Common data > BPs > Prospects 

Use this function to maintain the Prospect/Customer table and its associated tables: BPs, Addresses, Contacts and Bank ID numbers.

It authorizes the creation, the inquiry and the updating of the information specific to a supplier as well as those associated with the BP.

A prospect is a business partner. As such it is identified in the business partner (BP) table as well as in the customers table.

In fact, the Customer table contains both all prospects and all customers.

This function is accessible directly from the menu or from the business partner management using a button.

Prerequisite

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation

Screen management

A prospect is created with a maximum of four tabs. Three of these tabs come from the BP record that has previously been created. The tabs that are common to both the BP and Prospect records are: Identity, Addresses, and Contact. Any modification made on one or more of these common tabs is automatically saved in the BP table.

The three tabs common to the BP management and the prospect management are described in the BP documentation.

The tab specific to the management of prospects is described below.

Header

Presentation

Because of the potentially large number of prospects in a commercial database, the use of a quick and ergonomic tool to access a record seems essential.

In fact, it quickly becomes difficult to remember the key for each record.

Thus the Prospect field provides an accelerated search function available from the contextual search menu Search.

The following searches are possible:

1 / Search on the start of the company name.
2 / Search by each post code start.
3 / Search on each town/city name start.
4 / Accumulated search on each search field.

The lower section of the screen displays the results of each search. A search is renewed at the time of each tabulation carried out on one of these criteria.

Note: The search is carried out on on the Prospects population.

A click on button   closes the window and identifies the Prospect field with the selected prospect key. A tab on the Prospect fields is used to display the selected prospect record.

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Fields

The following fields are present on this tab :

This is the customer category associated with the prospect.
This category makes it possible to:

  • have an additional prospect classification,
  • have default values upon creation,
  • assign an automatic numbering to prospects according to a counter associated with the category.

SEEINFOWhen converting a prospect into a customer, using the same category as the one used for the prospect makes it possible to assign to the customer a code identical to that of the prospect.

  • Prospect (field BPCNUM)

This field is used to enter the code used to identify the customer. It can be entered directly or selected from the Customer table.
SEEINFO This customer list is not exhaustive, any customer not present in this list can still order the product.

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Tab Identity

Presentation

Use this section to enter the identification data for the business partner such as selecting roles and entering role-specific details:

Select the Service provider check box to access the Service provider info from the Actions panel, Functions menu. The term Service provider refers to an after-sales service provider you can call when all internal customer support employees are unavailable.

Select the Service caller (Order-giver) check box to access the Order-giver info from the Actions panel, Functions menu. The term Order-giver groups all customers for the account for which customer support services are carried out. That is, service requests that are processed for customers of our customers.

EU VAT ID validation

You can interactively validate the EU VAT no. by clicking the EU VAT ID validation icon.

A message box displays with the validation results. The exact content varies depending on the check result and web service used.

  • If the validation is successful, you receive a confirmation message and the Validation check box is selected.
  • If the validation failed, you receive a message that displays the reason for the failure.
  • If the validation could not be completed (for example, if only the VAT number was validated and not the address), you have the option to accept the results as valid or not. If you select Yes, the Validation check box is selected.

Note: The validation results are stored in a table.

If a previously-validated VAT number is modified, the Validation check box is cleared.

Validation levels:

A Qualified validation verifies the EU VAT no. and company name and address. All data must be valid.

An Unqualified or simple validation only verifies the EU VAT no. Note that the EU validation web service performs only unqualified validations.

Address management:

Results are recorded with the original address code.

For the main EU VAT no., the standard company address is used.

You can manually revalidate VAT numbers using the EU VAT ID revalidation function (EVCBAT).

Note: This field is only available if a web service is identified by the EVCSERVICE – Webservice for EU VAT ID parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group) and the sender's EU VAT number is set by the EVCCOMPANY—EU VAT ID source company parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group)

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Fields

The following fields are present on this tab :

Identity

  • Short description (field BPRSHO)

Title used in some screens or reports when there is not enough space to view the long title.

By default the short title, the long title or the column header of a data are recorded (on creation/update) in the connection language of the user.
You can add your translation in another language using the Translation function:

  • Click Translation from the Actions icon in the corresponding field.
  • In the Translation window, add a new language code with the translation in this language.

