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Correspondence Register

Overview

The purpose of this tool is to make it quick and easy to document any client correspondence which can be referred back to at any point. It will act as a quick reference guide that can be accessed by the staff members in your practice who are in charge of completing the client work so that they can stay up to date with discussions that you’ve had with the client throughout the year.

 

New User Interface

Jump straight to the applicable section:

 

Variables & Input Fields

Corro_Reg_New_UI__-_Variables_and_Inputs.png

Variable Name Description
1
 Message Type This is a fixed list of correspondence types had with the client:

Corro_Reg_New_UI__-_Variables_and_Inputs__2.png

Variable Name Description
1
 Message Type This is chosen when adding the correspondence item to the list fixed list which is done in the previous step.
7
 Date & Time Here you record the date and time of the interaction with the client. You can select an alternative date to the current date that it'll default to, then select the time button to update the time also. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
2
 From This field is where you enter the name of the person the messages pertains to. It can either be a contact within your client and affiliates list, or it can be any name you like at all if they don’t exist within your list – Eg. Bank manager for a client.

If you select the Help_-_General_-_IconPlus.png icon, you can elect to add a contact on the fly, rather than setting up a contact within the People area.
3
 With regards to This field represents the client entity this registry entry is to be saved against. Start typing to filter for applicable clients within your client list. If you leave the field blank, the message will be defined as an [INTERNAL] message not attributed to any specific client.
4
 For Here you select a member of your team to attribute the message and potential action to – such as to return a phone call
5
 Action Required Identifies if any actions are required (dependent on correspondence type):
  • The client will be calling back
  • A requirement to call back
  • None - no action required
6
 On This is the phone number that the client should be called back on. This will auto-populate with a short list of numbers for all related entities within the group.
8
 Summary This is where you can summarise what a phone message or phone call summary is in relation to. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
9
 Detailed Notes

This is a free text area where you can document further detail relating to the contact, such as a message left by the client, a file note for referring back to later or a phone message for another team member to view before returning a call. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.

Note that you can insert "Text Templates" from your template list utilising the mceclip0.png icon. A text template can be as simple as a paragraph, to a full meeting agenda.
10
 Notifications - 'For' team member

From here you select the way you want the selected team member to be notified. There are 4 ways to notify a team member:

  • In-app
  • Email
  • Slack
  • Teams
11
 Notifications - shared to team member(s)

This is where you select member(s) of your team to be notified (by the various integrations) generated by the correspondence register (if you want them to be aware of the correspondence) This is the same for each Correspondence Type.

You can notify the team in the same way as step 10.
12
 Shared toolbar

Linking Documents to an attached DMS

  • By clicking "link or upload documents" you can link any documents you have in your document management system folders or upload them. Alternatively, you can drag and drop in this area to upload documents. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
  • See here for more details
 
 Saving Options & Auto-Save

The saving options can change, depending on the context

When first creating a correspondence register entry:

correspondence_register_-_New_UI_saving_options_2.png

  • Save will finalise the correspondence register immediately and email out to the applicable team members.
  • Cancel will close off the entry without saving anything.

Upon saving a draft, beyond commencing regular automatic saving, your options change.

correspondence_register_-_New_UI_saving_options_1.png

  • Finalise - takes the record from Draft to final, emailing out to any team members as required.
  • Close - This will simply close the record leaving it in its draft state.
i
 For Auto-save to work, you must first head to your practice settings and turn on the option. If you're a practice administrator, click here to go the right place to update this setting.

 

 

Legacy User Interface

Jump straight to the applicable section:

Variables & Input Fields

Help_-_Tools_-_Administration_-_Correspondence_Register.png

Variable Name Description
1
 Message Type This is a fixed list of correspondence types had with the client:
2
 From This field is where you enter the name of the person the messages pertains to. It can either be a contact within your client and affiliates list, or it can be any name you like at all if they don’t exist within your list – Eg. Bank manager for a client.

