you a lot of time while managing your contact register, as you do not have to enter each contact card to make the changes.

You can also create and save fixed queries you are running regularly. The last step of the wizard also lets you chose between four routines for the use of the filter, the creation of documents, the sending of e-mails and more.

Step 1: Simple or advanced filter

The Simple filter leads you straight to a filter screen where you select a filter:

Simple Filter directs you to a filter criteria window in which you can define a filter.

Advanced Filter lets you adjust a filter, open a previously saved filter and to save a selection for later use.

Customer selection based on (Purchased/Not purchased) product(s) allows you to retrieve a list of customers who have or have not purchased a specific product or product group during a specific period. This gives you additional control over your customers' purchasing patterns.

Step 2: Only for advanced filter: Static or dynamic filter

There are two ways of setting Filters in this module:

Dynamic retrieves all contacts/contact persons that fulfil the criteria for the filter.
Static filter gives you the option of adjusting the list of hits, by removing or adding contacts/contact persons. This is done in step 4 of the wizard, which is only available for static queries.

Open saved filter: In step 4 of the wizard you can save your filters. These filters can be selected from the list below, and can be run again. Please note that you will still go through the wizard if you created a new field, or adjust the pre completed fields. When you select a filter you get an overview on:

Number of hits last time the filter was used: By marking the filters in the list, you can see how many contacts were covered by the filter.

Dynamic/Static: You also receive information about whether the chosen filter is dynamic or static.

Click Next.

Step 3: Define the filter

In the default tabs selection form drop-down list, you can choose between several sets of criteria. You are free to define criteria in several selection forms. All the criteria you define will be included.

Depending on the selection form you select, you are also able to manage the selection in relation to contact persons:

You can specify the number of Contact persons from each contact to be included. If you select several contact persons for each contact, the selection will make two copies of the contact in question.

If you define filter criteria for contact persons, you can choose that the filter Only include contacts that have contact persons included in the filter criteria. Contacts without contact persons that fulfil this criteria will be excluded from the selection, even if the contact fulfils the other criteria.

Define the criteria for the filter you are going to work with in the usual manner. Read more about Selection fields and Advanced selections.

Tip! Use Advanced filter to prevent the filter from including customers marked "No dispatches". Define the Advanced selection the Advanced tab.

Click Next.

Step 4: Add contacts/contact persons

This step is only shown if you are running a static filter, and displays a list of all contacts and contact persons that the filter covers. The list can be adjusted in the following ways:

Add contact: Click this button and select a new contact from the list. Please note that contact persons will not be included in the selection, even if you selected this in step 2. If you want contact persons for each contact you must select Add contact persons.

Add contact person: Click this button and select a new contact person from the list. The contact person and associated contact will now be included in the selection.

Remove from selection: Mark the check box to the right of the contacts you wish to delete and click Delete.

Click Next.

Step 5: Save filter

This step is only shown through Advanced Filter in step 1. If you are going to run this filter regularly it is worth saving the filter. If you have adjusted a previously saved filter, but still want to run the old filter, you can Save as new.

Select Save or Save as new if you have adjusted a previously saved filter.
Give the filter a Name and a Description to help you to find it if you later want to run it from step 1.
The selection is only to be used by me is relevant if there are several users of the program. The saved selection will no longer be available in the list for other users than yourself.
Click Next.

Step 6: What to do with the selection

In the last step of the wizard you select what you want to do with the selection. Make a selection and click Complete to execute one of the actions (Or Next if you have chosen Change status field):

Activity: This is an alternative to Creating a group activity. Click Complete and select whether you want to create one activity for all contacts, or several activities, one for each contact. Read more about creating activities here.

E-mail: This selection creates an e-mail, which includes all contacts in the selection that is included in the To field. Complete the contents of the e-mail or Select template, if you have defined this in View - E-mail and E-mail templates.

Document: Create a document for all contacts in the selection. You can also select the address to be included in the document before clicking Complete. Read more about documents here.

Export: Select from the drop-down list whether you want to export the contacts to Microsoft Excel or to the contact list in Microsoft Outlook.

Change status fields/other contact information: Here you can change information for several contacts at the same time. This procedure can also be found in Change values for a selection of contacts, step 6.

Note! If you click Cancel, the filter will not be saved, even if you chose this in step 5.

Click Complete to complete the filter.

Step 7: Print report

You may print a report to screen or printer, summarising the changes that are about to be made.

Click Next

Click Complete to complete the filter.