For my own purposes I have rearranged the layout of the Account Profile a bit. See attached image. If this is liked and should be included in the application I can create patched and upload them.
Regards, Pierre 2009/10/21 Pierre Smits <[email protected]> > Keeping it simple often works. > I agree that clear requierements should be outlined before we start heading > of in any direction. > > With regards to SugarCRM: they have kept it simple visavis their overviews > and actions. Having looked at openCRX (as Abdullah mentioned it earlier) I > would say that it looks a lot like SugarCRM (with some complexities like > OfBIZ). > > So yeah. Bringing overviews of details together on the profile of an > account should be easy to do and enhance the workability for an SFA-officer. > I would like to see that the 'create new'-functions to a nemu section on > each SFA-screen (we already have quick add for contacts and leads). But > adding new accounts, opportunities and forecasts requires going to their > respective overviews. > > > I will look at the business process library. > > Regards, > > Pierre > > 2009/10/21 Jacques Le Roux <[email protected]> > > Hi Pierre, >> >> At this stage I wonder if we should not begin by providing clear >> requirements using stories as it's done at >> >> http://docs.ofbiz.org/display/OFBREQDES/Universal+Business+Process+Library+Index. >> At least having a look there should not hurt... >> On the other hand, a simpler way would be to simply mimic SugarCRM UI. I >> have done a quick analysis for such a work, it seems not >> hard to do. IIRW, the only really missing things are the ticket feature >> and graphics. Most of the work is about linking things together. >> For instance tasks (workefforts), other accounts associated to an account >> (we have already related contacts). Or tasks, contacts relates to an >> opportunity (we have already lead but only one it seems), etc. >> >> Of course with its daslet feature SugarCRM is a bit easier to use than our >> portlets, but it's not so far. >> Also SugarCRM has some convenient lookups and actions on each screen. For >> instance I found their information icon showing address, telephone number, >> etc. on each line of a lookup result, interesting... >> >> My 2 cts >> >> >> Jacques >> >> >> From: "Pierre Smits" <[email protected]> >> >>> Hi Jacques, >>> You are on the money there. I think that the ecommerce solution in OfBIZ >>> can >>> be regarded as Best in Class. And with a little effort the CRM/SFA module >>> can be the same. Most of the functionalities, as you pointed out, are >>> already in place. It is just bringing it together. Having that it will >>> drive >>> the acceptance of a good CRM/SFA solution for customers and can/will lead >>> to >>> having a better acceptance of OfBIZ as a whole (both from customer and >>> developer (SI) point of view). >>> >>> Therefore I would also advice to split up the Marketing module in a >>> MARCOM >>> application (which is more about marketing and communication - with their >>> own business processes) and a CRM application (which is by most perceived >>> as >>> SFA). >>> >>> In my opinion the CRM/SFA should be the starting point for getting all >>> the >>> info of an account/prospect/customer regarding: >>> Opportunities, >>> Request >>> Orders >>> Contacts >>> etc. >>> >>> When the page of an account is shown the focus should also be on how to >>> contact the account (contact mechs) and the associated contacts (showing >>> phone and email contact mechs). >>> >>> The SFA officials should be able to create, read, update and delete from >>> there. >>> >>> But also security solutions should be up to specs. >>> >>> I also think that the starterpage of SFA should have some charts showing >>> the >>> pipeline of all account opportunities (maybe that is some >>> BI-functionality). >>> This functionality could then also be shown on the profile of the >>> account., >>> including showing total value of sales of YtD, and last year. >>> >>> It's the simple things that make it (life also) better to bear. >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> Pierre >>> >>> PS Could you (and others) also comment on my email regarding Market >>> Segment >>> & Sales Segment? >>> >>> 2009/10/20 Jacques Le Roux <[email protected]> >>> >>> Hi Pierre, >>>> >>>> Yes it sounds like a reasonnable requirement to me. Some of the problems >>>> we >>>> get when trying to convince prospects to use OFBiz is >>>> that they want something like SugarCRM. Almost all is there, but not as >>>> easy as in SugarCRM... >>>> I guess that's why Opentaps was created in the 1st place, because Si >>>> quickly identified the need and filled it. BTW, I think we miss >>>> after sales features in OFBiz (like tokens in SugarCRM). This could >>>> certainly be implemented using what exists already in OFBiz (ie >>>> we don't need much changes in the data model if any, using workeffort >>>> for >>>> instance) but has still to be done at the UI level. >>>> >>>> A prospective customer (French international enterprise of middle size) >>>> told me recently that he would prefer to have an easier to use >>>> SFA/CRM than an accounting module, because he has already his own >>>> accouting >>>> system and do not want to change. >>>> Also he wondered how much changes would be implied if ever he would like >>>> to >>>> change, because he think the accouting module is >>>> formated to US practices. I don't think so (I think it's general enough >>>> and >>>> may be quickly adapted) but as I have not worked much >>>> with the OFBiz accouting system yet, I had not much arguments to expose, >>>> and was not even quite sure of them. So I ask accouting specialists : >>>> what >>>> is your point of view on this aspect ? >>>> >>>> My 2cts >>>> >>>> Jacques >>>> >>>> From: "Pierre Smits" <[email protected]> >>>> >>>> Hi All, >>>> >>>>> Shouldn't requests, quotes and the like be visible from the SFA >>>>> Manager? >>>>> And >>>>> should users be also able to create new requests, quotes e.a. from >>>>> there? >>>>> >>>>> Regards, >>>>> >>>>> Pierre >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >> >> >
