Now that you are familiar with creating and managing your entities in Mekashron Call Center Software, we will explore the powerful entity search facility. The topics we will cover in this section are:
Your whole business revolves around your customers, and similarly your whole Mekashron system revolves around your Entities. This is why we have ensured that the entity searching facilities available to you in your Mekashron application are second to none in both ease of use and the ability to perform power searches on virtually any aspect that relates to your entities.
There are two main places where you can search your entities - firstly, directly on the Entity Tab, and secondly via the Entity Search Screen. We will look at each of these functions in turn.
1 - Searching and Filtering on the Entity Tab
For quick and handy searching and filtering you can use the facilities that are available directly on the main Entities List tab:
Figure 1.1 - The Searching and Filtering Options on the Entities List Tab
As you can see in the screenshot above, the first filtering option you have on the Entities List tab is by Category. Simply select the categories and subcategories you would like to see, and Mekashron will filter your entity list accordingly.
Alternatively you can apply a more specific filter by entering some text in the Search Text Box at the bottom of the screen. To the right of the search box is a dropdown, the Search Field Selector, which allows you to specify which field of the entity you would like to search for your chosen text. If you leave this dropdown blank, then Mekashron will scan all of the fields for your search text when you click the Search Button.
2 - The Entity Search Screen
For more advanced searching and filtering, you can use the Entity Search screen. To access this function, select Entities -> Search Entities from the main Mekashron menu:
Figure 2.1 - Accessing the Entity Search Screen
Alternatively, you can click on the Search button to bring up the same screen:
Figure 2.2 - The Search Button
This is what the Entity Search screen looks like:
Figure 2.3 - The Entity Search Screen
The options available on the Entity Search screen are as follows:
- Text to Find - Here you can type in any text or numeric string that you would like Mekashron to search for in your entity records. Mekashron will scan all the entity fields for this string.
- Search Within Selected Categories Only - Select this checkbox if you want Mekashron to limit the search to only entities within the Categories that are currently checked on your Entity List tab.
- Filters - The remaining options are advanced filters that enable you to search your entities based on items that are linked to them:
- Filter Range - Filter on custom fields with date, time or numeric ranges.
- Filter Phone Calls - Filter on phone calls.
- Filter Campaign - Filter on campaign fields.
- Events - Filter on events.
- Sales - Filter on sales / orders fields.
- Documents - Filter on documents relating to the entity.
We will now examine each of the advanced filters in turn.
3 - Filter by Range
The Filter Range option allows you to select a range to search on for the following types of custom fields that you have defined for your entity: Numeric, Date, Checkbox (Yes/No), Combobox and Check List. To understand this, let's look at an example. First of all, we will select the Filter Range checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 3.1 - The Filter Range Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
What we will see when we select the Settings button for the Range Filter will depend on what custom fields we have defined for entities in our system. To learn all about custom fields, please refer to Creating Custom Fields for Entities earlier in this chapter.
To take an example, let us suppose that we have defined the following custom fields in our Mekashron system:
- Number of Children - A numeric field where we state how many children our client has.
- Birthday - A date field where we record our clients' birthday date.
- Subscriber? - A checkbox to select if this client has subscribed to our company newsletter.
- Nickname - The nickname that our client contact likes to be known by.
- Client Priority - A combobox / dropdown option for each client where we can select the priority of that client: VIP, High or Regular.
- Preferences - A checklist where we can select all of the different ways the client has said it is OK to contact them: Email, Fax or Telephone.
Given the above custom fields, here is the screen we will see when we select to filter by Range:
Figure 3.2 - The Range Filter Settings Screen
As you can see, we have the option to filter on one or multiple custom fields:
- Number of Children
- Birthday
- Subscriber?
- Client Priority
- Preferences
... as you can see, the Nickname field is not in our choice of Range Filters - this is because it is a text field and therefore cannot have a range. Note that I can still search on one of my clients' nicknames simply by using the standard Text to find: option on the Entities Search screen.
Selecting the checkbox next to each custom field allows us to specify the Range we wish to specify as our search criteria:
Figure 3.3 - Specifying Ranges for Custom Fields
We can select just one, or multiple custom fields to specify a range for, and Mekashron will show us the appropriate controls to filter by.
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Range screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
4 - Filter by Phone Calls
The Filter Phone Calls option allows you to locate all the entities for whom there are specific phone calls in the system. First of all, we will select the Filter Phone Calls checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 4.1 - The Filter Phone Calls Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
This is the screen we will see when we select the Settings button for Filter Phone Calls:
Figure 4.2 - The Filter Phone Calls Settings
The options available are as follows:
- Campaigns - This area lists the campaigns in your Mekashron system. You can select one or more campaigns to search on.
- Operators - This area lists all your users. Again you select one or more.
- Status - This area lists the statuses that phone calls may have been assigned on completion.
- When Call was Dialed - Here you can select either a From: date and time or a To: date and time when the call was dialed, or both.
Figure 4.3 - When Call was Dialed settings
- Schedule to calls - Here you can select either a From: date and time or a To: date and time for when the call was scheduled, or both.
Figure 4.4 - When Call was Scheduled settings
- Options - Search Last Record Only - If you select this checkbox, then Mekashron will only search the most recent phone call that relates to each entity.
Figure 4.5 - Search Last Record Only option
- Options - Limit Hours - If you select this checkbox, then Mekashron will limit the search to phone calls that were made between the hours that you specify.
