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Communications

Record all types of communication with your customers and supplier; from telephone calls and written correspondence to face-to-face meetings. The information is stored with the customer and supplier records, in the form of a Communications tab. These communications help you to build good relations with customers and suppliers, improve cash flow and help you to keep track of your correspondence.

With communications you can

• Generate chase letters. Update the status of the account.

• Record the duration of your telephone calls.
• Add electronic files about the communication, such as letters or emails.
• View the complete communication history for a customer or supplier or filter the history by date range.
• Create an invoice for a customer while recording a communication.

To record a communication

1. Customers or supplier > select the record you want to add information to> Communications tab.

2. To create a communication > New or to make an amendment, select the communication details from the list > Edit.

3. Complete the Communication Details tab as follows:

   Communication details

   Options	Select the method of contact from one of the following: Telephone Letter/Fax/Email Meeting Note: Although chase letters can be sent by email, it's vital that you keep copies of the letters and emails sent as well as get a Read Receipt to show evidence of the email and chase letter having been received. We recommend that you send the third or final letter by recorded post to the customer's registered address.
   Subject	Enter a description for the contact, for example, chasing invoice number 123.
   Balance	The balance on the account.
   Date	The software date appears automatically. You can amend this if required.
   Our Contact	Sage accounts user name appears here.
   Contact Type	From the drop-down list, choose the required contact type.
   Style	This only appears if you select letter / fax / email. Choose the type of letter you have sent.
   Location	This only appears if you select meeting. Choose the location of the meeting.

   Contact Details

   Spoke To, To/From, Met	From the drop-down list, choose a name or enter a name.
   Telephone	If you choose a contact name in the Spoke To box, the telephone number appears. Otherwise, enter a contact telephone number.
   Address, Street 1 etc	If you choose a contact name in the Spoke To box, the registered address appears. You can amend this if required.

   Telephone Timer

   This only appears if you select telephone.

   Start - Stop	To record the duration of the telephone call, when the call begins> Start. Note: If you create an invoice for this contact, chargeable time calculates from this Telephone Timer.
   Duration	Shows the length of the call in hours, minutes and seconds.

   Communication Results

   Outcome	Use the drop-down list to choose an outcome. Note: If you set the Outcome to Send Reminder Letter, Send Warning Letter or Send Legal Letter, the account status changes to the default for that letter type.
   Promised Account	If a customer agrees to make a payment, or you agree to send a payment to a supplier, from the Outcome drop-down list, choose Payment Promised. Enter the amount of the promised payment in the Promised Amount box, and the date that it was due.
   Follow up	Specify a follow up date and time. When you set a follow up date and time, it creates a reminder event in your Diary module.
   New Account Status	Choose the required account status.
   Credit Position	Choose one of the following: Good Reminder Warning Legal
   Notes	Enter any additional information.

To create an invoice

• Enter the required communication details > Invoice > Complete as follows:

  Details to invoice

  Details

  Enter the required details.

  Totals

  Hours / Minutes / Seconds	Enter the number of hours, minutes and seconds you may also want to charge for.
  Hourly rate	Enter the hourly rate you want to charge.

  Posting

  Tax Code	From the drop-down list choose the tax code.
  Code	Choose the nominal code you want to apply.
  Ref	Enter a reference.
  Date	The software date appears automatically. You can change this if required.
  Dept	The default department for the customer appears automatically. You can change this if required.
  EC VAT Desc.	If you use an EC tax code, choose from one of the following options: Zero rated EC supply This supply is exempt from VAT This supply is an intra-community supply