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How do I create and manage Smart Tasks in Act!?

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Question: How do I create and manage Smart Tasks in Act!?

Product:
Product Family: Act!
Product: Act! Pro, Act! Premium
Version: 2011 and higher




Answer:

Creating Smart Tasks and adding steps

Note: Smart Tasks cannot be created or modified when accessing your database via web browser. If you use Act! Premium (access via web), you must login to your Act! database from a local installation of Act! in order to create and modify Smart Tasks.

Creating a Smart Task to run when Act! emarketing conditions are met (requires Act! emarketing Call List subscription and Act! v17)

As of Act! v17, Smart Tasks are now able to be configured to run based on Call List scores in Act! emarketing. Refer to the instructions below for configuring a smart task to run when Act! emarketing conditions are met:

  1. Click Schedule > Manage Smart Tasks…
  2. Click New Smart Task
  3. Enter a Smart Task Name, and if desired, a Description
  4. Ensure Record Type is Contact
  5. For the Trigger, Select Run when emarketing conditions are met
  6. When prompted, enter the Act! emarketing account credentials to use with the Smart Task, then click OK

    Note: All database users who choose to use this Smart Task will use this Act! emarketing account. If other users have their own Act! emarketing account and wish to use Smart Tasks to send blasts, they must configure a new Smart Task to use their account.

  7. Select the frequency and time you wish to run the smart task
  8. Select the Call List Name from which you wish to use contacts to send to
  9. Select an Operator, Enter a value, then click OK
  10. To add steps to the Smart Task, select Click here to add a step, and choose one of the steps below (click to jump to the appropriate section):
  11. If desired, add additional steps
  12. When finished, click Enable Auto-run to allow the Smart Task to run Automatically


Creating a Smart Task to run when conditions are met
  1. Click Schedule > Manage Smart Tasks…
  2. Click New Smart Task
  3. Enter a Smart Task Name, and if desired, a Description
  4. For Record Type, select either Contact or Opportunity
  5. For the Trigger, select Run when conditions are met
  6. Under Conditions, click Edit Conditions…
  7. Enter the criteria as desired for Type, Field Name, Operator, and Value. For more information on how this screen works, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

    How to Create an Advanced Query in Act!
    Answer ID: How to create, use, and edit an advanced query in Act!

  8. If desired, click Run only once for any record
  9. When satisfied with your settings, click OK
  10. To add steps to the Smart Task, select Click here to add a step, and choose one of the steps below (click to jump to the appropriate section):
  11. If desired, add additional steps
  12. When finished, click Enable Auto-run to allow the Smart Task to run Automatically


Creating a Smart Task to run at a Scheduled Time

Note: Scheduled Smart Tasks can only run if the computer is turned on. If your computer is off at the time that the task is scheduled to run, it will not run until the next scheduled time that computer is also turned on.
  1. Click Schedule > Manage Smart Tasks…
  2. Click New Smart Task
  3. Enter a Smart Task Name, and if desired, a Description
  4. For Record Type, select either Contact or Opportunity
  5. For the Trigger, select Run at a scheduled time
  6. Select how often and at what time you wish to run the Smart Task
  7. Under Conditions, click Edit Conditions…
  8. Enter the criteria as desired for Type, Field Name, Operator, and Value. For more information on how this screen works, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

    How to Create an Advanced Query in Act!
    Answer ID: How to create, use, and edit an advanced query in Act!

  9. If desired, click Run only once for any record
  10. When satisfied with your settings, click OK
  11. To add steps to the Smart Task, select Click here to add a step, and choose one of the steps below (click to jump to the appropriate section):
  12. If desired, add additional steps
  13. When finished, click Enable Auto-run to allow the Smart Task to run Automatically


Creating a Smart Task to run manually
  1. Click Schedule > Manage Smart Tasks…
  2. Click New Smart Task
  3. Enter a Smart Task Name, and if desired, a Description
  4. For Record Type, select either Contact or Opportunity
  5. For the Trigger, select Run manually only, then click OK
  6. To add steps to the Smart Task, select Click here to add a step, and choose one of the steps below (click to jump to the appropriate section):

Time Delay
 Time Delay can be used to allow a certain amount of time to pass before beginning as Smart Task step. To add a time delay step, refer to the instructions below:
  1. After clicking Click here to add a step, or clicking Add Step, select Time Delay
  2. Enter a numerical value and select one of the following
    • Minute(s)
    • Hour(s)
    • Day(s)
    • Month(s)
  3. Click OK