A user who logs on with this language will view the short description, long description or column header in their connection language if a translation exists. Otherwise, these descriptions will be available in the folder language.

SEEINFOThe connection language must be defined as a default language for thefolder.

  • Acronym (field BPRLOG)

BP's acronym.

  • field BPRNAM

Business Partner company name.

  • Natural person (field LEGETT)

When it is activated, this indicator makes it possible to specify that the BP is a physical person. When it is not activated, it is a corporate body.
If the BP is a corporate body, it is mandatory to enter the "VAT identification number" and the "Site tax ID number" if their entry has been set up at country level as mandatory.

  • Mailing prohibited (field BPRFBDMAG)

 

This code is used to identify amongst other things, the Country of a BP.
This is important information, associated with a number of characteristics useful for performing controls on other linked information, in particular:

  • the telephone number format,
  • the format of the number that identifies a company or an activity (site tax ID number, NAF in France), and whether its entry is mandatory or not,
  • the postal code format of the town and also the code of the geographic subdivision, and whether their entry is mandatory,
  • whether the VAT number of this community is mandatory,
  • the Bank ID code format.

Code controlled in the language table making it possible to define the language of a business partner.

This code is used to identify the currency for a site, BP, etc. It is managed in the currency table.
The currency proposed by default is that of the budget.
The exchange rate type applied is based on the BUDTYPCUR - Budget conversion rate type (BUD chapter, CMM group) parameter setting.

SEEINFOIt is recommended to use the ISO coding during the creation of a new currency.

  • Site tax ID no. (field CRN)

Single identification number for the company.
It is mandatory to enter this number if both the following conditions are satisfied:

  • its entry is set to mandatory by setup of the country record,
  • the BP is a corporate body.

Its entry format depends on the setup carried out at the level of the Country record.

In France, this number, assigned by the INSEE on registering a company with the national registrar of companies, contains 9 numbers, is unique and cannot be changed. This is used by all public bodies and the administrations in contact with businesses.

  • SIC code (field NAF)

This fields displays the SIC code (subject to activity code KFA), according to the French company's activity codification.

  • EU VAT no. (field EECNUM)

This is the VAT identification number of the BP. 

This European VAT number must be entered on all the invoices destined to or coming from the European Union. This number starts with two letters identifying the business partner country followed by a number depending on the country.

In France the number is comprised of FR, then 2 numbers identifying the tax office of the place where the company conducts its activities, followed by the Company tax ID no.(SIREN) of the company.

This information must necessarily be entered if the Company Registration number is set up as being mandatory for the country of the company.

  • EU VAT ID validation (field EVCVAL)

Note: This field is only available if a web service is identified in the EVCSERVICE – Webservice for EU VAT ID parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group) and the sender's EU VAT ID is set in the EVCCOMPANY—EU VAT ID source company parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group)

Click the Validation action to interactively validate your EU VAT ID.

A message box displays with the validation results. The exact content varies by check result and web service used.

  • If the validation was successful, you receive a confirmation message and the Validation check box is selected.
  • For an unsuccessful validation, you receive a message that displays the reason for the failed validation.
  • If no full validation could be performed (for example, if only the VAT ID was validated and not the address), you have the option to accept the results as valid or not. If you select Yes, the Validation check box is selected.

Note: Successful validation results are stored in a table.

If a previously-validated VAT ID is modified, the Validation check box is cleared.

Validation levels:

A Qualified validation verifies the EU VAT ID and company name and address. All data must be valid.

An Unqualified or simple validation only verifies the EU VAT ID. Note that the EU validation web service performs only unqualified validations.

Address management:

Results are recorded with the original address code.

For the main EU VAT ID, the standard company address is used.

You can manually revalidate IDs using the EU VAT ID revalidation function (EVCBAT).

  • Verified (field EVCVALDON)

If a previously-validated VAT ID is modified, the Validation check box is cleared.

A message box displays with the validation results. The exact content varies by check result and web service used.

  • If the validation was successful, you receive a confirmation message and the Validation check box is selected.
  • For an unsuccessful validation, you receive a message that displays the reason for the failed validation.
  • If no full validation could be performed (for example, if only the VAT ID was validated and not the address), you have the option to accept the results as valid or not. If you select Yes, the Validation check box is selected.


