How to Setup a Contacts Followups-To-Go Report
by Paul Wagner, The Software Magician

In these busy times, it's sometimes very difficult to followup with prospects and clients. Here is a way that can definitely help you use your time more effectively. Make your calls while you are travelling...say from Santa Barbara to Los Angeles. Here we will create a custom view to show only your open followups and then print it and take it with you.

The problem with standard views is that they mostly contain too much information to print neatly on one page and don't have the right information. Wouldn't it be great if you could just create a view of your followups in the order priority...and then just print it out with you while you're on the road. (Careful with that cell phone out there, I definitely recomend a headest)...and this is NOT intended for rush-hour traffic--Pay attention out there!

For this exercise, start by clicking the Outlook's Contacts from the Navigation Pane.

Ensure you have the Advanced Toolbar on. Right click in the toolbar area and turn on the Advanced toolbar.

Create the Followups-To-Go View

• Click on the Drop-down Current View text box and click on Define Views… (at the bottom of the list)
• Click on Phone List View Name and click Copy… command button.
• Name this Followups To-Go and click OK
• You will now see the Customize view: Followup To-Go wizard
  • Click on Fields… Remove all fields on the right and then add the following:
    • Icon
    • Full Name
    • Business Phone
    • Mobile Phone
    • Followup Flag
    • Reminder Time (click on the Frequently-used fields drop-down box and choose Miscellaneous fields then Reminder Time
    • Click OK
  • Click on Sort…
    • You will have to select Miscellaneous fields set in the lower left-hand corner again.
    • In the first Sort items by drop-down box, select Reminder Time and check Descending.
    • Click OK. This will give you those persons you need to call first
  • Click on Filter
    • Click on the Advanced tab
  • Click on the Field command button and select Frequently Used Fields, Follow up Flag
  • Click on the Condition drop-down box and select is not empty.
  • Click Add to List. This will then filter only those contacts who have a Follow up Flag.
  • Click OK
  • Click OK to close the Customize View
  • Click OK and then Apply View. You now see the completed View

Notice that you can spread the headings by dragging them horizontally or even double-clicking on the separator bar between them.

Notice too that if you don't like the Reminders on the right side and want to move the column to the left, you can do that by simply dragging the heading Reminder Time to another heading position. Way cool huh.

Finally, you will see that this View is now permanent.

Print your Followups-To-Go report.

Click on the Printer icon in the Standard toolbar and simply click OK or Preview.

If you are exceeding the page width you can simply adjust the heading widths until they fit on your paper.

Now you can print your view anytime you want. And it will ALWAYS be current...Don't forget to keep your followup flags going.

2006 Paul Wagner

About the Author

Paul Wagner is President of The Software Magician, a Training/Consulting firm specializing in assisting Entrepreneurs and small businesses in the contact management needs, especially Outlook.

To learn more about Outlook and Outlook Classes and Teleseminars, visit The Software Magician at www.softwaremagician.com

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