Messages

This chapter describes the administrative setup tasks to perform before the Messages screen and views are used, and explains how users create, view, sort, and send messages. It includes the following topics:

Scenario for Setting Up Messages

This topic gives one example of how message setup might be used. You might use message setup differently, depending on your business model.

A corporation has hired four new sales representatives. The Siebel administrator must set up message functionality for these new employees. The administrator sets up accounts for each new sales representative and checks to make sure that the Communications Management and the Workflow Management component groups are enabled.

Next, the administrator activates the Messages workflow policies and the appropriate workflow processes.

The administrative assistant for the sales representatives receives a message for a sales representative, either by phone or by voice mail. Instead of writing the message out by hand, the administrative assistant enters the message in the Messages screen and assigns the message to the sales representative.

The administrative assistant associates the message with an existing account, adds information in the Comments field, and attaches a spreadsheet file to the message. The administrative assistant then prioritizes the message and send it either as an email or a screen alert.

By default, a message is marked private, and only the administrative assistant and sales representative can review the message. The administrative assistant can alternatively choose not to mark the message private, and then any individual with access to the account, activity, contact, opportunity, or service request associated with the message can view it.

About Using Messages

Users, such as sales representatives and call center agents, can use messages to communicate with others who also use Siebel Business Applications. They can create messages, view and sort messages, and associate activities and other items with messages. Using messages allows users to maintain a history of the communication associated with a contact, account, opportunity, or information request.

Note: The messages functionality is unrelated to notifications and alerts. For more information, see Siebel Fundamentals and Alerts.

About Email and Screen Alerts

There are two types of message alerts you can establish to send screen or email and screen alerts. You can set up email and screen alerts for messages and individuals to whom you delegate message-related activities, and perform the following tasks:

Set up an alert for an individual to whom you routinely send messages.
For example, you routinely send messages to the same individuals, and you want to set up a standard alert method to let them know you have sent a message.
Set up an alert for a single message so the recipient receives an alert.
For example, you send a message to an individual for whom you have not set up a message alert, but you can also set up an alert for the individual message.

You can opt to receive both email alerts and screen alerts simultaneously.

Email Alerts. A message generates an email alert when the following events occur:

A message is created and the Alert Type field has a value of Email or Email and Screen Alert.
A message is assigned to you, and you have set up an alert to receive email when messages or activities are assigned to you by a contact or employee.
An activity is assigned to you, and you have set up an alert to receive email when messages or activities are assigned to you.
You send an email from your Siebel application.

Screen Alerts. A message generates a screen alert when the following events occur:

A message is created and the Alert Type field of the Messages form has a value of Screen Alert or Email and Screen Alert.
A message is assigned to you, and you have set up an alert to receive a screen alert when messages or activities are assigned to you by a contact or employee.
An activity is assigned to you, and you have set up an alert to receive a screen alert when messages or activities are assigned to you.

Process of Setting Up and Using Messages

To set up and use messages, perform the following tasks:

Setting Up Messages

Administrators must set up workflows for the Messages screen and views before a new employee can have email access. For detailed information about how to set up workflows, see Siebel Business Process Framework: Workflow Guide.

Note: Make sure that users have the Message User responsibility so that they can access Messages views. For more information about setting responsibilities for users, see Siebel Security Guide.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To set up workflows for the Messages screen and views

Make sure that the Communications Management and the Workflow Management component groups are enabled.
Activate the Messages workflow policies, and remove the expiration dates as necessary.
All Messages workflow policies are in the Siebel Messaging policy group.
Activate the following workflow processes:
- Siebel Message send email
- Siebel Message send email for activity owner

Creating a New Message (End User)

You can create a message using the Message screen.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To create a new message

Navigate to the Messages screen, then the Messaging List view.

In the Messaging List, create a new record, and complete the necessary fields.

Some fields are described in the following table.