Edit Access List (requires Act! Premium v17)
As of Act! v17, Smart Tasks now have the ability to edit the access level of contacts for users in the database based off of Smart Task Triggers. See below for instructions:
  1. After clicking Click here to add a step, or clicking Add Step, select Edit Access List
  2. Depending on whether you wish to add or remove users to the Access List, do the following:
    • Add Users/Teams to Access List
      a. On the left-hand side, select the Users or Teams tab
      b. Select the User or Team you wish to add, if desired, press CTRL and select multiple Users or Teams
      c. Click the > button to move them over to the Selected users/teams side
    • Removing Users/Teams from Access List
      a. On the right-hand side, select the User or Team you wish to remove, if desired, press CTRL and select multiple Users or Teams
      b. Click the < button to move them to the left side
  3. Click OK


Schedule an Act! Activity
Important Note: Steps Scheduled after an activity will not trigger until the activity is cleared

  1. After clicking Click here to add a step, or clicking Add Step, select Schedule Act! Activity
  2. Under the General tab, under Step Name, Enter a name for the step
  3. Choose whether to Automatically schedule the activity prompting the user
  4. Select the Activity Type, and how many days after the step has triggered to schedule the activity
  5. Set the Start Time or whether you want the activity to be timeless, and if desired, check Use Banner
  6. Under Schedule With, click Select and select one of the following to select the contact or contacts the activity will be scheduled with:

    Smart Tasks configured for Contacts
    • Select Contacts… - Allows you to manually select contacts not associated with the Smart Task to schedule the activity with
    • {Contact} - Allows you to schedule the activity with the contacts that fit the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to schedule the Activity for the selected contact or for the lookup
    • {Record Manager} - Allows you to schedule the activity with the Record Manager of the contacts that fit the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to schedule the Activity for the Record Manager of the selected contact or for the lookup
    • {Smart Task User} - Allows you to schedule the activity for the User who configured the Smart Task


    Smart Tasks Configured for Opportunities
    • Select Contacts…- Allows you to manually select contacts not associated with the Smart Task to schedule the activity with
    • {Record’s Contact List} - Allows you to schedule the activity for the contacts associated with the Opportunities that meets the Smart Task Criteria
    • {Record Manager} - Allows you to schedule the activity with the Record Manager of the Opportunities that fits the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to schedule the Activity for the Record Manager of the selected Opportunity or for the lookup
    • {Smart Task User} - Allows you to schedule the activity for the User who configured the Smart Task
  7. If desired, click Send invitation e-mail
  8. If desired, under Associate With, click the ellipses button to associate the activity with one of the following options:
    • Companies
    • Companies List
    • Groups
    • Groups List
    • Opportunities
  9. Enter information about the Activity into the Regarding line as a reference to what the Activity is about
  10. If desired, enter a Resource and Location
  11. Set the priority, color, whether to Ring Alarm, and who to schedule the Activity for
  12. If Desired, click the Details tab to enter more detailed information on the Activity and add an attachment to the Activity
  13. If you wish for the Activity to be private, check the Private box
  14. Click OK when finished configuring the activity


Send Email
Note: This step is only available if Act! is integrated with Microsoft Outlook.
  1. After clicking After clicking Click here to add a step, or clicking Add Step, select Send E-mail
  2. Under Step Name, enter a name for the step
  3. Choose whether to Automatically send e-mail without being prompting the user
  4. In the To field, click Contacts and select one of the options below to choose which contacts to send the e-mail to:

    Smart Tasks configured for Contacts
    • Select Contacts… - Allows you to manually select contacts not associated with the Smart Task to send e-mail to
    • {Contact} - Allows you to send e-mail to the contacts that fit the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to send the e-mail to the selected contact or to the lookup
    • {Record Manager} - Allows you to send e-mail to the Record Manager of the contacts that fit the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to send the e-mail to the Record Manager of the selected contact or for the lookup
    • {Smart Task User} - Allows you to send the e-mail to the User who configured the Smart Task


