crm-now/PS...Chapter 1. About This Manual This manual describes how you can install the MS Office Plugin for the crm-now/PS System and how you can work with it. It addresses users

crm-now/PS

Office Plugin Manual

First Edition

crm-now/PS: Office Plugin ManualCopyright © 2006 crm-now

Revision HistoryRevision 01 2006-10-29

crm-now c/o im-netz Neue Medien GmbH, www.crm-now.com

Many of the designations used by manufacturers and sellers to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks.Where those designations appear in this book, and crm-now was aware of a trademark claim, the designations havebeen printed in caps or initial caps. While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this book, the publisherassumes no responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of the information containedherein.

crm-now makes no warranty for the use of crm-now/PS system and assumes no responsibility for any errors which mayappear in this document nor does it make a commitment to update the information contained herein.

Manual ID: 512-006-01

Table of ContentsChapter 1. About This Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

1.1. The Structure Of The Manual . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.2. Installing And Uninstalling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1.2.1. System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2.2. Installing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21.2.3. Uninstalling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

1.3. Working With The Plugin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.3.1. Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.3.2. Logging In And Out . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41.3.3. Insertion Of Data Fields In Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

1.4. Working With The Created Templates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Chapter 2. Troubleshooting Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2.1. Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92.2. Known Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Chapter 3. Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

crm-now/PS

Office Plugin Manual v

vi Office Plugin Manual

Chapter 1. About This ManualThis manual describes how you can install the MS Office Plugin for the crm-now/PS System andhow you can work with it. It addresses users who are familiar with the basic functions of theCRM system. Working with the Office Plugin, you have the possibility to use MS Word docu-ments as templates for the crm-now/PS system. Besides, you can perform the following tasksbetween the MS Office and the CRM system:

• Configuration of the access to the crm-now/PS system

• Activate the access

• Integration of crm-now-specific fields in mail merge documents

Please note that the plugin is an Open Source program. The software described in this manualis provided within the scope of Open Source licensing and must be used in accordance withthese conditions. The licensing requirement is part of the download.

Version and edition of the manual

You can find the version of the edition on page two of this manual. The first three digits identifythe document whereas the subsequent three digits represent the version number. The versionnumber will be increased in each new release of the software. The last digit indicates the editionwithin a software version.

1.1. The Structure Of The Manual

This manual is divided into following parts:

• Installing and uninstalling

• Working with the plugin

• Troubleshooting tips

It is not necessary to read the entire manual in order to work with the software. We will explainhow you can configure the system to fit to your needs and how to use it effectively. The aim ofthis manual is to bring together the knowledge about the functions and features of the software.The document has a clear structure, starting with the basics and getting in more details as youmove ahead. In addition, references to other useful resources are provided.

crm-now/PS

Office Plugin Manual 1

1.2. Installing And Uninstalling

Download the program. You can find the file under the [Help] tab of your CRM system.

1.2.1. System Requirements

The Office Plugin will be installed on your computer. In order to work with the software properly,your computer must fulfill the following system requirements:

• Operating System: Windows 2000/XP/2003

• Installed Software: Microsoft Word 2000/2003, Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher

• Processor: x486

• Available Disk Space: 100 MB

• Available RAM: 256 MB

The following preparations must be done before installing the software:

• You must have administration privileges on your computer. Please make sure that ActiveXelements are enabled in your browser. For further information, please check the instructionsmanual of your browser.

• You have to know the Office login information of your crm-now/PS server. These login detailsconsist of a web address (URL), the user name, and the password.

• You should have an internet connection using DSL.

• You should stop all running programs before starting the installation.

Important

The Office login details for your crm-now/PS server include an URL. This URL differsfrom the URL you use to access the CRM system. Please contact crm-now in order to ob-tain the Office access URL.

1.2.2. Installing

The program for the Office Plugin can be downloaded under the [Help] tab of your CRM system.

Please follow these steps for installation:

Procedure:

1. Search for the Office-Plugin on your computer.

Chapter 1. About This Manual

2 Office Plugin Manual

2. Start the program.

3. Follow the instructions to install the software.

4. Reboot your computer.

Tip

The installation may take a few minutes.

Having successfully installed the Office Plugin, you can find a new menu in your Word (crm-now/PS).

1.2.3. Uninstalling

To uninstall the Office Plugin, please follow the steps:

Procedure:

1. Stop Word.

2. Open the Software directory under the Windows control panel.

3. Search for "vtiger CRM Office Plug-in 5.x.x" and click [Remove].

4. Restart your computer.

Tip

The uninstalling process can take a few minutes.

1.3. Working With The Plugin

The Office Plugin provides for the creation of Word templates for the CRM like letters, en-velopes, catalogs, labels, or other documents. You can store those templates in the crm-now/PSsystem and make them available to all users. The CRM makes it possible to automatically linkthe templates to informations of contacts, accounts, and leads stored in the CRM and to createdocuments comfortably.

The following chapters describe how to generate and save templates. For further information onworking with templates within the CRM, please refer to the crm-now/PS Administration Man-ual.

