Welcome to the June 2007 issue of GoldMine FYI, the monthly newsletter created especially for GoldMine users. In this issue, you’ll find information to help you use GoldMine more effectively, details about tools to extend GoldMine software's functionality, stories about how others are using GoldMine, and announcements.

For your convenience, GoldMine FYI is organized according to topic areas. Just click on a headline to be taken to that section.

By Bob Ritter, www.1stdirect.com

Since day one, GoldMine has been a comprehensive tool for tracking activities (Calls, Appointments, Actions, Email, etc.). But the new GoldMine Premium Edition goes a step further, providing case management capabilities that let users more easily log and track technical support issues, customer service requests, and other types of matters. 

Case management integrated with GoldMine Premium Edition gives IT departments, customer service departments, administrators, and others a better way of tracking and following their issues through to resolution.

The Service Center tab provides a consolidated view of all “cases.” Within that tab, users can filter by various elements, such as open cases, case manager, etc., and then drill down into more details on any specific case.

GoldMine tracks cases against contact records or other “GoldMine Record Types.” With case management, users can categorize cases, track their origin, relate cases to a product, prioritize them, indicate a “due date,” and assign a person to manage each case. 

The “Alerts” feature makes it easy to identify open issues in the Service Center that are past due – ensuring that all issues are addressed in a timely manner. From there, issues can be escalated or reassigned as needed. Statistics on open, closed, and past due cases provide a vital big picture and focus for both support staff and supervisors. 

In creating the case management capabilities, FrontRange Solutions leveraged GoldMine’s knowledge base (a.k.a. the InfoCenter) to handle support issues. That gives GoldMine users access to documentation that helps them close cases more rapidly – with less training. Users can research a topic, incorporate findings into a resolution, and e-mail them to the customer/client.

Since issues are tracked inside GoldMine in the new “Cases” tab of the corresponding GoldMine record, everyone involved with a contact will know about any open cases. That means sales reps always know about any outstanding issues with their customers. 

With new case management tools in Premium Edition, organizations are empowered to provide better service to their customers, thereby improving customer loyalty and helping them manage their resources more effectively. 

Case Management is just one of the powerful new capabilities in GoldMine Premium Edition. To learn more, contact your GoldMine Solutions Partner or First Direct Corp. at 800-935-4386. Or, e-mail Bob Ritter at britter@1stdirect.com for a personal demonstration.

First Direct Corp. was recently awarded GoldMine Partner of the Year for 2007. First Direct is also a previous Partner of the Year and six-time “Top Partner.” Learn more at www.1stdirect.com.

Understanding PDAs & Goldmine Compatibility

When using GoldMine on a PDA, it helps to understand compatibility.

The following earlier TREO models interface with GoldMine without HotSync: 90, 180, 270 and 300.

Compatible with Goldmine 6.7 and 7.0, with HotSync
The following models will sync correctly if using HotSync v4.1.0. Both of these products are shipped with HotSync v4.1.0, which is supported.

• TREO 600 CDMS models with OS 5.2H or 5.2.1H (there is no upgrade to other OS versions)
• TREO 600 GSM/GPRS models with OS 5.2.1H (there is no upgrade to other OS versions)

If users update the HotSync software to the current product version of 6.x, these units will not sync calendar data correctly. As a result, the GoldMine conduit may be disabled in the HotSync Manager. It is not possible to upgrade a TREO 600 to use the TREO 650 OS.

Both of the models below may sync correctly if using HotSync v4.1.0, however that is not what comes in the box. The early models of TREO 650 are shipped with HotSync 4.1.4c, which if installed, will disable the GoldMine Palm conduit. The later models TREO 650 are shipped with HotSync 6.0, which will not sync calendar data correctly, providing the conduit does not get disabled by the HotSync Manager. It is not possible to downgrade a TREO 650 to use the TREO 600 OS.

• TREO 650 CDMS models will have OS 5.4.5 (there is no upgrade to other OS versions)
• TREO 650 GSM/GPRS models will have OS 5.4.5 (there is no upgrade to other OS versions)

Models not using Palm OS
The following models do not use a Palm OS, but rather use the Windows Mobile 5 product. This operating system is a new version of Windows CE, and uses the Windows ActiveSync 4.1.  ActiveSync 3.5 is the last version that worked with GoldMine, which was shipped with Windows CE 2002.

