Tools Menu

The Tools Menu is an easy way to access many functions used in your day to day operations. Several utility functions and account maintenance processes are available from this menu.

Tools menu

These include:

* Phone Dialer
* Batch Processing
* Credit Bureau Reporting
* Recalculate Totals
* Sort Accounts
* Scheduler
* Time Management
* Utilities
* Archive
* Predictive Dialer
* Macros

Utilities include grouping accounts, file numbering, performing searches for orphaned accounts, creating vouchers, and several account management functions.

Archive function is for archiving or restoring records.

Dial A Number

Select Dial A Number to dial the phone number you have entered using the auto dialer.

1. If you are on a field with the PHONE attribute, the system
with dial it or pop up the confirmation box if you have 'Prompt before dialing' enabled on the Auto Dialer Preferences form.

2. If you are on a field with numbers in it, the systems will
use that number, but pop up the confirmation form just in case you want to change it.

3. If you are on a form, but not on a field with numbers, then
the systems will scan all the data fields and grab any applicable numbers, put them in a list, with their field names, and let you choose which one to call, or to enter a brand new number to call.

Batch Processing

This command opens the Batch Processing form. Use batch processing to execute scheduled automatic processes, perform Operator assignments and run contact plans on batches of accounts.

You can effectively control account activation, status changes, Operator assignments, letters and reviews, as well as a large number of other functions, quickly and easily.

Batch processes tax the system heavily, simulating the actions of one hundred users at a time!

Credit Reporting

This command displays the Report To Credit Bureaus form for reporting to credit bureaus such as Equifax, Trans Union and Experian.

This is an OPTIONAL module. You may need to purchase this option, depending on your original purchase. Please request pricing information from Comtech Systems Inc.

Recalculate

This command lets you recalculate totals for Debtors, Clients and Daysheets. This only works in your active database. You cannot recalculate in the Archive database.

After running an import, it is useful to recalculate totals. It is essential to recalculate periodically because, for performance reasons, totals are not always calculated during certain data entry functions.

Typically, recalculating totals at the end of the day or week is a good practice.

Please be aware that account Mode determines whether or not accounts are recalculated. This is set in the Mode field of the Debtor form.

Sort Accounts

Select Sort Accounts to sort accounts in all lists.

When you are on a specific client, only the debtors belonging to that client will be sorted. This allows you to sort accounts by account number or name on a client by client basis.

If you are not on a specific client record when you run this routine, all accounts will be sorted based on the criteria you set.

Scheduler

Select Scheduler to open the Task Scheduler where you can set up tasks to run automatically at times that are convenient to you. Please refer to Help topic, Scheduler for details.

Time Management

Select Time Management to open the Time Management window where you can create Timers to track time spent on tasks. You can create as many Timers as you need. As long as Collect! is running, you can start and stop the Timers to continue to add time to any task. Please refer to Help topic, Time Management for details.

Utilities

This choice takes you to a Utilities sub-menu of frequently used utilities for grouping accounts, posting payments, numbering files and accounts, activating orphaned accounts, and creating vouchers.

Other available utilities include updating client addresses, updating phone records, converting attachment file fields, running a performance benchmark, setting a macro key, and using the Search and Replace feature.

Archive

Select Archive to archive the current record or restore it to the working database.

To archive records, you must:

1. Be actually viewing a record that has not been previously archived.

or

2. Have the record(s) highlighted or tagged in a list.

To restore archived records, you must:

1. Be actually viewing a record that was previously archived.

or

2. Have the archived record(s) highlighted or tagged in a list.

Predictive Dialer

If you have purchased the predictive dialer feature, select Predictive Dialer to begin the automatic dialing of the numbers you have sent to the dialer.

Predictive dialers maximize operator on-call time by automatically popping accounts on the operator screens as calls are connected by the dialer.

Please refer to How To Use Predictive Dialer for details.

Macros

This command will activate the macro builder. The Macro menu will be displayed. You may record a new macro, or load and play an existing one.

Macros are very helpful when you need to perform a consistent task repeatedly. Please refer to the Help topic Macro Menu for details or press F1 when the Macro menu appears.