Note: This field is only available if a web service is identified in the EVCSERVICE – Webservice for EU VAT ID parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group) and the sender's EU VAT ID is set in the EVCCOMPANY—EU VAT ID source company parameter (CPT chapter, VAT group)

Intersites

  • Intersite (field BETFCY)

This flag is designed to indicate if this is an inter-site BP:

  • The inter-site customer/supplier BPs are used for multi-site exchanges.
  • A customer BP is a purchase site or a financial site,
  • a supplier BP is a sales site or a financial site.

Site code that has to be identified as a BP within the frame of multi-site exchanges.

The following data need to be entered:

  • The requesting site (purchase or financial sites) at the level of the customer BP.
  • The supplying site (sales or financial sites) at the level of the supplier BP.
  • For the customer, a warehouse site, belonging to the same company, will identify each ship-to address.

Roles

  • Customer (field BPCFLG)

 

  • Sales rep (field REPFLG)

 

  • Prospect (field PPTFLG)

 

  • Supplier (field BPSFLG)

 

  • Miscellaneous BP (field BPRACC)

 

  • Service supplier (field PRVFLG)

This option is used to include a BP among the list of after-sales service providers.

An after-sales service provider is an organization that may be called on to conduct

an intervention to be carried out for a service request (Repair, advice, audit, quote etc...)

For each service provider, it is possible to register their skills, their geographic intervention area,

their price list conditions for invoicing.

  • Carrier (field BPTFLG)

 

  • Service caller (field DOOFLG)

The contractor represents the actual customer for whom a service request is made.
When a service request does not include any contractor, the service is supplied on behalf of the direct customer of the current organization.
By contrast, when a service request includes a contractor, the service is provided to the customer but is is made on behalf of the contractor. The customer receiving assistance is not the organization's customer but the contractor's.
Regarding invoicing, the data loaded by default is the contractor's (invoiced customer, pay-by BP, ...). Therefore, it is mandatory to create a customer record for the contractor.
This option makes it possible to discern the contractor population.
This option is also mandatory to be able to link customers to their contractor(s).

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Tab Addresses

Presentation

Use this section to enter the business partner addresses. You must enter at least one address. When several addresses are linked to the same BP, you must define one of them as the default address. In creation mode, the first address entered is the one suggested by default.

When entering the post code, an automatic control can be performed and the town entered depending on the settings of the CTY - Nonexistent city alert, POSCOD - Nonexistent postal code alert, and POSCODCPY - Multi-country post codes parameters (SUP chapter, INT group).

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Fields

The following fields are present on this tab :

Grid Addresses

  • Address code (field CODADR)

Address code of the business partner (BP).

Detail

  • Address code (field XCODADR)

 

  • Description (field XBPADES)

 

 

  • Description (field XCRYNAM)

 

  • field XADDLIG1

 

  • field XADDLIG2

 

  • field XADDLIG3

 

  • Postal code (field XPOSCOD)

 

  • City (field XCTY)

 

  • field ITINERAIRE

Click this icon to open a mapping site and locate the entered address.

  • field XSAT

 

  • Website (field XFCYWEB)

 

  • External identifier (field XEXTNUM)

 

  • Default address (field XBPAADDFLG)

 

  • Address validation (field VALADR)

 

  • Validated (field XADRVAL)

 

Telephone

  • field XTEL1

 

  • field XTEL2

 

  • field XTEL3

 

  • field XTEL4

 

  • field XTEL5

 

Email

  • field XWEB1

 

  • field XWEB2

 

  • field XWEB3

 

  • field XWEB4

 

  • field XWEB5

 

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Tab Controls

Presentation

Use this tab to enter management information such as statistical groups, the commission category (etc.). You can also use it to enter lines of comments that will be displayed if further order entries are created.

Numerous pieces of information related to the management of the relationship with the prospect are automatically updated. These fields are:

*    First contact date.

*    Last contact date.

*    Type of last contact.

*    Date of next contact.

*    Type of next contact.

The word « Contact » describes here any type of commercial action. It can be a task, a call or an appointment.

*    Last quote date

*    First order date.

These fields give an overview both of the age of the relation and the continuation of a commercial activity.

The Business and Source fields are designed to carry out a segmentation of the customer base. Each sales representative must load their contents.

Secondary sales representatives:

This tab also contains two 'Sales rep' fields . These fields are designed to assign the sales representative(s) responsible for the prospect.

