Lesson 1Entity: Company/Account — key fields with data types and reasons (company name, domain, industry, size, billing address, account owner, etc.)This part explains the Company or Account entity for agencies, listing key details for identification, grouping, and ownership, including address and billing information that aids in planning territories, sending invoices, and managing accounts over time in a Botswana context.
Core identity fields and uniqueness rulesDomain, website, and enrichment optionsIndustry, size, and firmographic tagsBilling and shipping address modelingAccount ownership and territory logicParent child and group account structuresLesson 2Balancing normalisation and denormalisation for better performance and reportsHere, we examine ways to organise and simplify data in CRM systems, showing how to set up tables and fields for quick access, useful reports, and smooth connections, all while preventing repeats, errors, and extra complications in everyday use.
Normalization goals and normal formsCommon denormalization techniquesPerformance impacts and indexingReporting and analytics trade offsIntegration and data sync concernsGuidelines for pragmatic modelingLesson 3Entity: Activity/Interaction — key fields with data types and reasons (type, subject, date/time, outcome, related entity, notes, duration)This section covers the Activity or Interaction entity, explaining main fields, their types, and purposes for recording emails, calls, meetings, and tasks, to keep a full record of engagements with leads, contacts, and opportunities in your business.
Activity types and controlled vocabulariesSubject, description, and note takingDate, time, and time zone handlingOutcomes, statuses, and follow up rulesLinking activities to related CRM recordsDuration, effort, and productivity metricsLesson 4Entity: Contact — key fields with data types and reasons (first/last name, email, phone, role, linked account, preferred contact method, etc.)We define the Contact entity here, including personal and work details, communication choices, and connections to accounts and opportunities, helping with accurate targeting, personal touches, and tracking relationships effectively.
Identity fields and name formattingEmail, phone, and channel detailsJob role, seniority, and influencePreferred contact times and methodsLinking contacts to accountsContact roles on deals and projectsLesson 5Entity: Opportunity — key fields with data types and reasons (name, value, currency, stage, close date, probability, product/service type, sales owner)This part details the Opportunity entity for software agencies, with essential fields, suggested types, and reasons behind the design to aid in forecasting, seeing the sales pipeline, attributing revenue, and consistent reporting on sales.
Core identification fields and naming rulesMonetary fields, currency, and exchange handlingStage modeling and sales process alignmentClose date, probability, and forecasting logicProduct or service classification structuresOwnership, teams, and access controlLesson 6Entity: Lead — key fields with data types and reasons (source, status, score, created date, owner, etc.)Focusing on the Lead entity, this section covers fields, types, and reasons for noting new prospects, tracking where they come from and their status, scoring their interest, and readying them for smooth change into contacts, accounts, and opportunities.
Lead capture fields and validation rulesSource, campaign, and attribution dataLead status, stages, and SLA policiesScoring models and intent indicatorsOwnership, routing, and assignmentConversion mapping to core entitiesLesson 7Entity relationship patterns and connections (one-to-many, many-to-many via junction table, flexible activities)We discuss CRM relationship patterns, like one-to-many, many-to-many using junction tables, and flexible activities, explaining when to apply each and their effects on reports, automatic tasks, and keeping data reliable and accurate.
One to many relationships and ownershipMany to many via junction entitiesModeling contact roles on opportunitiesPolymorphic activity relationshipsLookup versus master detail choicesImpact on reporting and rollup fieldsLesson 8Overview of main CRM entities and their purposes (Lead, Contact, Account/Company, Opportunity, Activity/Interaction)This introduction covers the key CRM entities used in software agencies, making clear the role of Leads, Contacts, Accounts or Companies, Opportunities, and Activities, and how they fit together in the process of generating revenue.
Lead versus Contact distinctionsAccount or Company core purposeOpportunity as revenue containerActivity as engagement historyTypical lifecycle from lead to clientCross entity data flow and handoffsLesson 9Entity extension points: custom fields, choice lists, formula fields, calculated fieldsExplore ways to extend entities, such as adding custom fields, choice lists, formulas, and calculated fields, to include agency-specific details while keeping things user-friendly, fast, and safe for future updates.
When to add custom fields and whyDesigning picklists and option setsFormula and calculated field patternsUsing rollup and summary calculationsManaging technical debt in metadataGovernance, naming, and documentation
