Contact

The synchronization of an Outlook contact induces the recording of a new Outlook contact record in the database.

The header is used to identify the Outlook contact in Sage X3:

• by assigning it a sequence number. It is a unique key, that can be incremented automatically from the COR sequence number counter or manually entered if the manual assignment of the COR sequence counter number is authorized. Note: on creation of an Outlook correspondent by synchronization, the assignment of the COR sequence number counter must be automatic (otherwise, generation of an error on the sequence number counter). The sequence number counter can be assigned automatically only within the framework of the direct creation of an Outlook contact in the GESCOR function.
• By recalling the full name (title, first name, last name) taken directly from its mirror contact record created in Outlook.
• By assigning it a contact sequence number, if need be. It can be a manual association. When a Sage X3 user has identified the Outlook contact as a Sage X3 contact, they are provided with several possibilities from the tunnels accessible from the "Code" field. They can first select a contact that already exists in the database. A selection window opens and lists all the already referenced contacts. In this way, the user can directly access the Contact management function and create a new recording in the contact table. Finally the user can carry out a search of contacts from the identification menu. In the latter case, the system uses the Outlook contact's family name and first name to look for all the homonyms in the contact database.
• By automatically assigning it a type: contact or representative. This information can neither be entered nor modified. The concrete cases are: an Outlook contact is generated from the synchronization of an Outlook contact, in that case its type will always be "contact". Another possibility is for the Outlook contact to be created manually in Sage X3. This means that it also has the "contact" type. Finally, an appointment in Sage X3 can be associated with one or several intervening parties (sales representatives referenced in the database) that still has/have no associated "Outlook contact" record(s). If the sales representative associated with the connected user is the main organizer of the X3 appointment, upon synchronization of the appointment, the Outlook contact records of the other intervening parties will be generated with type "Sales Rep". This means that, in parallel, the X3 participants will share the appointment and the Outlook calendar will be loaded accordingly with a new event (if they are authorized to use the Outlook synchronization). If the sales representative associated with the connected user is only an intervening party of the X3 appointment, upon synchronization of the appointment, the Outlook contact records of the other intervening parties will not be generated.

The Information tab enables the user to personally manage their own comments on an Outlook contact in Sage X3.

In effect, it is an image-file type field where the user can freely enter additional information on their Outlook contact. This information is then stored in Sage X3.

Practical cases::

A contact with a comment is created in Outlook and then synchronized with Sage X3. A recording is then created in the Outlook contact table in Sage X3. The Outlook comment has been duly stored in Sage X3 as an image file (clob). Using this current recording, the user can modify the text or add successive comments that will be transferred to Outlook with each synchronization. This is also the case for Outlook: every comment modification is copied during a synchronization process. This applies provided that the user's synchronization parameters authorize it.

As for Sage X3, the comments of the various sales representatives the contact has been assigned to, are successively added to that same image-file type field, which means that they are shared. A tag is used to follow which sales rep has added comments.

Professional information (address, e-mail, office telephone number, company etc.) of an Outlook contact synchronized with Sage X3 is stored in the Outlook contact record, Professional tab

Specific case of the BP code

• Creation of an Outlook contact with a known company code (already recorded in the BPARTNER - BP table).

As a reminder, an Outlook contact related to a BP implies the sharing of the common information (BP description etc.).

The company code is already referenced in the X3 BP database. In that case, the user at the origin of the creation of the Outlook contact can save the company code with the following syntaxes: #COMPANYCODE# or directly COMPANYCODE. This action causes the update of the BP code in the mirror Outlook contact record once the synchronization has been started. In this way, when a BP/company is known both in Outlook and X3, the #COMPANYCODE# or COMPANYCODE company of the Outlook contact becomes the COMPANYCODE BP of the X3 Outlook contact.

Example:

Let us consider the DIS00 Business Partner existing in the X3 database.
Creation of an Outlook contact Mr John SMITH, attached to company #DIS001# or DIS001.
Starting of the contact synchronization, then automatic generation of the mirror Outlook contact.
In the Professional tab, the BP code is updated accordingly with the value DIS001.

• Creation of an Outlook contact with a company code not identified in the X3 reference base (no recording in the BPARTNER - BP table).

An Outlook contact is created with an unidentified company XYZ (XYZ does not exist in the reference base of the X3 BPs). Once the Outlook contact has been created via synchronization, the BP code (BPRNUM) in the Professional tab is not loaded with the XYZ code since the latter does not exist in the database yet. On the other hand, the BPRLIB (description) field which is in free entry assumes the value of the company code in Outlook, in other words XYZ.