Figure 4.6 - Limit Hours option
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Phone Calls screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
5 - Filter by Campaigns
The Filter Campaign option allows you to locate all the entities that have been added to specific campaigns. First of all, we will select the Filter Campaign checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 5.1 - The Filter Campaign Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
This is the screen we will see when we select the Settings button for Filter Campaign:
Figure 5.2 - The Search Campaigns Screen
As you can see, there are a number of Options in the top left of this screen:
- Voice Broadcasting
- Fax
- Email
- SMS
- Printing
These options represent the different types of Campaign that you may have created in your Mekashron system, and added entities to.
The first type of Campaign in the list is Voice Broadcasting. When we select this option, we are presented with a new tab on the right of the screen:
Figure 5.3 - The Voice Broadcasting Tab
Here you have the option of selecting one or more Campaigns in the first list, and / or one or more Status options in the second list.
Next in the Campaign list is the Fax option. Selecting this gives us a second tab:
Figure 5.4 - The Fax Tab
Again you can choose the Campaign/s and the Statuses you are interested in.
Next in the Campaign list is the Email option. Selecting this gives us a second tab:
Figure 5.5 - The Email Tab
Again you can choose the Campaign/s and the Statuses you are interested in.
In a similar way you have the SMS tab:
Figure 5.6 - The SMS Tab
... followed by the Printing tab:
Figure 5.7 - The Printing Tab
Note that you can make multiple choices on one or multiple tabs, in order to hone your search requirements exactly. In addition, you can limit the results of your search by date using the controls at the bottom of the screen:
Figure 5.8 - The Date Controls
Here you can select a From: and/or a To: date and time for one or both of the Date that the campaign was run or the Schedule To: date, i.e. the start date that you scheduled the campaign on your system.
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Search Campaigns screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
6 - Filter by Events
The Filter Events option allows you to locate all the entities that are associated with specific events. First of all, we will select the Filter Events checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 6.1 - The Filter Events Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
This is the screen we will see when we select the Settings button for Filter Events:
Figure 6.2 - The Search Events Screen
There are 8 different filtering options for Events:
- For Employee - The employee who is tasked with the action.
- Event Type - The type of event.
- Status - The status of the event.
- Created by Employee - The employee who created the event.
- Location - The location type.
- Scheduled To - Optional date/time range of when the event is scheduled to take place.
- Created On - Optional date/time range of when the event was created.
- Event Status - Specific statuses that may have been set in the event options.
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Search Events screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
7 - Filter by Sales
The Filter Sales option allows you to locate all the entities that are associated with specific sales. First of all, we will select the Filter Sales checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 7.1 - The Filter Sales Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
This is the screen we will see when we select the Settings button for Filter Sales:
Figure 7.2 - The Search Sales Screen
The first filtering option available to you in the Sales filter is the Created By list. In this list you can select the users you wish to filter by:
Figure 7.3 - The Created By Option List
Next, you can filter by product in the Inventory list:
Figure 7.4 - The Inventory Option List
Below the Inventory list you have the Payments list option. Here you can select the payment types that you wish to include:
Figure 7.5 - The Payments Option List
At the bottom left, you have the Order Date option:
Figure 7.6 - The Order Date Option Controls
Here you can choose a From: and To: date and time if you wish to limit your search to sales recorded during a certain timespan.
The next set of options are the Order Options:
Figure 7.7 - The Order Options Controls
Here you can specify a range of Order IDs to search on. These are the unique IDs that are assigned by Mekashron when an order is created. You can also choose to filter your search with the Total Order controls - specifying a range of amounts for the total order value - and / or the Total Paid - specifying the range of values of amounts already paid towards the order.
The final filtering option is the Order Status:
Figure 7.8 - The Order Status Controls
Here you can choose to include All orders in your search, or you can limit the search to include only Open orders or only Closed orders.
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Search Sales screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
8 - Filter by Documents
The Filter Documents option allows you to locate all the entities that are associated with specific documents. First of all, we will select the Filter Documents checkbox in the Search Entities screen:
Figure 8.1 - The Filter Documents Checkbox
When the checkbox is selected, then we have a new button, Settings, available.
This is the screen we will see when we select the Settings button for Filter Documents:
Figure 8.2 - The Search Documents Screen
The first filtering option available to you in the Documents filter is the Document Kind list. In this list you can select the documents you wish to filter by:
Figure 8.3 - The Document Kind Option List
At the bottom of the Search Documents screen, you have the Document Date option:
Figure 8.4 - The Document Date Option Controls
Here you can choose a From: and To: date and time if you wish to limit your search to documents created during a certain timespan.
The next set of options are the Document Options:
Figure 8.5 - The Document Options Controls
Here you can specify a range of Document IDs to search on. These are the unique IDs that are assigned by Mekashron when an document is created. You can also choose to filter your search with the Total Document controls - specifying a range of amounts for the total value of the Invoice, Receipt or other document - and / or the Total Paid - specifying the range of values of amounts already paid towards an invoice or other document.
Once you are happy with your search criteria, click OK on the Search Documents screen, then OK on the Entities Search screen, and Mekashron Call Center Software will return you to the Entity List tab with your entities now filtered to show only the ones that match your search criteria.
9 - Summary
As you have seen, the Entity Search facilities are extremely powerful and will enable you to quickly and easily create lists of the exact clients you wish to locate within your system. All of the options that we have covered in the Search Entities screens will work in tandem with each other. You can choose to filter by any combination of the options as required.