1.3.1. Configuration

In order to create Word templates, your Word must communicate with the CRM system. This isnecessary because the plugin needs to know what kind of mandatory and customized fields are



configured in your CRM. Therefore, the plugin must be configured after a successful installation.While configuring, the plugin learns the crm-now/PS login details.

The following steps are necessary:

1. Start MS Word.

2. Click [Configuration] under the new crm-now/PS menu. A window will pop up as shown inFigure: CRM Configuration. Please insert your crm-now/PS login details:

• crm-now/PS Name: Insert the username for the crm-now/PS system.

• crm-now/PS Password: Insert the password for the crm-now/PS system.

• crm-now/PS URL: Insert the web address for the access to the crm-now/PS system.

• Proxy Settings: Nowadays, it is common for most companies to access the internet us-ing a proxy server. If this is the case in your company, please refer to the system admin-istrator in charge.

Figure 1.1. CRM Configuration

3. Click [OK] to save.

1.3.2. Logging In And Out

Click [Sign In] under the crm-now/PS menu. If you configured the plugin correctly, the windowas shown in Figure: Successful Login will be displayed.



Figure 1.2. Successful Login

To log out, click [Sign Out] under the crm-now/PS menu.

1.3.3. Insertion Of Data Fields In Documents

Using the Office Plugin, you may create mail merge documents. You have the possibility to usethe CRM database fields for leads, contacts, accounts, and trouble tickets.

To create a document, the complete functionality of Word remains. However, keep in mind thatthe use of graphics and pictures may take a lot of memory. Since the template will be transferredfrom your CRM when it is needed, large documents may take more time.

In order to insert the content of database fields into a Word document, follow this procedure:

1. Start Word and select New in the File menu.

2. Create the document as you are used to. At the position where a data field is wished to beinserted, skip to step 3.

3. Choose Insert Merge Field in the crm-now/PS menu. A dialog as shown in Figure: InsertMerge Field pops up.

Figure 1.3. Insert Merge Field

4. First, select the CRM module out of which the desired field is to be inserted. Database fieldsfor contacts, leads, accounts, and trouble tickets are provided. In addition, customized fieldsare also provided.



5. Then choose the specific field you wish to insert in your document.

Tip

You can choose more fields at once by clicking the desired fields.

6. After selecting a field, click the Insert button. The fields will be inserted in your documentautomatically as shown in Figure: Template - Example.

Figure 1.4. Template - Example

7. Follow the procedure until you have finished your document.

8. Save the document as you are used to.

Note

Please make sure to save the document with the *.doc extension.

1.4. Working With The Created Templates

Having created a document as a template, this chapter describes how to work with it within theCRM system. For this purpose, the locally stored document must be saved in the CRM system.

Procedure:

1. Log in the CRM as administrator.

2. Click Mail Merge Templates under the Settings menu.

3. Click the Add Template button. Then follow these steps:

• Under Template File, you can search for your locally stored template.

• Under Description, you can describe the template.

• Under Module, you can select the module in which the template is desired to be pro-vided.

• Click Save.



4. Now, you can use the template in the module chosen. You have two possibilities:

• Merging the template with a CRM entry using the list view.

• Merging the template with a CRM entry using the detail view.

Important

Make sure to have ActiveX elements enabled in your browser.

Thus, you may assign the desired values to the fields of your document.

Important

Only users with administration priviledges have the right to transfer templates to theCRM. If you are not assigned administration priviledges, please contact the system ad-ministrator in charge.



Chapter 2. Troubleshooting Tips

2.1. Solutions

Table 2.1. Meldungen beim Zusammenführen

Problem Solution

While merging your template with data of theCRM system, the template has to be filled outand transferred to your computer. You get theerror message: Requires to download Ac-tiveX Control from vtigerCRM.

Please check the browser settings. Enable Ac-tiveX.

2.2. Known Issues

The following issues are known and should be removed by the next release:

• During installation, the following error message may occur: First call to RegDBCre-ateKeyEx failed. Kindly ignore this message.

• The Office Plugin works only with Microsoft Internet Explorer. All other browsers are currentlynot supported.

crm-now/PS


Chapter 3. SupportThe crm-now team will support you working on the CRM system and the webforms. If you havequestions, hints or wishes, feel free to send an e-mail to:

[email protected]

You can contact crm-now under the following address:

crm-now

c/o im netz neue medien GmbH

Am Borsigturm 46

15307 Berlin

www.crm-now.de

Telefon: +49 (0)30 451-1000

crm-now/PS



crm-now/PSTable of ContentsChapter 1. About This Manual1.1. The Structure Of The Manual1.2. Installing And Uninstalling1.2.1. System Requirements1.2.2. Installing1.2.3. Uninstalling

1.3. Working With The Plugin1.3.1. Configuration1.3.2. Logging In And Out1.3.3. Insertion Of Data Fields In Documents

1.4. Working With The Created Templates

Chapter 2. Troubleshooting Tips2.1. Solutions2.2. Known Issues

Chapter 3. Support