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Record Overview

Data Tabs

You can enter information into fields within the various tabs located across the record. There are no required fields in ContactEase so you can enter as much (or as little) data as you'd like. 

A red triangle in the tab indicates the presence of data in that tab. You can click on any tab to enter data directly into the fields within it. 

The one exception to this is the History tab -- the History tab will always contain data, but does not include a triangle. Data cannot be manually added to the History tab. 

Record Tab

The Record tab is a fully customizable tab that contains data from other tabs in any order that you choose.  All items in the Record tab also reside on other tabs; therefore, the Record can be considered a summary of the most important or most widely used data.

Address Block

The address block allows you to manage multiple addresses for your contacts. To navigate between fields, you can use the Tab key. 

Use the dropdown arrow to add other address types (mailing, home, etc.). 

Category

Use the arrow next to Category to make selections from your firm's categories. Categories appear as checkboxes.  A plus sign indicates the presence of subcategories. Click the plus sign to expand the list.

Click the box to select it as a category for the record.  You can assign an unlimited number of categories to the record (though we don't recommend it). 

If the category is in bold, it means that it (or one of its subcategories) is already selected. 

There are several buttons available on this screen: 

  • OK saves your changes
  • Cancel allows you to undo your changes (as long as you haven't clicked OK)
  • Deselect All unselects all currently selected categories
  • Collapse All closes the expanded list to show only the top-level categories.  If a category is bold, it means the sub-category has been selected.
  • Expand shows all categories available. When unchecked, only selected categories will be shown. 
Phone
You can create any number of phone fields. To designate a number as the primary phone number, click the phone title to set it (Business, for example). The primary phone number will display in bold type. For firms that synchronize with Outlook, we recommend including the extension number as part of the number field (as opposed to including it in the Ext. field). 

Email
An unlimited number of website and email types can be created. You can click on the envelope icon to send an email or copy and paste it into your email application. Click the globe next to any website to launch it. To designate an email as primary, click the title (Email 2, for example) to set it. The primary email will display in bold type. 

For firms that synchronize with Outlook, we suggest that the website and email titles in ContactEase match those in Outlook. It is best to name the ContactEase fields the same as those in Outlook to avoid confusion. Outlook field names cannot be changed. 






Custom Fields

There are 24 custom fields available in ContactEase. The default names are Custom 1-12 and Custom #1-12. Each can be renamed to suit your firm's preferences. Of these fields, the first 12 may be used for text, and the remaining 12 for numeric fields. 

Numeric fields can be assigned properties such as monetary amounts, dates, decimals, etc. 

You can create and attach content lists to the 12 custom text fields. 

When a custom field is formatted as a date, clicking on the arrow reveals a calendar allowing you to select a date or enter it in DD/MM/YYYY format. 


Notes Tab

ContactEase contains two tabs for notes: Note 1 and Note 2.  It is helpful if you pre-determine the type of notes to include under each tab.

For example, many firms use Note 1 for marketing notes while Note 2 often includes additional information (why the contact was removed from a mailing list, for example). Changes to the text block in either note tab will be reflected in the History tab. 

Notes are generally added with the most recent at the top of the display; however, this is a user preference. ContactEase features the ability to stamp notes with the date and time as well as the name of the user entering the note. To set your timestamp preferences, go to File > Preferences > General.                                        

History Tab

The History tab contains a detailed account of any change that has occurred for the record since it was created and includes the date and time of the change as well as the name of the user making the change. The original value is retained in the tab as well showing "Modified from" (the original value) to "Modified to" (the new value). 

Unlike the other tabs, the History tab is read-only and cannot be changed. The History tab is comprised of the following: 

  • Row: a ContactEase internal number used to track the change (this can be turned off)
  • Modified: the date and time the field was modified or changed 
  • Modified by: the display name and login for the user modifying the field. 
  • Action: describes what was done in the field such as Modify, Delete, or Add
  • Field: the field modified (Category, for example) 
  • Modified to: the new value of the field modified (this can be blank if removing a contact from a category) 
Information in the History tab can be sorted by clicking the head of any column.  Click again to reverse the sort order. 

A contact record's history can also be searched to help manage data. For example, you might search for records that were recently unmarked (also known as orphaned records), changes to key fields such as company or title.       

Save Record

After editing a record, you can save the changes by clicking on the Save button located in the lower lefthand side of your display. 
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