Purpose

The purpose of this technical bulletin is to provide an overview of the Create Account Rankings utility, to provide the Administrative users of Tour de Force with the instructions on how to access the Create Account Rankings utility, to discuss how to create and maintain Total Potential Dollar rules, as well as to demonstrate how to create, maintain, and apply Account Ranking rules for ranking customers or Account records.

 

The Create Account Rankings utility associated with the BSI Sales Planning module in the Administration Console of Tour de Force is used to create the Total Potential Dollar and the Account Ranking rules.  Total Potential Dollar rules are set up to calculate a Total Potential Dollar Amount to associate with customers and prospects based on the number of employees and the classification or industry associated with the Account records.  

 

Account Ranking rules can be set up and based on any criteria associated with the Account records in Tour de Force such as company size, annual revenue, profitability, future growth potential, or total number of employees. The Account Ranking rules are completely customizable, which means companies have the ultimate flexibility to configure how to rank existing customers.

 

This technical bulletin contains the following sections:

1. Overview of the Create Account Rankings Utility
2. Accessing the Create Account Rankings Utility
3. Granting Users Permission to Access the Planning Administration Utilities
4. Overview of the Create Account Rankings Form
5. Setting up the Create Account Rankings Utility
6. Applying the Account Ranking Rules
7. Creating an Account Ranking Rule for Key Accounts

 

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1. Overview of the Create Account Rankings Utility

Tour de Force strongly believes that segmenting customers based on the value that these customers provide to a business is critical.  Knowing where the sales dollars are bringing the greatest returns is extremely important because knowing the best and most profitable customers can impact future marketing activities, increase cross selling opportunities, and reduce support requirements.

 

The benefits of segmenting customers include:

 

1. Focusing on the right customer at the right time.
2. Presenting the right value proposition.
3. Communicating the right message.
4. Demonstrating Customer Value or showing where the sales dollars are bringing the greatest return for efforts.
5. Improved forecasting of future customer behavior.
6. Improved customer profiling
7. Increased targeting efficiency of marketing actions to existing customers.
8. Penetration analysis and cloning existing customer for better prospecting

 

The Account Ranking feature enables businesses to view a snapshot of the most valuable customers based on a set of predefined criteria such as company size, annual revenue, profitability, future growth potential, or total number of employees.

 

Typically, companies rank customers based the number of employees, the average dollar per employee, and the total potential dollar amount associated with customers.  However, Account Ranking rules can be based on any information associated with the Account records in Tour de Force such as year-to-date sales.

 

 

 

 

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2. Accessing the Create Account Rankings Utility

The Planning Administration utilities associated with the BSI Sales Planning module can be accessed from the Tour de Force Administration Console; or from the Tour de Force menu in Microsoft Outlook if a user has been given permissions to the Planning Administration utilities in the User Permissions utility associated with the Tour de Force Administration Console.

Use the following procedures to access the Create Account Rankings utility:

1. Open the Administration Console associated with Tour de Force.
2. Expand the Advanced Features Setup folder.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Expand the Planning Set-up / Administration option.

 

4. Select the Planning Administration option.

 

 

 

 

5. Click the Launch: Planning Administration button.

6. After clicking the Launch: Planning Administration button, the Planning Administration utility opens.

 

 

7. Click the Create Account Rankings icon twice to access the Create Account Rankings utility.

8. Once the Create Account Ranking icon is clicked, the Create Account Rankings form opens.

 

3. Granting Users Permission to Access the Planning Administration Utilities

Administrative users of Tour de Force can grant other users access to the Planning Administration utilities associated with the BSI Sales Planning module without giving access to the Tour de Force Administration Console or to the server where the Tour de Force Administration Console is installed.

Granting permission to access the Planning Administration utilities associated with the BSI Sales Planning module adds the Planning Administration menu option to the Admin Utilities menu associated with Tour de Force of the user.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use the following procedures to give permissions to users access to the Planning Administration utilities associated with the BSI Sales Planning module:

1. Access the Tour de Force Administration Console.
2. Expand the Users, Permissions, and Organization Structure category.

