CRM SchoolPresented by

A free tool

Data Planner

In about five minutes, pick a business type, tick what your business does, and see the records a CRM might hold for it, the fields on each and how they link. It is a starting point to adapt, not the one right answer.

New to this? Learn the key words first (2 minutes)
Record
One thing your business keeps track of, such as one customer, one job or one invoice. Records of the same kind share the same fields.For example: The Elm Street roof job is one record. Next week's gutter repair is another.
Field
One fact you keep about a record, such as a phone number or a due date. Each field holds one value.For example: A job has a Scheduled date field and a Status field.
Link
A connection between two records, so you can click from one to the other. Links are drawn as lines on the diagram.For example: A visit links to the property it happened at.
One to many
One record on one side can have many on the other, but each of those belongs to only one. It is the most common kind of link.For example: One customer can have many properties, and each property has one owner on file.
Many to many
Records on both sides can have many of the other. Ask both ways, and if both answers are yes, the link is many to many.For example: A roof job needs several crew members, and each crew member works on many roof jobs.
Record in the middle
A record that sits between the two sides of a many to many link and joins one of each. It holds facts about the pair. Some tools call it a through record or a junction record.For example: A crew assignment joins Marco to the Elm Street roof and holds his 9 hours.

More terms

Field type
The kind of value a field holds, such as text, a date or money. It decides what you can type in and how the CRM can sort, add up or filter it.For example: Quote total is a money field, so the CRM can add up every quote sent in March.
Parent
The one side of a one to many link. Its children hang off it.For example: A quote is the parent of its quote lines.
Child
The many side of a one to many link. Some children make no sense without their parent, and some can stand on their own.For example: A quote line means nothing without its quote. A contact still makes sense if the company record is gone.
Crow's foot
The three short lines at one end of a link on the diagram. They mark the many side.For example: On the line from Customer to Property, the crow's foot sits at Property, because one customer can have many properties.
Activity
Something your business does again and again, such as sending quotes or booking appointments. Each activity you tick adds the records it needs.For example: Ticking repeat visits adds a service plan and its visits.
Status
A field that says where a record is right now, picked from a short list. If something has its own status, that is a sign it should be its own record.For example: A quote moves from Draft to Sent to Accepted while the customer stays the same.
Pipeline
The stages a possible sale moves through, from first contact to won or lost. Each deal sits in one stage at a time.For example: An agency's opportunity moves from Brief to Proposal sent to Won.
Label
The few words on a link that say how the two records relate. Read it from the one side to the many side.For example: Customer owns or rents Property.

The field types

text
A short line of words, such as a name or a gate code.
long text
Several lines of words, such as notes from a visit.
number
A plain number you can count or add up, such as hours worked or square feet.
money
An amount of money, such as a quote total, so reports can add it up.
date
A day on the calendar, such as a renewal date.
date and time
A day and a time of day, such as a 2 pm appointment on Friday.
dropdown
One choice from a short list you set, such as Draft, Sent or Accepted.
multi select
Several choices from a short list you set, such as the services a customer is interested in.
yes or no
A box that is ticked or not, such as whether there is a dog on the property.
email
An email address, so you can write to the person from the record.
phone
A phone number, so your team can call or text from the record.
address
A street address, so you can find the place on a map and plan routes.
link to record
A connection to another record, such as the customer a job belongs to, so you can click through to it.
file
An attached document or photo, such as a signed contract or a photo of the roof.
user
A person on your team who logs in, such as the tech assigned to a job.

Step 1. Pick the business that is closest to yours

Why this step: the kind of business decides which records matter and what you call them.

How a commercial cleaning works: A business client signs an agreement to have its buildings cleaned on a set schedule. One client can have several buildings, and each clean is done by one or more cleaners on a shift.

Step 2. Tick what your business does

Why this step: each thing your business does adds records to the plan, and ticking only what you really do keeps it small enough to use. The usual ones for this kind of business are already ticked.

Plan updated: 10 records for a commercial cleaning.

Step 3. A business like yours might set it up like this

This is a starting point for a commercial cleaning, not the one right answer. Rename, drop and add records to fit how you really work.