TREO 670 models will have Windows Mobile 5 (there is no upgrade or downgrade to other OS versions)
TREO 700x models will have Windows Mobile 5 (there is no upgrade or downgrade to other OS versions)

The only supported versions for HotSync:

• 3.5 for PDAs using Palm OS 3.x
• 4.1.0 for PDAs using Palm OS 4.x and 5.x

The following chart shows GoldMine and PDA compatibility.

Key:
C – Has been fully QA tested and is Compatible (supported)
I – Has been fully QA tested and can be Integrated (supported)
W – Has not been fully QA tested for compatibility/integration, but does Work (supported)
N – Has been QA tested for compatibility and/or integration, but is Not supported due to test results
NT – Has Not been QA Tested; is not currently supported due to lack of testing
- Not Applicable/Not Available (Not supported)

Live Events

GoldMine - The Next Generation of CRM

Join us to see the next generation of CRM – GoldMine Enterprise Edition 6.0 and GoldMine Premium Edition – in a city near you! Connect with existing GoldMine users, as well as prospective users considering GoldMine, for insight into how the new GoldMine is revolutionizing sales and marketing automation challenges.

Find a location near you.

Destination CRM 2007 – New York City, August 21-22

Organized by CRM magazine, destinationCRM is quickly gaining recognition as both a valuable networking opportunity for top CRM executives and an excellent learning experience for top-level professionals involved in CRM purchasing decisions. Leading decision makers and managers will gather to learn how to optimally apply sales, marketing, and customer service tools and techniques by utilizing the right mix of people, processes, and technologies.

August 21, 2007 - August 22, 2007

$100 Conference Discount for FrontRange Customers!

FrontRange Solutions offers its customers an additional $100 off of Platinum and Full-Conference Passes, which get customers into all sessions and keynotes, as well as the CRM Showcase. Plus, FrontRange is extending a free expo pass to customers from now until the show. Act fast – passes rise to $50 each after July 20!

Sign up: https://secure.infotoday.com/dcrm/Register.asp?i=FRS22

Customer Strategy & Management 2007 – Birmingham NEC, United Kingdom, Sept. 26-27

Customer Strategy & Management, held September 26-27, 2007, in Birmingham, UK, is an exhibition and conference focused on the entire customer lifecycle, encompassing customer service, sales, marketing, and senior corporate management. Customer 2007 showcases the full range of products and services required to maximize the relationship with your customers, whether in-house or outsourced, from accurate and insightful customer profiling through to timely and efficient order tracking and fulfillment.

Learn more about the event at: www.customer-event.co.uk. Visit FrontRange at Stand C65.

GoldMine User Groups

Learn tips and tricks from fellow GoldMine users. If you are interested in hosting a GoldMine User Group at your facility, please contact Christina Johnson at 925-404-1364 or christina.johnson@frontrange.com.

As spring turns to summer, many of us are working on our lawns and landscaping. Nurseries and gardeners worldwide rely on Growth Products’ fertilizers and organic micronutrients to help keep lawns green and gardens thriving. Growth Products has consistently turned to GoldMine as its number one strategy for staying organized, managing prospect and customer communication efficiently, and customizing marketing campaigns. With GoldMine, Growth Products has grown quickly, increasing revenues, while its distributor network has doubled and export business tripled in the past seven years.

Read the complete case study.  

FrontRange welcomes new GoldMine or IPCC success stories – share yours today! For details about the quick and easy process, e-mail us at suggestion@frontrange.com.

FrontRange Support Services will be closed in observance of the Fourth of July holiday on Wednesday, July 4. During this time, you can log an incident for a support request at http://support.frontrange.com or send an e-mail to customer.support@frontrange.com. We will answer these requests the following business day in the order in which they were received. If you are experiencing a down system during this time, please utilize the after-hours paging system at (800) 755-2100. Normal business hours will resume Thursday, July 5. Thank you for your understanding. We wish you a safe and fun holiday!

What would YOU like to see in future issues of GoldMine FYI? We'd love your feedback. Please take a moment to drop us a line at suggestion@frontrange.com. Each issue, we will select the most frequently-requested topics and provide step-by-step answers to your questions.