 

3. Select the User Permission option and then click the Launch: User Permission button.

 

4. In the User Name list, give focus to the appropriate user and then check the RightValue field associated with the Planning Administration option.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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4. Overview of the Create Account Rankings Form

The Create Account Rankings utility associated with the BSI Sales Planning module in the Administration Console of Tour de Force can be used to create the Total Potential Dollar rules for calculating a Total Potential Dollar Amount for customers and prospects based on the number of employees and the classification or industry associated with the Account records.

 

The Create Account Rankings utility can also be used to create Account Ranking rules based on any criteria associated with the Account records in Tour de Force, which means companies have the ultimate flexibility to configure how to rank existing customers.  The Account Ranking rules are completely customizable and are typically based on attributes associated with companies such as company size, total number of employees, total potential annual revenue, sales totals from a prior year, profitability, or future growth potential.

 

The Create Account Rankings utility is extremely flexible.  Although the Total Potential Dollar rules and Account Ranking rules are mutually exclusive and can be used separately, the Total Potential Dollar rules can be set up and used as a basis for the Account Ranking rules.  After the Total Potential Dollar rules have been applied to calculate and update the Total Potential Dollar field associated with the Account records, the Account Ranking rules can be applied to update the Account Ranking field associated with the Account records based on the Total Potential Dollar field.

 

 

The Create Account Ranking form has three tabs.

• The $ per Employee tab
• The Rankings tab
• The Apply Rules tab

The $ Per Employee Tab

The $ per Employee tab is primarily used to define the Total Potential Dollar rules for calculating the total potential sales dollars for customers based the number of employees and the classification associated with the Account records specified in the Account form, and the $ Per Employee specified by classification in the Define Ranking Rules section associated with this tab.

The Rankings Tab

The Rankings tab is used to create the Account Ranking rules for defining the conditions and the values that are used to update the Account Ranking field associated with the Account form for customers and prospects.

 

The Apply Rules Tab

The Apply Rules tab is used to calculate the Total Potential Dollars field based on the Total Potential Dollar rules, as well as to apply the Account Ranking rules to the Account records associated with Tour de Force.

 

 

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5. Setting up the Create Account Rankings Utility

In order to set up the Create Account Ranking utility, several User Defined Fields or UDFs have to be created and associated with the Account form using the Screen Designer utility in the Administration Console of Tour de Force.  

The User Defined Fields that are required include:

• Number of Employees – This field is used to specify the number of employees employed by a customer or prospect.
• Customer Classification – This field is used to specify the classification or industry associated with a customer or prospect.
• Total Potential Dollars – This field is used to specify the potential sales volume associated with a customer or prospect.
• Account Ranking – This field is used to display the ranking of an Account record based on the Account Ranking rules.

Tour de Force recommends using one of the profile tabs associated with the Account form to maintain the Account Rankings information.  

 

Note:  These fields must be mapped to a control in the Account form in order to be available in the Create Account Ranking utility.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Number of Employees, the Customer Classification, and the Total Potential Dollars fields associated with the Account form are specified on the $ per Employee tab associated with the Create Account Rankings utility.

 

The Account Ranking field is used on the Rankings tab associated with the Create Account Rankings utility.

 

 

In the Screen Designer utility associated with the Administration Console of Tour de Force, set the Frame Caption field for the appropriate Profile tab to Ranking and Potential.

 

After creating the Number of Employees field, set the UDF Format field to Number and the Property Format to Truncated: 1,235 -1,235.

 

 

After creating the Total Potential Dollars field, set the UDF Format field to Currency.

 

After creating the Total Potential Dollar field, check the Read Only field if users should not be able to change the value once the Account Ranking rules have been applied.

 

 

After creating the Account Ranking field, check the Read Only field if users should not be able to change the value once the Account Ranking rules have been applied.

