Introduction

In this tutorial, Tony Holowitz demonstrates how to add a custom field to Act, a popular CRM software. Having unique fields allows businesses to tailor Act to their specific needs, making data management more efficient. In this example, we’ll imagine an ice-cream shop owner who wants to track customers’ favorite ice-cream flavors.

1. Understanding Custom Fields in Act

• Custom fields are user-defined data placeholders used to store unique information about contacts.
• Tony advises against modifying the pre-existing user fields in Act and recommends creating new custom fields for better flexibility.

2. Creating a Custom Field

• To create a custom field, open Act and navigate to “Tools” in the top menu, then select “Define Fields.”
• Click on “Create New Field” and enter the name of the custom field, such as “Favorite Ice-Cream,” and choose the appropriate field type, like a character field for plain text.
• Complete the field creation process by clicking “Finish.”

3. Adding the Custom Field to the Layout

• After creating the custom field, Act will prompt you to add it to the layout.
• Open the Layout Editor, save the current layout with a unique name (e.g., “Ice-Cream A”), and close the Layout Editor.

4. Placing the Custom Field on the Layout

• In the Layout Editor, select the custom field from the field list on the left.
• Draw the approximate size of the field on the layout and add it.
• Adjust the placement of the field on the layout to suit your preference.

5. Saving and Applying the Layout

• Save the modified layout with the custom field by choosing “Save As” and providing a unique name (e.g., “Ice-Cream A”).
• Close the Layout Editor, and in the main Act interface, choose the modified layout from the layout drop-down menu.

6. Finalizing the Process

• The custom field, “Favorite Ice-Cream,” is now part of the Act layout, and you can input and manage data for this field for all contacts.
• Continue customizing the layout and adding other fields as needed to tailor Act to your business requirements.

Conclusion

Customizing fields and layouts in Act allows businesses to optimize data organization and enhance CRM functionalities. By adding unique fields like “Favorite Ice-Cream,” businesses can keep track of specific information that aligns with their needs. Following Tony Holowitz’s step-by-step guide, you can easily create custom fields and ensure a more personalized and efficient Act experience.