Relations
Each contact or company record contains a Relations tab that maps the connections of the contact or company to other contacts in the database.

For example, the relations tab for John Jones CPA could show that he is the "Accountant " for Anderson Manufacturing. Conversely, Anderson Manufacturing's Relations tab could indicate that they are the "Accounting Client" for John Jones CPA.

Connections can also be identical, such as "spouse" or "friend" or "related company". Parent/Subsidiary, Referral, Former Employer/Employee, etc. can all be tracked with this capability.

Relations are also tracked automatically. If Pam Jones and Sue Smith both work for ABCD Company, each of their records would also automatically show the names of all other employees of ABCD Company who are in the database.

The Relations Tab:

• Automatically displays all contacts for the company
• Displays additional relationship information, letting you track how people are connected
• Automatically displays modification history and shows every user who has made a change to the record with the date and time of the last change
• Can jump to records by clicking on the arrow next to the name
• Can link people and show how they are related
• Can link to other records in the database, the relationship will automatically appear in the linked record
• Tracks and shows how people are related
  

For example, you may want to schedule a phone call to a particular contact or you may want to schedule someone in your office to call that contact. You can set up ticklers, and track whether or not activities have been completed.

Activities are flexible, customizable, searchable, and sortable. They can be used to:

• Remind users about tasks via ticklers
• Easily reschedule the tickler via flexible snooze options
• Schedule activities and ticklers for other users
• Conduct advanced searches, which can be named and saved for easy reuse

The Activity feature is not intended to be an office calendaring or scheduling system. Rather, it is focused on tracking historical and event information for your contact records.

Activity Data includes:

• Type User-definable activity type, i.e., Call, Visit, Letter, e-mail, Fax, Meeting, etc.
• Assigned To Who is to complete the activity
• Private Only assigned to/created by users can view the item
• Priority Low/Normal/High
• Status I.E. Active, Completed
• Start Date When activity is scheduled to begin
• Due Date Date scheduled for completion
• Date Completed Date completed
• Tickler Automatic notification/reminder
• Subject Summary of the activity
• Note Notes about the activity
• Created By Who created the activity

Categories
ContactEase Category support helps to organize groups of contacts into a hierarchical format. Categories are fully customizable and a given record can be assigned unlimited categories. For example, one contact could fall into a number of different groups including "holiday card recipient," "hot prospect," etc.

• Multiple-level sub-categories
• Private categories
• Public categories

Category Record Flagging Option
Categories can now be automatically assigned to new records. The category can be specified on behalf of all users and/or yourself.

Custom Numeric/Date Fields
Custom Numeric/Date fields are available to track information, such as social security number, currency, etc. They can be customized to a variety of formats and can be searched and sorted as with any field value in the ContactEase database. With Custom Numeric/Date fields:

• Supported formats include: numeric, decimal (2 decimal places), Currency, Date, and Social Security Numbers
• Numeric fields appear under the Record, Custom tab
• Numeric fields can be placed on the Record tab.
• Values can be added to the List Window and sorted
• Fields can be customized using the File, Preferences, Customize Fields, Contents tab

Database Maintenance Tools

Automated Duplicate Detection
ContactEase automatically checks for the existence of similar records as you add a new contact. If possible matches are found, it prompts you to compare the new record with existing similar records.

Merge Duplicate Records
The Merge Duplicate Records tool creates a side-by-side comparison of two records, so that you can select the correct information from each and merge the two records into one. The Merge Duplicate Records tool:

• Automatically compares two records
• Displays fields that differ
• Automatically combines matching records
• Intelligently selects values to merge
• Allows users to combine values

Choice Lists
Choice Lists are customizable fields that have dropdown list of selections for input. Choice Lists:

• Are configurable per field, per database
• Include provision to allow user input
• Improve data entry accuracy
  

• Is viewable like Categories for fast lookup
• Has Client/Matter fields that allow descriptions
• Allows tables to be updated from external sources
• Allows bulk assignment via Edit, Assign, Client/Matter

Databases
ContactEase can be used to manage as many databases as your system and/or server capacity allows. ContactEase is compatible with SQL Server and Microsoft Access databases.