In addition to the principal sales representatives, it is possible to enter sales representatives by role and by the product commercial group.

A contextual menu 'Secondary sales reps' can be accessed from either of the two 'Sales rep' fields. A click on this menu opens a new window.

As and when new employees become involved in the commercial relationship it is possible to save their identity and their role towards the customer and the product commercial group on which the employee brings its expertise.

In this way, when a prospect wants more details on a specific subject, it is easy to identify the employee qualified for both the specific customer details and the field concerned.

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Fields

The following fields are present on this tab :

Information

  • Active (field BPCSTA)

 

 

Prospecting

This field is used to qualify the economic activity of the customer with a level of segmentation adapted to the segmentation needs of the commercial team.

This field is used to record the commercial channel at the origin of the identification and qualification of a business partner.

Sales reps

  • Commission category (field COMCAT)

Commission category used to select the commission rate of the sales representative record for the commissioning calculation.

Code of the sales representative associated with the customer and controlled in the sales representative table. The sales representative of the sold-to customer has priority over the sales representative of the ship-to customer.
An activity code is used to define the number (maximum of 2) of sales representatives submitted as the default value upon order.

  • field MORREP

 

Statistical groups

Code controlled in the statistical group table and used to associate a statistical group to the customer.

Notes

  • Prospect notes (field BPCNOTE)

Click on this icon to display a screen where you can:

  • Enter information on the customer as a note. This information is available for inquiry in the functions that have been selected at the Note category level.
  • Define a validity period for the note.
  • Specify it the note must be displayed automatically.
  • Create multiple notes for the same customer, and indicate if they must be displayed as a priority.

Notes are limited to a screen inquiry and cannot be printed.

For further information, see the documentation on Notes.

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Tab Contacts

Presentation

On this final section, you can list the contact persons for the BP in the Contacts table. You must also indicate which contact should be used as the default contact.

To add a new contact:

  • Select an existing Contact (relationship) or 
  • Create a new contact:
    - Enter a code
    - Add details: the code is automatically created when saving the record.
    In both cases, the contact is automatically recorded in the Contacts table.

The management of contacts, from the Contacts function, ensures that each individual record is unique.  A contact with a particular role can be recorded as one Contact amongst many business partners. Based on the record of one contact, you can create relationships across records, provided that they have a Contact section.

SEEINFOA contact can only be recorded as a person or individual. Only identification information such as the last name, first name, date of birth are common to the contact (relationship) record and to the details entered at the general contact level.
Other information such as the address, email address, landline number and fax number are managed separately between the relationship contact and each one of his/her contacts. At the 'relationship' contact level, the information is considered as being personal; at the general contact level, the information is considered as being professional
. 

SEEREFERTTO For further examples, see the documentation of the Contacts function.

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Fields

The following fields are present on this tab :

Grid Contacts

  • Contact code (field CCNCRM)

Each contact associated with the record is identified by a unique key, which is used to share contacts common to several records.

This code defines the unique key in the contact record. This key can be manually assigned or if it is not entered, it can be defined via the CCN sequence number counter.

By default, this counter is constructed of a sequence number made up of 15 characters. To ensure the correct functioning of the Contact object, it is strongly advised to conserve these standard characteristics.

  • Last name (field CNTLNA)

Indicate the family name of the contact.

Detail

  • Contact code (field KCCNCRM)

Each contact associated with the record is identified by a unique key, which is used to share contacts common to several records.

This code defines the unique key in the contact record. This key can be manually assigned or if it is not entered, it can be defined via the CCN sequence number counter.

By default, this counter is constructed of a sequence number made up of 15 characters. To ensure the correct functioning of the Contact object, it is strongly advised to conserve these standard characteristics.

  • Title (field KCNTTTL)

This field associates a closing sentence with a contact's family name.
This information can be used on documents to be sent to contacts.

  • Last name (field KCNTLNA)

Indicate the family name of the contact.

  • First name (field KCNTFNA)

First name of the contact.

  • Function (field KCNTFNC)

This field specifies the position of the contact to choose from a pre-defined list.
The local menu 233 lists all the possible positions.

  • Department (field KCNTSRV)

This text field indicates the department to which the contact is attached.
No table controls this information.

This field, used for information purposes, makes reference to the codes entered in miscellaneous table 906.