The user can then manually create this XYZ BP in the database, then manually modify the Outlook contact record by adding the XYZ code in the BP field. At the time of the next synchronization, the Outlook contact will be updated accordingly and the attached company code will have the following syntax:  #XYZ#.

Example:

Creation of an Outlook contact, Mr John SMITH, attached to company XYZ not referenced in the X3 BP table. The syntax of the company code on the Outlook contact is XYZ.
Starting of the contact synchronization, then automatic generation of the mirror Outlook contact.
In the "Professional" tab, the BP code is empty, but its description takes the value XYZ.

• Creation of an Outlook contact without any company being entered.

At the time of the synchronization of the Outlook contact without any company code, the BP code of the Outlook contact record will be empty (BPRNUM field). The user can then chose a BP code that already exists in the BPARTNER table (BP table), for instance DIS001. During a new synchronization, the original Outlook contact will be updated with a #DIS001# Company code.

• Manual creation of an Outlook contact directly from the GESCOR function.

The user can associate a BP code from BPARTNER, for instance DIS002, to this Outlook contact Upon synchronization, an Outlook contact is then created in parallel, with a #DIS002# Company code.

If the user does not associate any BP code from BPARTNER (BPRNUM field) to it, but only a description (free BPRLIB field), for instance ZZ. Upon synchronization, an Outlook contact will then be created in parallel, with a ZZ Company code.

• Automatic generation of an Outlook contact of type Sales Rep.

As a reminder, an Outlook contact of Sales Rep type is always generated automatically during the synchronization of an X3 appointment for which one of the intervening parties is a sales rep that has no Outlook contact record yet. The current user (the user in charge of the synchronization) must also be the main organizer of the X3 appointment for which this sales rep is entered as a "secondary" intervening party.

The BPRNUM BP code then takes the sales rep code (an X3 sales rep being recorded as a BP in the BPARTNER table) and the professional information is loaded from the reference Sales Rep record. Upon synchronization, a mirror Outlook contact is created but the notion of sales rep is not managed there.

It should be noted that if a sales rep is modified in Outlook, these modifications will not be taken into account during the next synchronization. To take account of the modifications of data related to a sales rep, these modifications need to be manually added to Sage X3, then a new synchronization needs to be launched. Then they will be updated in Outlook.

General:

Generally speaking, any modification of the professional information of an Outlook contact will be transferred to the mirror Sage X3 Outlook contact during a synchronization, provided that the user's synchronization parameters allow it. And conversely.

In the same way, the date of the last modification (in Outlook or in Sage X3) is used as the reference to update a record.

The deletion of a Sage X3 Outlook contact implies the deletion of an Outlook contact at the time of the next synchronization. The deletion of an Outlook contact only implies the deletion of the link with the sales rep code (Assignment tab) and not the deletion of the mirror Sage X3 Outlook contact. The user can manually carry out this deletion later on.

The personal information relating to an Outlook contact who has been synchronized with Sage X3 are stored in the "Personal" tab of the mirror Outlook contact record. It can concern a private address or a telephone number.

It should be noted that if an Outlook contact is associated with a contact record, then any modification of this record in this function (for instance, addition of a date of birth in the corresponding Outlook contact) leads to a modification in parallel in Contacts (refreshing of the "Date of birth" field in the contact record). In the same way, any modification of the contact related to an Outlook contact also implies the modification of said Outlook contact. These two levels are updated automatically.

General:

Generally speaking, any modification of the personal information of an Outlook contact will be transferred to the mirror Sage X3 Outlook contact during a synchronization, provided that the user's synchronization parameters allow it. And conversely.

In the same way, the date of the last modification (in Outlook or in Sage X3) is used as the reference to update a record.

Professional information (address, e-mail, office telephone number, company etc.) of an Outlook contact synchronized with Sage X3 is stored in the Outlook contact record, "Professional" tab.

The deletion of an X3 Outlook contact implies the deletion of an Outlook contact at the time of the next synchronization. The deletion of an Outlook contact only implies the deletion of the link with the sales rep code (Assignment tab) and not the deletion of the mirror X3 Outlook contact. The user can manually carry out this deletion later on.

Specific case of the BP code

• Creation of an Outlook contact with a known company code (already recorded in the BPARTNER - BP table).

As a reminder, an Outlook contact related to a BP implies the sharing of the common information (BP description etc.).