Field	Comments
Date/Time	Displays the month, day, year and the hour, minute, second that the message was created. You can edit this field.
Last Name	Select the name of the contact to be the message recipient. After a record is saved, you can drill down on this field to navigate to Contacts and More Info.
First Name	Displays the first name of the contact record that you select.
Work Phone #	Displays the business telephone number of the contact record that you select.
Mobile Phone #	Displays the mobile telephone number of the contact record that you select.
Email	Displays the email address of the contact record that you select.
Priority	Select a value to indicate the message priority. Default values include 1-ASAP, 2-High, 3-Medium, and 4-Low.
Status	Select a value to indicate the message status. Default values include New, Read, Delegated, Return Call, and Completed.
Message	Type the content of the message.
Assigned To	Select the name of the individual to whom you are assigning the message. You can select a default value in the Default Assigned To field in the User Preferences screen. For more information about user preferences, see Siebel Fundamentals.
Comment	Type optional text field for additional information.
Account	Select the account associated with the message, if applicable.
Opportunity	Displays the Opportunity associated with the message, if applicable. You can select an opportunity.
Alert Type	Select a value to indicate the alert type for the message. Default values include None, Email, Screen Alert, and Email and Screen Alert.
Private	Select the check box to permit only the message creator and recipient to view the message. Clear the check box to permit team members associated with the opportunity, account, contact, and service request to view the message.
SR #	Select the Service Request number associated with the message, if applicable.
Home Phone #	Displays the home telephone number of the contact record that you select.

Setting Up Single and Recurring Alerts (End User)

You can set up an ongoing alert type for an individual. This individual always receives an alert when you assign a message to this individual.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To set up a recurring message alert

Navigate to the Messages screen, Messaging List, and then the Message Alert Setup view.

In the Message Alerts Setup list, create a new record, and complete the necessary fields.

Some fields are described in the following table.

Field	Comments
Last Name	Select the contact name.
Alert Type	Select the type of alert.

Sending a Single Message Alert

You also can assign an alert to a single message to notify the recipient of a message. You can assign this alert either while you are creating the message or after you have saved the message.

To send a single message alert

Navigate to the Messages screen, Messaging List, then the Daily Messages view.
In the Daily Messages list, create a new record, and complete the necessary fields.
In the form at the end of the view, select the type of alert to assign to the message in the Alert Type field.

Viewing Messages (End User)

You can view messages assigned to you using your Siebel application.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To view messages assigned to you

Navigate to the Messages screen, then the Messaging List view.
In the Messaging list, select the message to read.
In the Message Details form, review the text in the Message field.

Viewing Messages Created by You

You can view messages created by you using your Siebel application.

To view messages created by you

Navigate to the Messages screen, Messaging List, then the All Messages view.
In the All Messages list, use Columns Displayed option in the menu for the cogwheel icon to display the Created By field.
In the All Messages list, query for the messages that you created by using the Created By field.
In the All Messages list, sort the messages by the Date/Time field.

Sorting Messages by Intervals (End User)

Use the appropriate view to sort messages into Daily, Weekly, or Monthly lists. You also can use queries to achieve the same result. The default query for the Messaging list displays all messages, but you can select predefined Daily, Weekly, or Monthly queries to refine your lists.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To sort messages by intervals

Navigate to the Messages screen, Messaging List, then the Daily Messages view.
A list of messages you received today appears in the Messaging list.
In the drop-down lists for the Date field, enter the date for which you want to find messages, and then click Go.
A list of messages for the specified date appears.
Click Today to see the messages for the current date.
Navigate to the Weekly Messages view to see messages you received in the previous seven-day interval.
Navigate to the Monthly Messages view to see messages you received in the last 30 days.

Sending a Message Using Email (End User)

You can send email messages to the recipient from within Siebel application. The recipient either can be inside or outside your corporate firewall because the Siebel application uses the email address associated with the contact information for the recipient. After you create a message and complete the necessary fields, you can send the message as an email. For information about standard email functionality within Siebel Business Applications, see Siebel Fundamentals.

This task is a step in Process of Setting Up and Using Messages.

To send an email message

Navigate to the Messages screen.
In the Messaging list, select the message to send as an email message.
From the application-level menu, select File, then Send Email.
In the Pick Recipient dialog box that appears, select the email recipient, and click OK.
In the Send Email dialog box that appears, complete the necessary fields for the email, and click Send.