    Smart Tasks Configured for Opportunities
    • Select Contacts…- Allows you to manually select contacts not associated with the Smart Task send the e-mail to
    • {Record’s Contact List} - Allows you to send the e-mail to the contacts associated with the Opportunities that meets the Smart Task Criteria
    • {Record Manager} - Allows you to send the e-mail to the Record Manager of the Opportunities that fits the criteria, or if running the Smart Task manually, allows you to send the e-mail to the Record Manager of the selected Opportunity or for the lookup
    • {Smart Task User} - Allows you to send an e-mail to the User who configured the Smart Task
  5. If desired select people to CC in the same fashion you would select contacts to send to
  6. Enter a Subject
  7. If desired, add Attachments
  8. Enter your message into the Message field

    Note: This does not allow for merge fields to be used. It is recommended that your message be a generic one if sending to multiple people

  9. Click More Options to select the history type that gets recorded when the message is sent
  10. Choose whether to Send as HTML, whether you wish to have a Read Receipt, and whether to make the history private
  11. Click OK when finished configuring the e-mail message settings


Send Email Campaign (requires Act! emarketing Team subscription level and Act! v17)
As of Act! v17, you can now use Smart Tasks to send out Act! emarketing blasts. See below for instructions:
  1. After clicking Click here to add a step or Add Step, select Send Email Campaign
  2. Enter the login details for the account you wish to send from and click OK
  3. Under Step Name, enter a name for the step, and if desired, enter a Step Description
  4. Under E-mail Options, select the desired email address to send From

    Note: If you wish to send as a different e-mail address, you will need to manage the Sender Profile. For more information, refer to the following knowledgebase article:

    Act! emarketing Sender Profile feature introduced in v17
    Answer ID: How do I use the Act! emarketing Sender Profile feature?

  5. Enter an Email Subject
  6. Select the Template you wish to use, or click Refresh Template List if it is not listed
  7. Check to certify that you have read and agree to the Anti-Spam Policy
  8. Click OK when finished configuring the Act! emarketing message


Update Field (Requires version 2013 or higher)
  1. After clicking Click here to add a step or Add Step, select Update Field
  2. Under Step Name, enter a name for the step
  3. Choose whether or not to Automatically update this field without prompting the user
  4. Under Update contents of, choose the field you wish to update
  5. Under With value, enter the value you wish to update the field with
  6. When finished, click OK


Manually Running Smart Tasks

Smart Tasks that have been configured to run automatically can also be run manually against selected contacts, lookups, or the entire database. You can do this by performing the steps below:
  1. Go to either the Opportunities view or the Contacts View
  2. If desired create a lookup
  3. Click Schedule > Run Smart Task…

    Note: When selecting Run Smart Task…, only Smart Tasks that apply to the current view will be displayed. For example, if you are currently viewing Opportunities, only Opportunity Smart Tasks will be displayed and vice versa.

  4. Select the Smart Task you wish to run
  5. Under Apply To, select one of the following options:
    • Selected Records - Runs the Smart Task against Contacts or Opportunities that are currently selected in the List View, or the Current Record if you’re in the Detail View
    • Current Lookup - Runs the Smart Task against the current lookup
    • All Contacts - Runs the Smart Task against All available contacts in the database

      Note: Any filter criteria defined for the selected Smart Task is ignored when running it manually.

  6. Click OK to run the Smart Task

Viewing Smart Task Progress and managing pending Smart Task steps
The Smart Task Progress Status window will allow you to view the Status of your Smart Tasks, Pause, Resume, and Cancel Smart Tasks. See below for instructions:
  1. Click Schedule > Manage Smart Tasks
  2. Select a Smart Task
  3. If necessary, click Pause, Resume, or Cancel


Pending Smart Task Steps Dialog

The Pending Smart Task Steps Dialog will Show any steps needed in order to complete the Smart Task. This will include steps that you have not allowed to run without your approval See below for instructions on managing these:
  1. In the Status window, click Show Pending Smart Task Steps Dialog

    Note: You can also access this from the Schedule Menu outside of the Manage Smart Tasks window

  2. In the Pending Smart Task Steps window, select a Smart Task Step
  3. From here, you can do one of the following:
    • Preview - Allows you to preview the Smart Task step before completing it
    • Run - Allows you to run the Smart Task step
    • Delete - Allows you to delete the Smart Task Step
    • Show Details - allows you to show a more detailed view of each Smart Task step listed
    • Close the dialog to be reminded again in X Minutes

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