Introduction to Advisors Assistant

159 Pages·2015·2.31 MB·English

by  Shannon Dempsey

Introduction to
Advisors Assistant

Client Marketing Systems, Inc.
880 Price Street
Pismo Beach, CA 93449
800 643-4488 805 773-7985 fax
www.AdvisorsAssistant.com [email protected]

© 2015 Client Marketing Systems, Inc. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use of this material without the
expressed written consent of Client Marketing Systems, Inc. is prohibited.
5/29/15
Page 2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................................................... 3
Getting Started ............................................................................................................................................................. 9
Starting Advisors Assistant ...................................................................................................................................... 10
The Advisors Assistant Menus ................................................................................................................................. 11
Getting Help With Advisors Assistant ...................................................................................................................... 11
Abbreviation Codes ................................................................................................................................................... 13
Advantages Of Using Lists ....................................................................................................................................... 14
Adding Abbreviation Codes ..................................................................................................................................... 15
Modifying Abbreviation Codes ................................................................................................................................ 16
Deleting/Combining Abbreviation Codes ................................................................................................................ 16
Adding Names ............................................................................................................................................................ 19
Exploring the View Screen ....................................................................................................................................... 20
Adding a New Name ................................................................................................................................................ 22
Modifying Name FlexFields .................................................................................................................................... 25
Automating Applications ......................................................................................................................................... 26
Adding Addresses .................................................................................................................................................... 27
Adding Phone Numbers ........................................................................................................................................... 30
Copying an Address to Another Name ..................................................................................................................... 31
Copying a Phone Number to Another Name............................................................................................................ 31
Finding and Modifying Names ................................................................................................................................ 32
Deleting Names........................................................................................................................................................ 33
Notes ........................................................................................................................................................................... 35
Adding Notes............................................................................................................................................................ 36
Scheduling Follow-up Dates .................................................................................................................................... 37
Personal Contact ..................................................................................................................................................... 38
Adding/Modifying Note Topics ................................................................................................................................ 39
Combining/Moving Notes ........................................................................................................................................ 39
Searching Notes ....................................................................................................................................................... 40
Linking Names ........................................................................................................................................................... 43
Linking Names ......................................................................................................................................................... 44
Adding Link Relationship Codes.............................................................................................................................. 45
Households/Groups ................................................................................................................................................... 47
Creating Households ............................................................................................................................................... 48
Creating Groups ...................................................................................................................................................... 50
Markets/Areas of Interest ......................................................................................................................................... 53
Associating Files ......................................................................................................................................................... 57
Adding File Associations ......................................................................................................................................... 59
Linking Folders to a Name ...................................................................................................................................... 61
Things That Can Interfere with View Files Functionality ....................................................................................... 61
Printing Reports ........................................................................................................................................................ 65
Printing a Quick View Report .................................................................................................................................. 66
Selection Reports ..................................................................................................................................................... 66
Selection Report Options ......................................................................................................................................... 70
Printing a Current Client Report ............................................................................................................................. 71
The Tagged Names Report ....................................................................................................................................... 71
The Advisors Assistant Calendar ............................................................................................................................. 75
Calendar Views........................................................................................................................................................ 77
Customizing Your Calendar Settings ....................................................................................................................... 80
Adding & Modifying Appointments ......................................................................................................................... 82
Adding & Modifying Projects/Tasks/Phone Calls ................................................................................................... 83
Printing Calendar Reports ...................................................................................................................................... 85
Sending Letters Using The Calendar ....................................................................................................................... 87
Scheduling & Viewing an Associate’s Calendar ..................................................................................................... 88
Viewing Calendar Events ........................................................................................................................................ 90
Messaging ................................................................................................................................................................... 91
Sending Messages .................................................................................................................................................... 92
Replying to a Message ............................................................................................................................................. 93
Message Archiving .................................................................................................................................................. 93
New Business .............................................................................................................................................................. 95
New Business Tracking ............................................................................................................................................ 96
Printing New Business Reports................................................................................................................................ 97
Workflows vs. New Business .................................................................................................................................... 98
Automated Workflow .............................................................................................................................................. 101
Automated Workflows ............................................................................................................................................ 102
Master Workflow Templates .................................................................................................................................. 104
Assigning Active Workflows .................................................................................................................................. 106
Event Templates ..................................................................................................................................................... 109
Workflow Reports .................................................................................................................................................. 110
Workflows vs. New Business .................................................................................................................................. 111
Page 4
The Advisors Assistant Dashboard ........................................................................................................................ 113
The Dashboard ...................................................................................................................................................... 114
Setting Up Your Dashboard ................................................................................................................................... 114
Dashboard Features .............................................................................................................................................. 115
Merging with MS Word for Letters & Emails ...................................................................................................... 119
Printing Letters/Sending Emails ............................................................................................................................ 120
Logging Letters/Emails .......................................................................................................................................... 121
Printing Letters to Selected Names ........................................................................................................................ 121
Setting Up Your Letter/Email in Microsoft Word .................................................................................................. 123
Printing Letters/Sending Emails and Merging the Data ....................................................................................... 124
Printing Envelopes/Labels Using Microsoft Word ................................................................................................ 125
Outlook Synchronization ........................................................................................................................................ 127
Exporting to Outlook ............................................................................................................................................. 129
Exporting Client Notes .......................................................................................................................................... 130
Importing from Outlook ......................................................................................................................................... 131
Saving Criteria ...................................................................................................................................................... 132
Real Time Export ................................................................................................................................................... 132
Archiving Emails ................................................................................................................................................... 133
Autodialing the Phone ............................................................................................................................................. 135
Preferences, Tools & Admin Functions ................................................................................................................. 139
General Preferences .............................................................................................................................................. 140
Outlook Preferences .............................................................................................................................................. 140
Default Preferences ............................................................................................................................................... 141
Form Automation ................................................................................................................................................... 141
Tools ...................................................................................................................................................................... 141
Administrative Functions ....................................................................................................................................... 142
Backing Up Your Data........................................................................................................................................... 145
Restoring Your Data .............................................................................................................................................. 146
Maintenance .......................................................................................................................................................... 146
Event Marketing With Advisors Assistant ............................................................................................................ 149
Appendices ............................................................................................................................................................... 157
Hot Keys ................................................................................................................................................................ 158
Page 5

