Introduction to Capturing Interactions
This is the second take on how to capture interactions with clients in the SharePoint mashup CRM this series is building. The previous post talked about using the append feature of multi-line text fields in a SharePoint list. The first idea using append had both pros and cons. In the end the cons outweighed the pros. In this post, the creation of another list called Interactions. This list will be kept simple as CRM solutions tend to become complex over time.
Interaction List Columns
Below are the columns that have been used for the list named ‘Interactions’. The name of the column when first created, the type of column used, and in some cases, the reasoning behind the configuration of the column. See Image 1 below the list for a visual.
- Title changed to Short Contact Reason – Single line of Text – Required – Used for quick reference about the interaction.
- Contact – Lookup (Contacts List) – Required – Based off the email as there could be numerous customers with the same name.
- Contact Type – Choice – Required – This column will allow to filter based off a specific interaction. (Cold call, email, etc.)
- Date Contacted – Date and Time – Required – This column defaults on the day of entry but is in place as interactions may happen spontaneously. A sales representative can go and post interactions from days before if necessary.
- Notes – Multi-line text – This column is more robust to allow extensive notes, links, and other useful formatting to capture engagements.
Image 1
Interactions List Pros
The greatest pro when using a list for interactions is uniformity of captured data. Unlike using the append feature with multi-line columns, a list item for each entry will ensure clean data. There will be no reliance on users sticking to a specific way of entering data to maintain uniformity.
Two additional pros come to mind. The first is the removal of reliance on the number of versions of the list items. With the list you can have a near unlimited number of entries without losing data when the version number is exceeded. Secondly, in a list, the use of filters will be much more beneficial when looking for specific information, such as all cold calls over the last three months.
Interactions List Cons
Though it may seem odd, at the time of writing this post, there is a 30-million-item limit for a SharePoint list. SharePoint Limits A company that uses this mashup as a CRM would need to consider moving to a third-party CRM at this point. Though this solution may be a good approach for a small company with a tight budget, growing to the point of reaching the 30-million-item limit would be a good sign to invest in something more robust, such as Microsoft Dynamics.
Another consideration is that adding another list to a CRM mashup will increase the difficulty of designing and managing your mashup. The relationships between the lists will need to be well planned and thought out. Paying attention to details is a must in this case. Despite anyone being able to build a mashup, having some knowledge of how a database works will be beneficial.
Conclusion
Using a list for capturing interactions with clients and customers is a strong solution. The pros outweigh the cons considerably. The reason this series covered two possible solutions for capturing interactions was to demonstrate the potential of what SharePoint has to offer. There is more than one way to create solutions. It is recommended to weigh your options like we did with this and the previous post to find the best fit for your company.