The company code is already referenced in the Sage X3 BP database. In that case, the user at the origin of the creation of the Outlook contact can save the company code with the following syntaxes: #COMPANYCODE# or directly COMPANYCODE. This action causes the update of the BP code in the mirror Outlook contact record once the synchronization has been started. In this way, when a BP/company is known both in Outlook and Sage X3, the #COMPANYCODE# or COMPANYCODE company of the Outlook contact becomes the COMPANYCODE BP of the Sage X3 Outlook contact.

Example:

Let us consider the DIS00 Business Partner existing in the X3 database.
Creation of an Outlook contact Mr John SMITH, attached to company #DIS001# or DIS001.
Starting of the contact synchronization, then automatic generation of the mirror Outlook contact.
In the Professional tab, the BP code is updated accordingly with the value DIS001.

• Creation of an Outlook contact with a company code not identified in the Sage X3 reference base (no recording in the BPARTNER - BP table).

An Outlook contact is created with an unidentified company XYZ (XYZ does not exist in the reference base of the X3 BPs). Once the Outlook contact has been created via synchronization, the BP code (BPRNUM) in the "Professional" tab is not loaded with the XYZ code since the latter does not exist in the database yet. On the other hand, the BPRLIB (description) field which is in free entry assumes the value of the company code in Outlook, in other words XYZ.

The user can then manually create this XYZ BP in the database, then manually modify the Outlook contact record by adding the XYZ code in the BP field. At the time of the next synchronization, the Outlook contact will be updated accordingly and the attached company code will have the following syntax:  #XYZ#.

Example:

Creation of an Outlook contact, Mr John SMITH, attached to company XYZ not referenced in the X3 BP table. The syntax of the company code on the Outlook contact is XYZ.
Starting of the contact synchronization, then automatic generation of the mirror Outlook contact.
In the "Professional" tab, the BP code is empty, but its description takes the value XYZ.

• Creation of an Outlook contact without any company being entered.

At the time of the synchronization of the Outlook contact without any company code, the BP code of the Outlook contact record will be empty (BPRNUM field). The user can then chose a BP code that already exists in the BPARTNER table (BP table), for instance DIS001. During a new synchronization, the original Outlook contact will be updated with a #DIS001# Company code.

• Manual creation of an Outlook contact directly from the GESCOR function.

The user can associate a BP code from BPARTNER, for instance DIS002, to this Outlook contact Upon synchronization, an Outlook contact is then created in parallel, with a #DIS002# Company code.

If the user does not associate any BP code from BPARTNER (BPRNUM field) to it, but only a description (free BPRLIB field), for instance ZZ. Upon synchronization, an Outlook contact will then be created in parallel, with a ZZ Company code.

• Automatic generation of an Outlook contact of type Sales Rep.

As a reminder, an Outlook contact of Sales Rep type is always generated automatically during the synchronization of an X3 appointment for which one of the intervening parties is a sales rep that has no Outlook contact record yet. The current user (the user in charge of the synchronization) must also be the main organizer of the X3 appointment for which this sales rep is entered as a "secondary" intervening party.

The BPRNUM BP code then takes the sales rep code (a Sage X3 sales rep being recorded as a BP in the BPARTNER table) and the professional information is loaded from the reference Sales Rep record. Upon synchronization, a mirror Outlook contact is created but the notion of sales rep is not managed there.

It should be noted that if a sales rep is modified in Outlook, these modifications will not be taken into account during the next synchronization. To take account of the modifications of data related to a sales rep, these modifications need to be manually added to X3, then a new synchronization needs to be launched. Then they will be updated in Outlook.

This tab presents the list of the sales rep(s) in charge of the Outlook contact.

Once an Outlook contact has been created, then synchronized with Sage X3, a mirror recording in the X3 Outlook contact table is generated in parallel if the synchronization parameters of the current user authorize it.

By default, the sales rep loaded into the assignment list corresponds to the X3 sales rep code associated with the current user in the AUSCRMF -Representative user parameter (CRM chapter, COL group).

Other sales reps in the database can nevertheless be added a posteriori. This causes the same Outlook contact to be shared.

For instance, an Outlook contact is managed by the REP01 sales rep. When adding the REP02 sales rep to the assignment list, this causes the Outlook contact to be shared if the synchronization parameters of both users allow it. If this is the case, the synchronization of the Outlook contact means that this Outlook contact will be generated in the contact list of the second user (related to the REP02 sales rep).

 Regarding the deletion of an Outlook contact, at the level of the mirror Outlook contact record, the link with the sales rep is deleted in all cases, even if the contact has been generated previously from the Outlook contact.