Why this step: this is what your CRM would hold. Seeing it drawn lets you spot what is missing before you build anything.

10 records, with repeat service visits and maintenance plans, contracts and e-signature, invoices and payments, multiple sites per customer.

How to read this diagram

ownsownsCustomerPropertyProperty
  • Each box is a record: a kind of thing you keep track of. Here, one Customer and two Properties.
  • A line joins two records. The name on the line, like “owns”, says how they are related.
  • A short bar on the end of a line means one. This line touches one Customer.
  • A three pronged foot means many. This line reaches many Properties.
  • Put together: one Customer can own many Properties. Each Property has one Customer.
ClientClientContactContactBuildingBuildingService agreementService agreementCleaning scheduleCleaning scheduleCleanCleanCleanerCleanerShiftShiftInvoiceInvoicePaymentPayment

Read a line from the top record to the one below it, with the name on the line. A bar at one end means one, and a three pronged foot means many. Point at or tab to a record to light its links.

In plain words

The same links as the diagram, written as sentences.

  • One Client can have many Contacts. (Link: employs)
  • One Client can have many Buildings. (Link: has)
  • One Client can have many Service agreements. (Link: signs)
  • One Service agreement can have many Cleaning schedules. (Link: sets out)
  • One Building can have many Cleaning schedules. (Link: is covered by)
  • One Cleaning schedule can have many Cleans. (Link: schedules)
  • A Clean can have many Cleaners, and a Cleaner can have many Cleans. A Shift sits between them and records each pairing. (Link: is worked by)
  • One Contact can have many Cleaning schedules. (Link: signs up for)
  • One Contact can have many Service agreements. (Link: signs)
  • One Contact can have many Invoices. (Link: pays)
  • One Invoice can have many Payments. (Link: is settled by)

The records and their fields

Client

An organization you sell to. Its people are contacts linked to it.

Why its own record: One company can have many people you deal with. Make it its own record so all of them, and all their work, sit under one name.

  • Business name The name on the invoice, spelled one agreed way.
  • Main phone The front desk number, for when your usual contact is away.
  • Billing address Where invoices go, which is often not where the work happens.
  • Website A quick way to check you have the right business before you call.
  • Customer type Lets you count and filter by the kinds of customer you serve.
  • Account owner Everyone knows who looks after this customer.

Contact

A person you talk to, buy from or sell to.

Why its own record: A person can call you many times, buy many times and work for a company you also track. One record per person means every call, quote and job links back to the same place.

  • First name So you can greet people properly and find them by name.
  • Last name Keeps two people called Sam apart in search.
  • Phone The number your team actually calls, one tap from the record.
  • Email Lets email sync attach messages to the right person.
  • Preferred way to reach them Some people never answer the phone. This saves wasted calls.
  • Lead source Tells you which kinds of marketing bring in paying customers.
  • Billing email Invoices often go to someone other than the person you talk to.

Building

A place where you do the work, such as a home, a building or a branch.

Why its own record: One customer can own or rent more than one place, and the work happens at the place. A site record keeps the address and history with the building, even when the owner changes.

  • Site name Lets people say which one without reading out the address.
  • Address Where the crew drives to, and how you plan routes.
  • Access notes Gate codes, parking and the dog. Saves a call from the driveway.
  • Site type Lets you count homes, offices or shops separately.
  • Active Hides places you no longer serve without losing their history.
  • Site contact phone The person on site is rarely the person who pays.
  • Floor area Cleaning time and price are set by area.
  • Alarm and key notes Night crews need to get in without calling the client.

Service agreement

A signed agreement with its own dates, status and signed copy.

Why its own record: A contract has its own start date, end date and signed copy. As fields on the company, the first renewal would type over the old dates.

  • Contract title Says what the agreement covers, in a word or two.
  • Contract status Draft, sent, signed, expired or ended. Shows which ones are waiting on a signature.
  • Sent for signature Lets you chase unsigned contracts after a few days.
  • Signed date The day it became binding.
  • Start date When the work or service begins.
  • End date Sort by it to see what needs renewing.
  • Signed copy The signed document, on the record, when someone asks what was agreed.
  • Signer email Where the signing request goes, which may not be your usual contact.

