Working With Clients
To enter a new client, click File > New Client (or Ctrl+N) from any hub. This launches the Client Wizard, which will take you step-by-step through entering a new client into your database.
Type the client's last name, press Tab, and then type their first name. The software will automatically capitalize the first letter of each name and format the phone number for you. Simply type "5551212" and press Tab.
Enter the zip code information and press Tab. Spectra will enter the city and state automatically. If not, you can add the city manually in Maintenance > General > Zip Codes.
The more client information you fill in, such as birthday, anniversary, etc., the more data is available for marketing and client analysis. Don't forget to ask your new clients where they heard about you so you can complete the Lead Source section.
Call Warning - Use this feature to keep your staff aware of important client information.
Have you ever wished you or another employee knew a key piece of information about five minutes earlier than they did? Spectra's Call Warning feature is a great way to be informed of key information as soon as a client record is opened. Any time Spectra displays a client's name and phone number, it will also display the call warning in bright red letters. Here are some sample call warnings: "Works nights, call after 5:00 PM!" or "Don't talk to husband - SURPRISE!" or "Great client! Take good care of them!" or even "Difficult client, don't schedule!"
Continue entering client information through the remaining pages of the Client Wizard. Click Finish to save the client.
Do you have a list of clients in another program, such as Microsoft Excel, Quickbooks, or even another client management program? Spectra can import a client list from an Excel spreadsheet or text file (CSV).
You may find that you've received a list of clients or prospects that has bad information, duplicate entries, or mislabeled columns. It may be easier to try to correct this in the list before you import it into Spectra. Remember Spectra is a database, what you put in is what you get out!
Export your client list to an Excel spreadsheet or text file (CSV) if it's not already in that format. Refer to your software's user manual for instructions.
In Spectra, open the Utilities menu and choose Import Clients.
Find the file you want to import and click Open.
On the left you'll see a spreadsheet containing the list you're importing. On the right you'll see a list of Spectra fields.
Your job on this page is to assign a Spectra field to each column of information you want to import. Note: You don't need to import every column, just the ones that contain information you want in Spectra. Just drag a field name from the right and drop it on the appropriate column. The column header will turn green when it has been "assigned." Do this for each column you want to import. When finished, click Next.
You will be given several options for dealing with duplicates. Accept the defaults and click Next.
The next page asks you to choose from a list of things that Spectra can automatically perform on this set of clients during the import process, such as assigning a client number, adding them to a client group, and so on. Accept the defaults and click Next.
On the final page, click Finish to complete the import process.
For more details about importing and exporting clients, read Importing Clients and Exporting a Client List in the Spectra Online Help, or watch the "Importing Clients" and "Exporting and Deleting Clients" training videos.
Open the Clients hub using the hub menu (or F5).
By default, the Search By option on the ribbon is set to "Last Name." You can choose one of the following options instead:
Client Number
First Name
Company Name
Email Address
Phone Number
City
Zip Code
Organization
Client Status
Client Group
Filter
Depending on the Search By option you choose, you will either type in your search criteria or select it from a drop-down list. Choose or type in your criteria and press Enter.
Just type in the first couple characters and the software will display all clients with names beginning with those characters. For example, type in "Jo" to see all clients with the name of Johnson, Jones, Jordan, etc.
Click one of the column headers and Spectra will sort the list in ascending order by that column. Click again to sort in descending order.
Select the client you want to view and double-click to open their record. You can then view, modify, or delete information as needed.
Have you noticed any red or yellow notification lights? Throughout Spectra, you may see a small red or yellow spotlight. These lights let you know when there is important information about a client that you should pay attention to. Maybe they have an outstanding invoice and owe you money, there is an overdue phone call waiting, or some notes should be looked at on the Notes tab. Allow Spectra to make sure you and your staff don‘t overlook key pieces of information when working with your clients.
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