 

A Customer Classification field needs to be associated with the Account form in Tour de Force.  Typically, a Customer Class or Industry field is set up and associated with the Summary tab of the Account form.

 

 

Use the following procedures to set up the Create Account Ranking utility:

9. Open the Administration Console associated with Tour de Force.
10. Expand the Advanced Features Setup folder.
11. Expand the Planning Set-up / Administration option.
12. Select the Planning Administration option.
13. Click the Launch: Planning Administration button.
14. Click the Create Account Rankings icon twice to access the Create Account Rankings utility.
15. On the $ per Employee tab, click the Select hyperlink field to the right of the # Employee UDF field.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16. In the Select a UDF window, select the field created in the Screen Designer utility to associate with the total number of employees on the Account records and then click the Select button.

For example, select Number of Employees and then click the Select button.

 

17. Click the Select hyperlink field to the right of the Default Class Field field.

Note:  The field specified in the Default Class Field is used as a default for the Class UDF field when creating new Total Potential Dollar rules.

18. In the Select a UDF window, select the field created in the Screen Designer utility to associate with the classification or industry on the Account records and then click the Select button.

 

For example, select Account Classification and then click the Select button.

 

19. Click the Select hyperlink field to the right of the “Potential Dollars” Target UDF field.

 

 

20. In the Select a UDF window, select the field created in the Screen Designer utility to associate with the total potential dollars at the Account records and then click the Select button.

 

For example, select Potential Dollars and then click the Select button.

 

21. In the Define Ranking Rules section, click the Plus Sign button to create a new Total Potential Dollar rule for calculating the Potential Dollar field associated with customers based on the classification and number of employees associated with the Account record.

22. In the Define Ranking Rules section, create a Total Potential Dollar rule for each Account Classification value.

• Class Value – Specify the appropriate account classification to associate with the Total Potential Dollar rule.
• Empl. Min – Specify the minimum number of employees to associate with the Total Potential Dollar rule.
• Empl. Max – Specify the maxium number of employees to associate with the Total Potential Dollar rule.
• $ per Empl. – For each Total Potential Dollar rule, specify the potential revenue amount in dollars for each employee.
• Target UDF – For each Total Potential Dollar rule, specify the target field for the total potential dollar calculation.

In this exmaple, the HVAC account classification has four Total Potential Dollar rules based on a range of total number of employees.

• If a customer has 20 employees, then the Total Potential Dollars field is set to $8,000.00 on the Account form when the Apply Rules button is clicked on the Apply Rules tab associated with the Create Account Rankings utility.
• If a customer has 50 employees, then the Total Potential Dollars field is set to $22,500.00 on the Account form when the Apply Rules button is clicked on the Apply Rules tab associated with the Create Account Rankings utility.
• If a customer has 300 employees, then the Total Potential Dollars field is set to$165,000 Account form when the Apply Rules button is clicked on the Apply Rules tab associated with the Create Account Rankings utility.

1. Click the Rankings tab.

2. Click the Select hyperlink field to the right of the “Ranking” Target UDF field.

 

3. In the Select a UDF window, select the field created in the Screen Designer utility to associate with the Account Ranking field on the Account records and then click the Select button.

Note:  The field specified in the Account Ranking field is used as a default for the Target UDF field when creating new Account Ranking rules.

4. In the Account Ranking Condition section, complete the lines for each Account Ranking rule.

• Name – Specify a description to associate with each Account Ranking rule.
• Value – Specify a value to associate with each Account Ranking rule.
• Filter String – Specify a filter or condition to associate with each Account Ranking rule.
• Target UDF – Specify the field that is updated based on the conditions associated with the Filter String field for each Account Ranking rule.

The Value field associated with each Account Ranking rule updates the field defined in the Target UDF field on the Account record based on the criteria related to the Filter String fields.

For example, if the Potential Dollars field associated with an Account record is greater than $500,000.00, then the Account Ranking field associated with that Account record is set to Class A.