Cleaning schedule

A promise of repeat work, such as a maintenance plan. Each visit it creates is its own record.

Why its own record: The plan is the promise of repeat work, with its own start date, renewal date and price. It stays put while the visits come and go, so it is a record of its own.

  • Plan type Lets you count customers on each level of plan.
  • Start date Sets the cycle of visits and the renewal date.
  • Renewal date Gives you a list of plans to renew each month.
  • Visits per year Tells you how many visits to book, and how many are still owed.
  • Plan price Lets you add up the repeat income you can count on.
  • Plan status Active, paused or cancelled. A cancelled plan should stop creating visits.
  • Days of the week Sets which nights the building is cleaned.
  • Scope What is and is not included, so there is no argument about windows.

Clean

One time you go back, with its own date and outcome.

Why its own record: Each visit has its own date, who went and what they found. A Last service date field would type over that history every time.

  • Visit date Puts the visit on the schedule and shows when you were last there.
  • Visit status Scheduled, done, missed or moved. Missed visits are the ones customers remember.
  • Visited by Shows who to ask about what they found.
  • Findings What was checked and what was wrong, kept for the next visit.
  • Follow-up needed Turns findings into a list of quotes to send.
  • Quality check score Spot checks turn into a trend you can show the client.

Cleaner

Someone who does the work. Keep them as records when you need to link them to jobs, visits or bookings.

Why its own record: One person works on many jobs, visits or bookings. A record for each person lets you see all their work and hours in one place.

  • Full name The name customers and colleagues use.
  • Team role Lets you plan work by who can do what.
  • Mobile For changes to the day's plan.
  • Skills Lets you find who is qualified for a job before you book it.
  • Active Keeps past staff on old records without offering them for new work.

Shift

One person on one piece of work. It sits between the work and the team and holds facts about the pairing.

Why its own record: Marco worked 9 hours on the Elm Street roof. Those hours belong to Marco on that job, not to Marco or the job alone, so this record sits in the middle and holds them.

  • Role Lead, helper or specialist. The same person has different roles on different work.
  • Work date Multi-day work has different people on different days.
  • Hours Hours belong to this person on this work, not to either one alone.
  • Hourly cost Lets you see what the labor on each piece of work really cost.
  • Notes Anything about this person's part, such as who left early and why.
  • Clock in Start times belong to the shift, not the cleaner or the clean.
  • Clock out Lets you compare actual hours with what the schedule allowed.

Invoice

A bill you send, with its own number, due date and status.

Why its own record: A customer gets many invoices, each with its own number, due date and status. That is how you see which ones are overdue.

  • Invoice number Matches the number in your accounting software.
  • Issue date Starts the clock on payment terms.
  • Due date Lets you list what is overdue.
  • Invoice total The amount billed, including tax.
  • Invoice status Sent, part paid, paid or overdue. Shows who needs a reminder.
  • Balance due What is still owed after any payments.

Payment

Money received against an invoice. One invoice can have several, such as a deposit and a final payment.

Why its own record: One invoice can be paid in parts, such as a deposit and a final payment. A record per payment shows what came in and when.

  • Payment date Shows when the money arrived.
  • Amount Part payments add up to the invoice total.
  • Method Card, bank transfer or check. Helps when matching to the bank.
  • Reference The bank or card reference, for when a payment is disputed.

Notes

  • Scope and price usually differ by building, so give each building its own cleaning schedule under the client's agreement.
  • Complaints are worth tracking as their own records once you get more than a few a month. Tick Support cases to add them.
  • If cleaners are not CRM users, keep them as Cleaner records so shifts can link to them.

What to do next

  1. Check it against how you really work. Walk through a recent customer, from first contact to payment. Is there a record for every step?
  2. Pick the fields you will truly fill in. Keep the ones your team will enter every time and drop the rest. You can always add more later.
  3. Build it in your CRM, starting with the top record. Create the record at the top of the diagram first, then the ones below it, then the links.

Lessons that help

Enroll free to save plans and email them to yourself.

The address of this page holds your choices, so you can share or bookmark it.