6.4 Your Data

Since each business has specific information and processes often applicable to only that company, customizable fields are important for businesses. The structures of many software applications often do not allow for customizations without a great deal of expense creating a situation where a company has to squeeze itself into a software application to use it. As a result, internal processes often become more complex and employees end up spending more time working with the software rather than their actual job responsibilities.

With Tradepoint there are several ways you can customize data to suit your specific needs. The first is User Access Settings. Profiles can be established to suit different roles and individuals can even change the look and feel with different colored interfaces. The second is our Plug-in system which is an affordable way to create and customize fields and tags(labels next to the fields) to your process specifically.

The third way can be seen within several places throughout Tradepoint in sections such as Your Data. In this section you have the option of creating groups and field within groups of data that is specific to your process.  You specify the title and then the type of data that can be entered into that field. That data becomes part of your database and is completely search able.

The Your Data screen allows you to store any information you would like that is not contained on any other screen by creating custom data fields. The really powerful part is that you can specify what kind of data is allowed to be stored in these fields so that you can force users to enter information in a structured way ensuring that you will be able to use the information in searches without having to guess which format it was entered in.

Examples include IT based information such as Computer and Network Requirements for an Installation, Specifications for Industries such as Building Construction,  Architecture, Water and Soil testing,  Accounting, Legal, and Patient work flows for Medical Practices in specialties such as Orthopedics.

Below is a screen view of some established categories as an example.

The Setup & Configuration Tool will open once the New Custom Field Icon is clicked. The first screen you will see within the Setup & Configuration Tool will be within the Your Data section of Customers so you can create a New Field within the Your Data Section of Customers.

Click on the New category icon if you are looking to create a New Category Field.

If you are looking to create a New Field within an existing Category click on the New Field icon. Multiple Fields can be within one category if it is necessary to track different types of information. Each specified field can hold different types of data as illustrated with the drop down menu. Simply choose which type for each field. When you are finished close the Setup and Configuration Tool by clicking the 'X' icon in the upper right hand corner of the Setup and Configuration Tool.

Custom Data fields can be added from the Options window as well as a specific section such as Customers and can be specific to a contact type or shared across all contact types.