Managing Conversations

This chapter provides an overview of conversations and discusses how to:

Set up conversations.
Enter and review conversations.

Understanding Conversations

Conversation pages track ongoing conversations with customer contacts. For example, you can track invoice and payment issues that you are trying to resolve, as well as other customer inquiries. You can link a conversation to a specific purchase order, invoice, contract, or receivables item. In addition, you can use the PeopleSoft notification feature to send an email to an interested party to announce that there is a new or existing conversation entry to review.

Use the conversations pages as needed to review and update past conversations or to record new ones. If you have ongoing contact or documentation that is related to the same subject or subject topic, you can create new entries for an existing conversation that contain the continued history of the discussion.

You can set up the conversation so that you review it after a specified number of days from the creation date, or you can have a supervisor review it. For review by a supervisor, the system automatically assigns the supervisor who is associated with the user profile of the person who created the entry.

You can also attach documents to a conversation, such as proof of delivery slips, bills of lading, spreadsheets, or text documents.

Setting Up Conversations

To set up conversations, use these components:

Conversation Subject Topics (SUBJECT_TOPIC_TBL).
Conversation Subjects (SUBJECT_TABLE ).
Follow Up Actions (FOLLOW_UP_TABLE).
Keywords (KEYWORD_TABLE).

This section provides an overview of conversation setup and discusses how to establish conversation subjects.

Understanding Conversation Setup

Perform these tasks before entering conversations:

(Optional) Define subject topics on the Conversation Subject Topics page.
(Optional) Define subjects and assign subtopics on the Conversation Subjects page.
(Optional) Define follow-up actions for conversations.

When you define a conversation query by selecting a follow-up action, you limit the items that you can view to the items that are tagged for the specified follow-up.

Create as many follow-up actions as you need to categorize the actions that result from conversations with customers.

If you use the Condition Monitor process (AR_CNDMON) in Receivables, you can create rules to generate actions on the customer action list and send an email notification to the action owners who are specified in the rules.
(Optional) Define keywords to search for conversations.

When you enter a conversation, you can associate it with up to three keywords. Create as many keywords as you need to categorize all conversations with customers.
(Optional) Enter the file transfer protocol (FTP) site where you post file attachments for conversations in the URL (universal record locator) field on the URL Maintenance page for the CUST_CONVER_ATT URL identifier.
For eBill Payment only, determine to whom you will be sending messages by subject within the organization.

For each subject, assign a unique role, and for each role assign the appropriate users. Users need to have valid email addresses to receive messages.

Pages Used to Set Up Conversations

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Conversation Subject Topics	CONV_SUB_TOPIC_TBL	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Customers, Conversation Subject Topics, Conversation Subject Topics	Define subtopics for conversation subjects.
Conversation Subjects	SUBJECT_TABLE	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Customers, Conversation Subjects, Conversation Subjects	Define subjects for categorizing conversations.
Follow-Up Actions	FOLLOW_UP_TABLE	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Customers, Conversation Follow-Up Actions, Follow-Up Actions Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, Receivables, Credit/Collections, Follow-Up Action, Follow-Up Actions	Define a follow-up action to assign to a conversation, such as calling the customer again.
Keyword	KEYWORD_TABLE	Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Common Definitions, Customers, Conversation Keywords, Keyword Set Up Financials/Supply Chain, Product Related, Receivables, Options, Keyword, Keyword	Define the keywords that you use for search criteria when you retrieve conversations.

Establishing Conversation Subjects

Access the Conversation Subjects page.

Subject Topic	Select a topic that further defines the subject. Topics enable you to organize conversation subjects in greater detail. The subject of an entry determines the topics that appear. You create topics on the Conversation Subject Topics page.
Role Name	Select the role of the person who is authorized to use the subject and to respond to customer emails that use the subject. You can assign a role name to a single individual or an entire group of individuals based on organization needs. When an email is sent to a role name, every user assigned to the role receives the message. You use this option only with the Contact Us option in eBill Payment.
Qualifier	Select the type of references with which this subject is associated. Options are Buying Agreement, Contract, Document Number, Invoice Number, Item, Bill of Lading, Purchase Order Number, Payment ID, Quotation, RMA, and Sales Order.

