On the same day, Best Software announced the availability of version 6.0 of SalesLogix, one of the leading small business and mid-market CRM products, which is reportedly built on a new architecture and with more than 200 product enhancements. The SalesLogix architecture was reportedly enhanced to increase developer productivity, enable quicker customization, and lower implementation time and costs, since the product is based on a 3-tier architectural environment with a standardized toolset for open development and possibly a rapid deployment. The architecture should facilitate data integration with applications built in Microsoft's Visual Basic, Visual Studio .NET (VS.NET), or any other development environment that supports Microsoft ADO (ActiveX Data Object) data access.
The new architecture should also allow for backward compatibility with existing customizations and add-on products, simplifying thereby the upgrade process for customers and partners. SalesLogix' administrators running SalesLogix 6.0 should also reduce the time spent on manual tasks by using the streamlined new-user entry process with user profile templates and the simple, flexible user and team security controls. Other enhanced processes include: account permission configuration for teams, advanced territory realignment with scenario analysis, improved integrity checking to eliminate "orphan" accounts, and easy identification of users and teams that have access to an account. In addition to the new architecture, users should benefit from the following enhancements:
* Sales Client User Interface — Users should now be able to manage multiple addresses within account and contact records, create account hierarchy and navigate among parent and subsidiary accounts, and launch customer and prospect location maps, websites, and e-mail with one-click web access. In addition, SalesLogix 6.0 will also ship with Crystal Reports version 8.5.
* Tighter integration with Microsoft Office — SalesLogix 6.0 reportedly offers one-click export to Excel for analysis and reporting. In addition, the product offers Word integration for �mail merge' facility and advanced Outlook integration.
* Significant Mail Merge improvements — This feature should be easier to use with template management; merge at contact, account, opportunity, or group level; and the ability to automatically exclude individuals based on their solicitation preferences. Users can now also attach a record or copy of the e-mail and attachments to a recipient's history records and automatically schedule activities as part of sales or marketing workflow.
* New AutoSync feature — For mobile employees, the product will now automatically synchronize in the background when a web connection is available, while employees can work without disruption, and no longer having to remember to manually synchronize their data when returning to the office.
* Enhanced Web Client functionality — SalesLogix customers should enjoy Outlook and Excel integration, Crystal Enterprise web reporting, mail merge with customizable e-mail templates, and the groups and query builder. The Web user interface has been updated with an improved design and additional functionality to mirror the rich functionality of the SalesLogix Windows client.
* Improved Support WebTicket — Designed to improve ticket workflow management, the Support WebTicket has a look and navigation that is very similar to the SalesLogix Support Client. Enhancements include: integrated knowledge base with keyword highlighting and automatic creation of frequently asked questions (FAQs); customer self-service portal with two-way communication; addition of activities and attachments to tickets by both employees and customers; and employee visibility to defects, return material authorizations (RMAs), and ticket changes.
The new architecture should also allow for backward compatibility with existing customizations and add-on products, simplifying thereby the upgrade process for customers and partners. SalesLogix' administrators running SalesLogix 6.0 should also reduce the time spent on manual tasks by using the streamlined new-user entry process with user profile templates and the simple, flexible user and team security controls. Other enhanced processes include: account permission configuration for teams, advanced territory realignment with scenario analysis, improved integrity checking to eliminate "orphan" accounts, and easy identification of users and teams that have access to an account. In addition to the new architecture, users should benefit from the following enhancements:
* Sales Client User Interface — Users should now be able to manage multiple addresses within account and contact records, create account hierarchy and navigate among parent and subsidiary accounts, and launch customer and prospect location maps, websites, and e-mail with one-click web access. In addition, SalesLogix 6.0 will also ship with Crystal Reports version 8.5.
* Tighter integration with Microsoft Office — SalesLogix 6.0 reportedly offers one-click export to Excel for analysis and reporting. In addition, the product offers Word integration for �mail merge' facility and advanced Outlook integration.
* Significant Mail Merge improvements — This feature should be easier to use with template management; merge at contact, account, opportunity, or group level; and the ability to automatically exclude individuals based on their solicitation preferences. Users can now also attach a record or copy of the e-mail and attachments to a recipient's history records and automatically schedule activities as part of sales or marketing workflow.
* New AutoSync feature — For mobile employees, the product will now automatically synchronize in the background when a web connection is available, while employees can work without disruption, and no longer having to remember to manually synchronize their data when returning to the office.
* Enhanced Web Client functionality — SalesLogix customers should enjoy Outlook and Excel integration, Crystal Enterprise web reporting, mail merge with customizable e-mail templates, and the groups and query builder. The Web user interface has been updated with an improved design and additional functionality to mirror the rich functionality of the SalesLogix Windows client.
* Improved Support WebTicket — Designed to improve ticket workflow management, the Support WebTicket has a look and navigation that is very similar to the SalesLogix Support Client. Enhancements include: integrated knowledge base with keyword highlighting and automatic creation of frequently asked questions (FAQs); customer self-service portal with two-way communication; addition of activities and attachments to tickets by both employees and customers; and employee visibility to defects, return material authorizations (RMAs), and ticket changes.
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