 

If the Potential Dollars field associated with an Account record is $280,000.00, then the Account Ranking field associated with that Account record is set to Class B.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If the Potential Dollars field associated with an Account record is $175,000.00, then the Account Ranking field associated with that Account record is set to Class C.

 

If the Potential Dollars field associated with an Account record is less than $50,000.00, then the Account Ranking field associated with that Account record is set to Class D.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. Applying the Account Rankings Rules

The Apply Rules tab is used to calculate the Potential Dollars at Account field based on the Total Potential Dollar rules, as well as to apply the Account Ranking rules to the Account records associated with Tour de Force.

Use the following procedures to apply the Total Potential Dollar and the Account Ranking rules:

5. Open the Administration Console associated with Tour de Force.
6. Expand the Advanced Features Setup folder.
7. Expand the Planning Set-up / Administration option.
8. Select the Planning Administration option.
9. Click the Launch: Planning Administration button.
10. Click the Create Account Rankings icon twice to access the Create Account Rankings utility.
11. Click the Apply Rules tab.
12. Click the Apply Rules button.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

13. In the Please Confirm window, click the Yes button to calculate the Potential Dollars at Account field based on the Total Potential Dollar rules, as well as to apply the Account Ranking rules to the Account records associated with Tour de Force.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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7. Creating an Account Ranking Rule for Key Accounts

The Account Ranking utility can be used to identify key accounts in Tour de Force based on any criteria associated with the Account records.  For example, key accounts can be based on the total sales from last year.

A Key Account field or a field that allows Account records to be identified as a key account must be associated with the Account form.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use the following procedures to create an Account Ranking rule to identify the key accounts in Tour de Force based on the total sales from last year:

14. Open the Administration Console associated with Tour de Force.
15. Expand the Advanced Features Setup folder.
16. Expand the Planning Set-up / Administration option.
17. Select the Planning Administration option.
18. Click the Launch: Planning Administration button.
19. Click the Create Account Rankings icon twice to access the Create Account Rankings utility.
20. Click the Rankings tab.
21. Click the Plus Sign icon to add a new Account Ranking rule.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

22. In the Name field associated with the new blank line, type Key Accounts – Yes.

23. In the Value field, type Yes.

Note:  The value of Yes is the option associated with the Key Account field that identifies an Account record as a key account.

24. Click the Filter String field to access the Advanced Filter Building window.

 

25. Click the Plus Sign to the right of the Operator of And.

26. In the Criteria field, select BSI: Sales_YTD value from the list.

 

 

27. In the Operator field, select the > Is greater than or equal to option.

 

 

 

 

 

28. In the Value field, type 25000.

 

29. Click the OK button

 

 

 

 

30. In the Target UDF field, select the Key Account option.

 

31. Click the Plus Sign icon to add a new Account Ranking rule.

 

 

 

 

 

32. In the Name field associated with the new blank line, type Key Accounts – No.

 

 

33. In the Value field, type No.

 

Note:  The value of No is the option associated with the Key Account field that identifies that an Account record is not a key account.

 

 

34. In the Filter String field, set the BSI: Sales_YTD field less than or equal to $24,999.99 and then click the OK button.

 

 

35. In the Target UDF field, select the Key Account option.

 

 

 

 

36. Click the Apply Rules tab.

 

 

37. Click the Apply Rules button.

 

38. In the Please Confirm window, click the Yes button to apply the Key Account Ranking Rule.

 

39. After applying the Account Ranking rule for the Key Account records, verify the results using the Managers Console utility.

 

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Summary

The purpose of this technical bulletin is to provide an overview for the Create Account Rankings utility, to provide the Administrative users of Tour de Force with the instructions on how to access the Create Account Rankings utility, to discuss how to create and maintain Total Potential Dollar rules, as well as to demonstrate how to create, maintain, and apply Account Ranking rules for ranking customers or Account records.