Entering and Reviewing Conversations

This section provides an overview of conversation components, lists common elements, and discusses how to:

Enter conversations.
Associate conversations with references.
Attach files to conversations.
Send notifications of conversations.

Understanding Conversation Components

PeopleSoft provides several components to access the conversation pages. Each component provides different search criteria to help you locate conversation entries. This table describes the components for each menu option:

Menu Option	Description
Update Conversations	Use to create new conversations and to update existing ones. This component enables you to search by customer, conversation date, status, and a reference linked to the conversation, such as an invoice, receivables item, or purchase order.
Associate Keywords	Use to review or update conversations. This component enables you to search by customer, conversation status, and the keyword that is assigned to the conversation.
Define Follow Up Actions	Use to review or update conversations. This component enables you to search by customer, conversation status, and a follow-up action that is assigned to the conversation.
Select Conversation to Review	Use to review or update conversations. This component enables you to search by customer, conversation date, and status.
Need Supervisor Review	Use to review or update conversations. This component enables you to search by customer, conversation date, status, the supervisor review status, and the user ID of the individual who should review the conversation.

Common Elements Used in This Section

Status

Select the current status for the conversation. Values are:

Closed: Select when you complete the dialog with the customer. This status is informational only. You can change a closed conversation.

New: The system automatically assigns this when you create a new conversation, before anyone reviews or responds to it.

Open: Select when you review or respond to a new conversation.

Date

View the date that you entered the conversation.

Pages Used to Enter and Review Conversations

Page Name	Object Name	Navigation	Usage
Conversations	CONVER_DATA1_SS	Customers, Conversations, Update Conversations, Conversations Accounts Receivable, Customer Interactions, Conversations, View/Update Conversations, Conversations Numerous other navigation paths are available for this page.	Enter details for a conversation, including review information, reference amount, keywords, and the customer contact. Enter multiple conversation entries for a conversation.
References	CONVER_DATA2_SS	Customers, Conversations, Update Conversations, References Accounts Receivable, Customer Interactions, Conversations, View/Update Conversations, References Numerous other navigation paths are available for this page.	Link a conversation with a reference, such as an invoice, purchase order, or receivables item.
Item Activity	ITEM_DATA2	Click the View Item Activity link on the References page.	Review or update details for a receivables item.
Attachments	CONVER_DATA5_SS	Customers, Conversations, Update Conversations, Attachments Accounts Receivable, Customer Interactions, Conversations, View/Update Conversations, Attachments Numerous other navigation paths are available for this page.	Add, view, or delete conversation attachments, such as Microsoft Word™ documents, Microsoft Excel™ spreadsheets, and images.
Send Notification	PT_WF_NOTIFY	Click the Notify button on the Conversations, References, and Attachments pages.	Create an email notification with a link to the conversation.

Entering Conversations

Access the Conversations page.

Attachments Exist

Click to access the Attachments page, where you can view an attached file. This link is available only if there are existing attachments for the conversation.

Description

(Required) Enter a description of the conversation to help identify a conversation when searching for conversations.

Subject and Sub-Topic

(Optional) Select a subject and subtopic from the available options that you set up on the Conversation Subject Topics page and the Conversation Subject page. This helps you identify the conversation when searching for conversations.

Review

Review Days and Date	Enter the number of days after the conversation date to review the conversation, or enter a specific review date. If you enter a number of days, the system updates the date; if you enter a date, the system calculates the number of days.
User	View an ID, which is the user ID by default, when you enter either a number of days or a date. You can change the user ID of the reviewer if necessary.
Done	Select when the review is complete.
Supervisor Review	Select to create an action for the individual whose user ID you entered in the User field. If you have Receivables, the Condition Monitor process creates the action the next time that you run the process and sends the user notification.
Status	Select a status for the review. Values are New, Incomplete, and Reviewed. This field is available only if you selected Supervisor Review.

Follow Up

Action

Select the type of follow-up action for the customer, such as CALL or VERIFY. When you press tab to exit this field, the system populates the User ID field with the user ID, and the Done check box becomes available so that you can specify whether the task is complete. You define follow-up actions on the Follow-Up Action page.

If you have Receivables, you can define rules for the Condition Monitor process to create an action on the customer action list for the follow-up action and to send a notification to the owner who is specified in the rule.

