The reason you choose a Contact Relationship Management Program is to have one place to look for EVERYTHING!  Here’s a tip to keep those bids/quotes/current projects handy and in one place when you need them.

When I create a bid in ACT! from the Sales Opportunity screen, I then convert it to an Adobe PDF (you need more than Reader to do this), and email it to the contact. The conversion process creates a new document. I choose this document to Add to the Contact Screen under the Document Tab.

Other uses for the Document Tab are to attach Excel spreadsheets you may be working with a client or colleague.  Rate Sheets, Pricing Structures, Scripts – all of these can be added. Remember, you are adding a link to the actual file, not creating a copy, so if you choose to edit that link, you will be editing the original file too.  No duplicates!

Why link a document when you have attached it to the History as a Letter? No need 90% of the time. You don’t have to do double work – if you created a Word Document using ACT!’s Word Processor or MS Word, it automatically links that document to the history.  But what if you have had umpteen emails, telephone conversations and meetings with that client SINCE you sent the letter?  The History naturally places the newest on top, so you would have to scroll until you found your document.  Not a biggie but if that document is more than a letter, perhaps it is a Proposal, you may want to create a second Attachment in the Document Tab.

Try it and see if adding a Document doesn’t make YOUR life easier when that prospect calls in and has a question about your RFP or Price List.  If so, it’s worth that extra 15 seconds!