 

  • Date of birth (field KCNTBIR)

Birthday of the contact, only present for information reasons.

 

  • Address (field KCNTADD)

The value of the contact's address code, controlled in the address codes of the supported entity ( Addressestab), is for information purposes only. This code is used to link the contact to one of the addresses of the relevant entity.

  • field KADDNAM

Title associated with the previous code.

  • Email (field KCNTWEB)

This field is used to specify the email address of the contact.

  • Telephone (field KCNTTEL)

This field indicates the phone number. Its entry format depends on the country.
The level of control applied to the entered number format depends on the general parameter CTLTEL - Phone number control (SUP chapter, INT group).

  • Fax (field KCNTFAX)

This field specifies the fax number where the entry format is identical to that of the telephone and is dependent on the country.

  • Mobile phone (field KCNTMOB)

This field indicates the mobile phone number with an entry format that depends on the country.

  • Mailing prohibited (field KCNTFBDMAG)

 

  • Default contact (field KCNTFLG)

When this box is checked, the selected contact becomes the default contact.

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Action icon

Contacts
Copy contacts

 

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Reports

By default, the following reports are associated with this function :

 BPP1 : Prospect file

 PROSPECT : Prospect list

This can be changed using a different setup.

Specific Buttons

This button is an equivalent to function Convert into customer which can be accessed using the Functions – Convert into customer menu. Refer to the chapter below

Menu Bar

Inquiries / Installed base

Inquiries / Base by address

Inquiries / Aggregated installed base

Inquiries / Quotes

Functions / Convert into Customer

This function can be accessed using the 'Functions - Change into customer' menu.

This function is used to convert a prospect into a customer in order to be able to enter a first order.

It is strongly advised to always use this process to convert a prospect into a customer. Indeed, this function controls the update of numerous pieces of information necessary to obtain a correct customer record.

A click on this menu opens the Customer object. The current prospect record is already converted into a customer record. Indeed, the 'Customer' box is automatically checked. The new customer record is opened in modification mode.

The user is then invited to enter the following mandatory information:

  • All the customers statistical groups. ('Commercial' tab).
     
  • Accounting code. ('Financial' tab)
     
  • Payment condition (‘Financial’ tab)

As long as these information are not entered, the change into customer is rejected.

Once the information entered and the customer saved, the user needs to leave the customer object which authorizes very few actions, in this context.

Back in the Prospect object, the former record cannot be accessed anymore.

Indeed, a record of this type can exist either in the Prospect object or in the Customer object, but never in both at the same time.

The new Customer record can now be used in any function of the Sales module.

Functions / Market sectors

Functions / Archived

This function can be accessed by using the 'Functions - History' menu.

This function opens a new window used to view the whole Before-sales and After-sales activity of the current Prospect.

The actions carried out are sorted from the most recent to the oldest.
The actions to be carried out are sorted from the oldest to the most recent.

All the following record types are grouped within this history:

  • Tasks
  • Calls
  • Appointment
  • Projects
  • Mass-mailing
  • Service requests
  • After-sales interventions

A contextual menu Detail is available on each line in the grid. This is used to access the complete record for each action displayed in the history.

Plan/Actions/Appointment

This function is used to directly access the appointments object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the appointments carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the button the appointment will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Plan / Actions / Call

This function is used to directly access the calls object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the calls carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the button, the call will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Plan / Actions / Task

This function is used to directly access the tasks object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the tasks carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the 'New' button, the task will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Save / Actions / Appointment

This function is used to directly access the appointments object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the appointments carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the button the appointment will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Save / Actions / Call

This function is used to directly access the calls object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the calls carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the button, the call will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Save / Actions / Task

This function is used to directly access the tasks object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the tasks carried out and remaining to be carried out for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the 'New' button, the task will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Save / Actions / Project

This function is used to directly access the projects object. The access via this function is used to obtain in the left list only the projects processed for the current prospect.

If the user clicks on the button   , the project will be pre-loaded with the prospect code.

Save / Actions / Service Request

Error messages

In addition to the generic error messages, the following messages can appear during the entry :

Incorrect value

This message appears if the user tries to enter field 'Sales rep 2' whereas field 'Sales rep 1' has not been entered.

Tables used

SEEREFERTTO Refer to documentation Implementation