John Kirkwood reviews Microsoft’s Outlook 2000, a communication and task management system which can be adapted to estate agency needs
Contact management – an essential feature of agency business – is ideally suited to computerisation. But agents cannot always get the systems they want, either because of cost or lack of specific functionality – the “where do I record the tenant’s inside leg measurement?” issue.
A contact manager is a specialised database that allows users to keep a record of their communications. There are a number of very good specialist agency systems available, covering both residential and commercial/industrial agency, but often users want a solution that is more cost effective, and which can also be tailored to meet individual requirements.
Can these apparently irreconcilable aims be achieved using the Microsoft contacting system Outlook 2000? This product combines the e-mail functions of Outlook Express with the diary and contact database features of Schedule Plus.
Microsoft states: “Outlook is a messaging and personal information management program that helps you manage your messages, appointments, contacts and tasks.”
This definition matches the core requirements of estate agency but additional features are needed to cater specifically for property. This includes the opportunity to record property details (for example, areas and lease term dates) and the ability to attach photographs and maps to records. Outlook 2000 provides the tools to accomplish these tasks.
The system’s features help users communicate and collaborate more effectively. But the greatest advantage of the system is its programmability. That is, the package carries Visual Basic for Application 6.0 (VBA), enabling rapid and cost-effective customisation of the program to suit individual needs.
The basic functionality of Outlook 2000 consists of a messaging system for e-mail communication, a calendar to record appointments, a contacts database – or several separate databases, a task scheduler and a note recorder (the electronic equivalent of Post-it notes).
Contacts management
Even in its raw state, there are enough functions in this package to suit 80% of the contact management needs of most agents. The remaining functionality can be met by a combination of imaginative use, minor tweaking of data input forms and more substantial programming, using VBA. Just how far this customisation is taken depends, of course, on need and budget.
The Outlook 2000 contacts database provides a combined address book and e-mail directory, plus associated information, for the people and businesses agents wish to communicate with.
In its basic form it provides a structure within which a wealth of information may be stored. This includes names, street addresses, e-mail addresses, multiple phone numbers, and any other information that relates to a contact, such as birthdays or anniversary dates.
It is possible to link other Outlook items or MS Office documents (for example, a Word file) to a contact, to help track any associated activities. Also, contacts may be linked to other contacts, simply by picking from a list.
Contacts may be categorised using standard or user-defined categories. These are simple to set up and may then be used as a way of filtering information. For example, I have created the categories “relative” and “friend”. As sometimes these are not mutually exclusive, they may both be applied to the same contact.
Users can file contact information under a last name, first name, company name, nickname, or any word that helps locate a contact quickly.
A notes section is provided for each contact, into which it is possible to paste both text and images. For example, digital photographs of a property may be held within the notes section.
One feature of particular interest to agents is the ability to display a location map for any street address held on the contacts database. When a contact is shown on screen, and the user is connected to the Internet, selecting the “Display Map of Address” icon causes the system to search for the relevant map.
The system uses Expedia Maps ( www.expediamaps.com), which is one of a growing range of organisations that provide free maps on the Web.
Making the most of e-mail
E-mail is rapidly becoming a standard method of communication in the property sector, and Outlook 2000 offers a number of features for handling electronic messages.
Incoming e-mails are stored in the Inbox. This lists messages under column headings such as “from”, “subject”, “date received” and “attachments”.
This information may be organised and displayed to suit a user’s requirements. For example, rules can be set up to transfer messages to other folders automatically. Alternatively, you could just display messages from the last seven days or organise messages grouped by sender. There is an enormous amount of flexibility.
The facilities for sending messages also provide a wide range of options. Groups of recipients may be created to perform e-mail merges. And, because e-mail addresses are held in the contacts database, there is no duplication of information as there was using earlier packages.
Finally, the notes function provides a simple method of creating electronic notes, displayed on the screen as little yellow “stickers”. You can leave notes open on the screen while you work, and when you change a note the changes are saved automatically.
Taken together, these features provide a powerful general-purpose contact management system. But the full potential for property applications only becomes apparent using the system’s versatile programming features. With these it is possible to create a tailor-made estate agency system, for any type of property.
Users can customise built-in Outlook modules to suit their individual requirements. Public folders can be created where information can be shared with colleagues, and it is possible to provide custom views, which display information in the most appropriate form. Also, new fields may be added to existing ones to permit the storage of property-related information.
Forms are the typical device used in Windows applications to collect, modify and display information. A simple form would be one used to send an e-mail, containing fields for recipient, topic and the message itself.
Outlook provides powerful features that enable forms to be created and modified, so that users can record exact information. A standard contact form could be adapted, for instance, to hold property information such as tenure type or planning status.
Outlook’s VBA provides an integrated, high-end design environment that can be used to develop specific property-related applications, such as a commercial agency system. Using VBA it is possible to create procedures that control elements like folders, forms, actions and events and in so doing provide a user-friendly information system for the property professional.
Although customising general purpose systems is now far easier – using visual programming methods – users should ensure that their needs cannot be met by a specialist system. It is easy to underestimate the costs of property system development.
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Electronic calendar Never miss a meeting again The calendar section of the Outlook 2000 package provides a range of functions to enable users to plan, record and display appointments. Calendar information can be displayed in a variety of formats, including by day, working week, full week and month. Reminders can be set for appointments, and time is classified as “busy”, “free”, “tentative” and “out of office”. Some agents may regret the omission of an “on golf course” category. The calendar may be used as a private facility or it may be shared, so that users may update each other’s appointments. It is possible to create and send meeting requests and reserve resources for meetings. Appointments may be entered on a recurring basis, daily, weekly, monthly or yearly. For instance, a regular weekly meeting over a 10-week period can be set up in a few seconds, or alternatively an annual event such as a wedding anniversary – this package could well save your life! Outlook 2000 distinguishes between appointments (which do not involve other people or resources), meetings (which do) and events. The latter involve activities that last 24 hours or longer, do not occupy blocks of time in the calendar but are represented as banners at the top of specified dates. I recorded the GIS exhibition in my calendar as a three-day event, which was then displayed as a banner across that period. I also cut and pasted a section of the CD-ROM A-Z of London into the event, showing the area around Olympia. I then printed all this information onto an A4 sheet to take with me on the day. Alternatively, I could have downloaded it onto a laptop, but there are many times when paper is better. Outlook 2000 provides features for recording and organising tasks. A task is defined as “a personal or work-related errand you want to track through to completion”. It may occur once or be repeated regularly. Outstanding tasks are displayed within the Personal Folder when Outlook 2000 opens and also alongside calendar information. A wide variety of information may be recorded against tasks, including start and end dates, status, percentage completed and priority. Tasks may also be linked to contacts and assigned categories from the master category list. |
