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Is there a way to just insert the first name of a contact into an email template? I don't like having to send an email that says: Dear Jane Doe, instead of just Dear Jane. It's too formal and not the way people send emails.
Perhaps somones knows a modifier I can use in the insert field to strip the last name, sort of like using the search() function on a text field in Excel. Thanks in advance for any info you can provide on this. |
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jebakic,
The Contact field holds both the first and last names. What you can do is store only the first name in the Contact field, and store the last name in the LName field (right to the Dear field). That being said, we usually don't recommend storing data in this way because in different places, like Contact selection, only the Contact name appears. If you're OK with this, then it may work for you. In that case we also recommend adding the Last Name field as a column in the Accounts list (right click the Account table > Table Options > Add/Remove Columns > Last Name. HTH, Neta |
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This is something I ran into recently as well. Can you guys add a First Name field in the next version? It would be nice to be able to have the First Name and Last Name field generate the Contact field. It would give us a lot more flexibility in sending out emails, reports, etc.
Also along those line can you add a setting someplace so that the File as field would give an additional option to file by Last Name, First Name? Even better would be an option to default to that format for accounts that do not have a company name listed. We keep all residential clients filed in this way and frequently it gets missed by the person creating the account. Then we also run into issues because the linked account in Quickbooks will get created with First Name Last Name instead of Last Name, First name like all the rest. It becomes confusing because you have to constantly search for 2 different names and duplicate accounts get created. Would solve a few issues we have if the above was implemented. Hope that all made sense. Thanks in advance |
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Feedback noted.
@ascendnet - When the company name is not entered the File As field does contain the Contact name automatically. The Contact name is meant to include first name and only then last name though. As for searching, you can also select to search exactly by Contact name, or by Last Name. In any case we plan to add some more power to the Accounts Keyword search soon. Besides, following this thread we evaluate whether there's an option to add a stand alone the first name field (or more correctly phrased - the first word if the Contact field) into the list of Account fields available for email templates. Thanks, Neta |
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Being able to set the File as field to Last Name, First Name is important because that is how things get filed either physically or folder structure wise on a computer. Also when working with Quickbooks the accounts are displayed by Last Name, First name. So if the account doesn't exist in Quickbooks when you sync them CommitCRM will create the account but if the Filed as field in CommitCRM is First Name Last Name then it creates the account wrong in Quickbooks.
The searching part is really only for Quickbooks because we end up with some accounts being created by CommitCRM in one format and other account in another format. If we could have CommitCRM always use Last Name, First Name they would never be created wrong. |
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@ascendnet - thanks for your feedback.
Please note that selecting a value from the drop down menu for the File As... field is optional (Last Name, First Name, in this order are not in the drop down currently). The File As... field is a free text field. You can type anything you like there, including the Last Name, First Name. Thanks, Neta |
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I understand that this format is not currently on the list. I was asking that there be a way for accounts without a company name to default to a last name, first name format. If there was an option for this format we wouldn't have to worry about someone not changing the format, it would always be correct.
Thanks |
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Well... this was ALREADY implemented in RangerMSP 5.5 and is already available for you to use :-)
When designing the email templates for Tickets the field is already in the field selection menu (for example to get the first name of the selected secondary contact for the Ticket select 'Contact' > 'Contact First name (first word)'. Anyway please find are the relevant tokens (again, can also be added when the field is selected from the menu): When designing Email templates for Tickets - To get the first name of the main (Account) Contact use the following token: <CMTLBLDATA_FLDTKTCARDID_FLDCRDCLCCONTACTFIRSTNAME > To get the first name of the selected secondary contact for the Ticket use the following token: <CMTLBLDATA_FLDTKTCONTACTID_FLDCRDCLCCONTACTFIRSTN AME> I hope this helps. Dina |
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It works just like itognet described. It takes the first word from the Contact name and that's it. BTW, storing by Last, First names is a bit different than how RangerMSP was designed to work, it's easier to use First, Last as the Last Name automatically being extracted to the Last Name field.
HTH Dina |
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Since you already are pulling the last name into a separate field and in 5.5 you started being able to use the first name by considering it the first word, perhaps you can re-evaluate how difficult my original request would be. All it would take now to have an available option for the File As field to use lastname, firstname would be to would be to use LASTNAME, FIRSTWORD.
Thanks |
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...and when you've been using LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME since you started your company, you hate to change just because a software vendor thinks you should do it differently...
It seems like your best bet may be to just add two fields for the contact, firstname & lastname. and then you could have another field that would automatically add those two together either as FIRSTNAME LASTNAME or LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME (and you could specify that in your options. I'm sure the challenge would be in making that change making it compatible with all your reports, etc... But I think it would be a good change. It would fix this whole problem. |
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Just ran into another issue, again caused by the fact that CommitCRM doesn't have separate fields for Firstname & Lastname. External programs that integrate with Labtech have a hard time figuring out accurately what is the firstname and what is the lastname due to the fact that there aren't separate fields.
For instance, in Labtech, in my contact's "firstname" field, it has the contacts LASTNAME and a comma, due to the fact that we input everything in CommitCRM as LASTNAME, FIRSTNAME. It seems like most CRM applications separate this out, and it makes it much easier for everyone. Would it really be that big of a deal to make this happen? It seems like it would create a better experience for everyone - users and developers. It's a win win situation. No with that said, will it be in the 5.6 release? |
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Thanks Luke.
RangerMSP is designed to store contacts as first name, last name. Storing contacts as last name, first name is possible, yet not recommended at this stage. This is not something that will be changed in 5.6 and I'm not sure when/if it will be changed. Our APIs and syncing modules with different systems are build on this storing model as well as the RangerMSP client itself. I'm not say that it'll never be modify, however, it's way more complex than it seems. LabTech uses the RangerMSP's API that was built for First > Last and this is probably why it's harder for them to handle situations where data is stored in RangerMSP as Last > First. In regards to this forum thread - when using First name Last Name you have access to all these fields with the Email Templates features, all as explained above. We hear you and appreciate your feedback. Thanks, Dina |
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Since you already have a field for the last name, wouldn't it be easy enough just to have a first name field that is based off of the FIRST WORD?
Once you have two separate fields it seems like it would be much more flexible for additional options based on desired naming format. |
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Well, it is much more complex than it seems, otherwise we would have already offer all options. However, as it is integrated in many modules, syncing options, APIs, existing systems that integrates and are based on the structure, including RangerMSP client.
I'm not saying it is not required, and I do think this is a good idea that may help (and is required as it is requested by our users, right here on the forum), it is just more complex than it seems and we need to carefully review such a change. Thanks, Dina |
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I know it would probably make it more complex, but it seems like the best route would be not to do the "automatically figure out the firstname/lastname" route, but instead just to replace the "contact name" field with two fields, and let people fill it out however they want to. Then you could join that name in a "automated" field, that could be change via a preference of how you wanted to store (firstname lastname, or lastname,firstname)
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