Letter

If you are responsible for receivable activities, you can follow up a conversation by mail. Select F for the letter code. The system marks it as done when it creates the letter. You create the letters by running the Follow Up Letters Extract process (AR_FOLLOWUP) and printing the Follow Up Letter Crystal report (AR33004).

See Generating and Printing Follow-Up Letters.

Date

View the date that you created the follow-up letter.

Reference Amount

Amount

Enter the amount associated with the referenced items for this conversation.

If you link items to a conversation, the system automatically populates the Amount field with the current total amount of the items and displays the item entry currency next to the amount field. The system does not populate the Amount field if the conversation already has a value in the Promise Date field. If the items are in different currencies, *** appears next to amount field and the Amount field is blank. You can change the amount only when all the items that are linked to the conversation are the same currency.

Note. You link items to conversations by selecting items on the Item List page and then selection either the Tie To A New Conversation or Tie To The Last Conversation in the Item Action field or by clicking Add a Conversation on the Item Maintenance component (ITEM_MAINTAIN). Alternatively, you link items to conversations, by entering items on the References page.

If you remove items from the References page, the system recalculates the amount as long as there is no promise date.

Promise Date

Enter the date by which you expect to receive payment. When a value is present in this field, the system no longer updates the Amount field if you change the referenced items.

Confidence

Select a confidence level for receiving the payment by the promise date. Values are High, Medium, and Low.

Keywords

Keyword1, Keyword2, and Keyword3

Enter up to three keywords to categorize conversations for easier retrieval. You define keywords on the Keywords page.

Conversation Entries

Add conversation entries for each conversation that you have with a customer and for each issue that is related to a conversation.

Add Entry	Click to add a new row to the Conversation Entries scroll area.
Contact ID	Enter the customer contact information to record with whom you spoke. When you move out of the field, the system automatically populates the Telephone and Extension fields based on the information that you entered on the Contact Phone and Type page.
Visible	Select if you want self-service users (customers, brokers, and salespeople) to view the conversation on the Receivables self-service pages.
Comments	Enter the text that you want to record for the conversation.
Edit Entry	Click to edit existing comments.

Associating Conversations With References

Access the References page.

Include Closed Information

Select to associate closed items in Receivables with the conversation.

Qualifier

Select the type of reference to link to the conversation. Depending on the selection, additional fields appear where you enter the reference information. Values are:

BA: Enter a buying agreement ID.

BI: Enter an invoice, business unit, and customer.

CT: Enter a contract number, business unit, and customer.

D: Enter a document number in the Reference ID field.

I: Enter an item ID, business unit, and customer ID. Also enter an item line number if applicable.

L: Enter a bill of lading in the Reference ID field.

P: Enter a purchase order number in the Reference ID field.

PY: Enter a payment ID in the Reference ID field and also prompt for the business unit and customer.

QU: Enter a quote and prompt for an order number, business unit, and customer.

RM: Enter an RMA number, business unit, and customer.

SO: Enter a sales order number, business unit, and customer.

View Item Activity

Click to access the Item Maintenance component, where you view details for a Receivables item. This link is available only if you select I for the qualifier.

Note. If you link items to conversations on the Item List page or on the Item Maintenance component and you have selected an item or multiple items, the system automatically populates the reference information.

Attaching Files to Conversations

Access the Attachments page.

Attach

Click to attach a file to a conversation. After you select a file by using the Browse field, click Upload. The file name appears in the Attached File field.

Enter a description for the file, if needed.

Delete

Click to remove a file attachment from the conversation.

View

Click to open the attached file.

Sending Notifications of Conversations

Access the Send Notification page.

To, CC (copy), and BCC (blind copy)	Enter the email addresses of the individuals to whom you want to send a uniform resource locator (URL) for the conversation. The URL provides a link to the conversation.
Message	Enter text for the email message.

Attachments Exist	Click to access the Attachments page, where you can view an attached file. This link is available only if there are existing attachments for the conversation.
Description	(Required) Enter a description of the conversation to help identify a conversation when searching for conversations.
Subject and Sub-Topic	(Optional) Select a subject and subtopic from the available options that you set up on the Conversation Subject Topics page and the Conversation Subject page. This helps you identify the conversation when searching for conversations.