If you select the Help_-_General_-_IconPlus.png icon, you can elect to add a contact on the fly, rather than setting up a contact within the People area.
3
 With regards to This field represents the client entity this registry entry is to be saved against. Start typing to filter for applicable clients within your client list. If you leave the field blank, the message will be defined as an [INTERNAL] message not attributed to any specific client.
4
 For Here you select a member of your team to attribute the message and potential action to – such as to return a phone call
5
 Action Required Identifies if any actions are required:
  • The client will be calling back
  • A requirement to call back
  • None - no action required
6
 On This is the phone number that the client should be called back on. This will auto-populate with a short list of numbers for all related entities within the group.
7
 Date & Time Here you record the date and time of the interaction with the client. You can select an alternative date to the current date that it'll default to, then select the time button to update the time also. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
8
 Summary This is where you can summarise what a phone message or phone call summary is in relation to. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
9
 Detailed Notes

This is a free text area where you can document further detail relating to the contact, such as a message left by the client, a file note for referring back to later or a phone message for another team member to view before returning a call. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.

 

Note that you can insert "Text Templates" from your template list utilising the mceclip0.png icon. A text template can be as simple as a paragraph, to a full meeting agenda.
10
 Share with

This is where you select a member of your team to be copied into the email generated by the correspondence register (if you want them to be aware of the correspondence) This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
11
 Integration

Internal Messaging - Slack

  • When connected to Slack, these options will appear on the right-hand side of this screen above the Save and Cancel buttons. See here for more details.
12
 Integration - DMS

Linking Documents to an attached DMS

  • By clicking "link or upload documents" you can link any documents you have in your document management system folders or upload them. Alternatively, you can drag and drop in this area to upload documents. This is the same for each Correspondence Type.
  • See here for more details
13
 Saving Options & Auto-Save

The saving options can change, depending on the context

When first creating a correspondence register entry:

mceclip1.png

  • Save Draft to just capture the information without sending anything out to team members; Once the initial record is created, assuming the auto-save function is turned on in practice settings, any changes will be captured along the way automatically.
  • Save will finalise the correspondence register immediately and email out to the applicable team members.
  • Cancel will close off the entry without saving anything.

Upon saving a draft, beyond commencing regular automatic saving, your options change.

mceclip0.png

  • Finalise - takes the record from Draft to final, emailing out to any team members as required.
  • Close - This will simply close the record leaving it in its draft state.
i
 For Auto-save to work, you must first head to your practice settings and turn on the option. If you're a practice administrator, click here to go the right place to update this setting.

 
14
 History & Notes

Captures any changes made to a correspondence register record + enables the addition of other notes. See here for more details.

 

i
 Some of the above fields are not applicable to all message types, so you will find available fields will change according to the message type selected.


Before you Start

Practice Settings

So you can get things setup with how you work from the outset, your practice administrator should head into your practice settings and setup the defaults.

  • Review the Template Text options under Practice Settings -> Lists and Tags to customise your available templates.
    • Template Tags - these are the tags you can categorise text templates under. 
    • Template List - these are where you can create new text templates utilising placeholders and the like.
    • See here for more info
  • Review your practice settings to ensure the default settings are set to your liking. Your options here are:
    • Track incoming and outgoing mail within the same record
      • Activating this setting allows correspondence going in and out to be tracked under the same correspondence record. This would be the equivalent of seeing email correspondence in conversation mode.
    • Enable email notification to user upon SMS reply
      • Activating this practice setting will send a notification to specified team members when an SMS sent from AccountKit receives a reply.
      • You can choose the individuals who need to receive this from the drop down. (Multiple users can be specified).
    • Practice email signature
      • From here you can modify the practice signature which is sent with with correspondence with the email integrations.
      • This is particularly relevant when emailing directly from AccountKit.