Import/Export
Data from other applications can easily be imported into a ContactEase database using a comma-separated value (CSV) format.ContactEase data can also be exported for use in other applications. If you have information stored in ContactEase Versions 5.X thru 8.x, your data will automatically be converted to the new database format.

Backup/Restore
A backup file can easily be created for backup purposes, to transfer the database to another PC, or to transfer records to another database.

Synchronization
ContactEase can synchronize databases using several different methods. Simple synchronization mirrors a network database to a local database, making them the same. Advanced synchronization lets you control how information flows between a local and a network database during the synchronization process. Shadowed synchronization lets you select specific records in a network database, and automatically transfers changes from those records to your local database whenever you open or close your database.

Searching
Searching your contact data is easy with ContactEase. The program offers simple to advanced database searches, which can be used for market research and customer study. The Quick Find search searches a list of contact names and companies. Advanced searches can search all the fields in the database and multi-dimensional queries can be constructed and saved for future use.

Performance
Core SQL Server database queries use stored procedures that:

• Improve performance
• Use less code
• Reduce network traffic

Quick Find
With Quick Find,

• The user can specify which fields to search
• It is unnecessary to change sort order to search a column
• It is easier to find contacts
• Only the records that match are displayed
• A smaller results list is faster and easier to work with
• Saving changes to a record is faster

Dialing
In ContactEase, there are several ways to dial a phone number using a modem or TAPI.

Printing
Custom reports, envelopes, and labels can be printed instantly using ContactEase. To make things easy and to provide maximum flexibility, ContactEase uses a Wizard-like approach for printing.

Print Preview
ContactEase lets you print preview your reports, envelopes and labels.

Report Printing
ContactEase makes it easy to print address information for any or all of your records. You can print custom reports for single records and multiple records.

Global Custom Reports

• Users can create private or public custom reports
• Public custom reports are available to all database users
  

Printing Labels and Envelopes
Printing labels is easy with ContactEase. There are many built-in formats for popular labels and envelope sizes. And, you can create your own format(s). You can print address labels, or text labels such as diskette labels, or informational stickers. You can print envelopes from ContactEase as well.

Using ContactEase With Other Applications

Hotkey Paste
With ContactEase running in the background, in your Microsoft Word or Corel Word Perfect word processor, you can use the HotKey Paste button to find the ContactEase record(s) you want to paste into your word processor. You can also select the information and format of the fields to paste.

Global Clipboard Layouts
Clipboard layouts are now stored in the database and available to all users. Clipboard layouts work with any Microsoft Windows application that accepts clipboard input, including word processing and e-mail.

Palm Pilot Syncronization
The Palm Pilot Synchronization allows you to transfer data between your ContactEase database and your Palm Pilot and HandSpring Visor. ContactEase supports synchronization with the 3Com PalmPilot device. A contact can be assigned the Palm Pilot Category, which can group contacts into those you wish to use with your Palm personal device, and is:

• Now displayed and the user can select the category for a record
• Viewable as a category via Edit, Find, Palm Pilot Categories
• Bulk assignable via Edit, Assign, PalmPilot Category

Sending E-Mail
ContactEase can automatically launch your MAPI-compliant e-mail application and send e-mail by clicking an envelope icon. The ContactEase MAPI Address Book provides seamless integration between ContactEase and MAPI applications such as Exchange, Outlook, GroupWise, WinFax, and RightFAX.

Once you have added the ContactEase database as a MAPI Service, you can access it just like your Personal Address Book. When you're ready to send a fax or e-mail, simply select the ContactEase MAPI Address Book. From this point on, contact information from ContactEase will be directly available for faxing and e-mail.

Multiple Web Addresses
Multiple Web site addresses are supported for each contact and:

• Are customizable, like user fields, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses
• Offer primary Web address support

Browsing Web Sites
ContactEase can automatically launch your browser to visit a record's Web site.

New Help System
ContactEase's new help system has been designed to offer users a flexible means of handling help requests. Users can click Help within Menu dialogs; perform keyword searches via the Help menu, or read chapter-by-chapter to learn how to use ContactEase to its full potential. We will work to continuously improve it in conjunction with future updates and releases of ContactEase.