Course Objectives
Utilize the Full Power of Advisors Assistant!

In this course you will learn to:
 Track your prospects, clients, policies, groups
and more
 Print letters, envelopes, and labels
 Customize FlexFields
 Print great looking reports for your clients
 Search client files for new sales
 Track follow-up dates
 Manage Workflows
 Merge with MS Word for letters & emails
 Log letters, emails, and phone calls
 Schedule appointments, projects and Tasks
 Market to current clients and prospects
 Build rapport with clients to keep them from
straying to other producers
 Synchronize with Outlook for mobile devices

Getting Started

In this chapter you will:
 Start Advisors Assistant
 Explore the Menu and Status Bars
 Identify and access HELP
Abbreviation Codes
Starting Advisors Assistant
As with other Windows programs, Advisors Assistant can be
started in two ways. You can either start Advisors Assistant
using the Windows Start Menu, or add a shortcut to Advisors
Assistant on your Desktop.
When you installed Advisors Assistant it will have installed an
icon to your desktop. If you do not have the icon on your desktop
instructions for creating one are below.
How to Start Advisors Assistant
1. Make sure your computer is on.
2. Click on the Start button in Windows.
3. Select Programs.
4. Select the Advisors Assistant program group.
5. Select Advisors Assistant.
How to Add an Advisors Assistant Shortcut to your Desktop
1. Go to your Windows Desktop.
2. Right click on the Desktop.
3. Select New, Shortcut.
4. Click the Browse Button.
5. Click on the Down Arrow next to the “Look In” box.
6. Browse to the following directory: C:\Program Files\Client
Marketing Systems\Advisors Assistant.
7. Highlight the file “AdvisorsAssistant.exe” and click Open.
8. Click the Next Button.
9. Give the Shortcut Icon a Name (i.e. Advisors Assistant).
10. Click the Finish Button.
11. Double click on the Advisors Assistant Icon on your Desktop
to open Advisors Assistant.

Page 10