Creating a New Correspondence Record

Firstly; Select 'Create new correspondence' then choose the applicable correspondence from one of the correspondence register types. An example of a phone message is below.

ezgif.com-video-to-gif.gif

 

1. Phone Message

This is special in that it’s purely a note to let a team member know that a call has been received which may need to be returned. It’s able to be quickly filtered out in the correspondence register and can be quickly selected from the favourites menu

i
 Reminder: Some of the above fields are not applicable to all message types, so you will find available fields will change according to the message type selected.

 

2. Phone Call Summary

This differs from a Phone Message in that it’s usually a returned call or a cold call where there is more detail to the discussion which needs to be captured.

Help_-_Tools_-_Correspondence_Register_-_Phone_Message_-_Email_Example.PNG

 

3. File Note

This is used if you just want to record a note about the client that you would like kept on file for future reference. If you're importing notes from another system, this is where they'll appear.

 

4. Drop-In

If you have clients drop in, you can use this type to identify the reasoning and any accompanying notes.

 

5. Meeting

For capturing the notes for a meeting along with the attendees and those that put in an apology.

 

6. Email

Enables the capturing of ingoing and outgoing client emails and storing them against a client and associated client group. Utilising within the register will enable you to send an email direct to the client along with associated attachments taken from any connected DMS. See the applicable help article on how to set up and use the associated Email Centre and methods for capturing emails.

 

7. SMS

This features enables the sending and receiving SMS messages to and from clients using Twilio.

See the applicable help article for getting the integration setup.

         

i
 In most fields, if a list of options doesn't automatically appear, press the down key to show you a list of available options.

 

 

Importing historical notes

Sometimes you'll have accumulated client notes within a prior system that you want to bring into AccountKit.  You can do this by utilising the import function in Action Menu. Simply follow the instructions within. 

Points to note when importing include:

  • Every note must be assigned to a Client that exists in AccountKit.
  • All notes imported will be of the type "File Note"
  • The user name must match a user within AccountKit
  • Do it in parcels of 100 - 200 at a time.

 

Other Functions

View by Client Group:

View all correspondence by each client group by selecting the client group as shown below, alternatively you can also view each tool by the Client Group page. A further explanation can be found in the Menu's & Shared Elements article.

 

"Search by" Function:

Simply allows you to search by a specific filter with in your client group etc. Go to our Menu's & Shared Elements Article.

 

Actions Menu:

You are able to perform a number of functions with in the actions menu across the tools in AK. For a full list and instructions on how to use please go to our Menu's & Shared Elements Article.

 

Edit, Archive. Delete Records:

You also have the ability to delete records individually or by selecting multiple. To delete multiple, select those you wish to delete and click the actions menu and delete. For more on the actions, menu go to our Menu's & Shared Elements Article.

To delete, archive or edit as you go you will find a 3 dot context sensitive menu at the end of each line.

 

History:

Track the changes made in a correspondence register by using the history section and make notes against the changes to explain the reason for them. For a more in-depth explanation go to the Menu's & Shared Elements Article.

 

Integrations

Document Management

Link back to source documents enabling quick access and previewing from within any tool and the ability to save reports and files direct back into your DMS (eg. Google Drive, Dropbox, SuiteFiles etc). Head to the DMS Support Article to learn which providers we support and how to connect and link source documents. 

 

Internal Messaging 

Enable correspondence register entries to be shared into slack channels or direct message people on your team. See the Slack Support Article for more information on how to connect and use Slack within AccountKit.

 

Email Add-Ons

Enable pushing of emails direct from your inbox into the Correspondence Register whilst also saving and linking attachments to your DMS. Check out the following links for more details:

Microsoft Outlook
G-Mail 

 

Related Articles

Shared Elements Follow the link to see our various elements shared throughout the various toolsets.
Practice Settings Follow this link see what practice defaults for the mail register can be customised.
Document Management (DMS) Learn how to connect and manage your DMS
Slack Integration Learn how to connect and utilise Slack within your practice
Mail Register New UI now has the mail register integrated with the correspondence register to allow for improved oversight.

 

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