Last Results - History Type

[jnpurdy]

What would "Last Results" be considered a "System" change and not a contact change and recorded as "Activity History" ? Understanding that may allow me to reclaim some of the Detailed Contact view real estate. Thanks,

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

If memory serves correct Last Results is a carry over from ACT! for DOS where the number of history types was very limited and non-configurable. To maintain compatibility as a database was converted to later versions, the history type for last results was unchanged. In the DOS days there wasn't any ability to create history without creating an activity and then clearing it. The last results was the way to create an immediate history entry.

[Gary W]

Hi John,

I'm afraid I'm not quite sure what you're asking here. The "Last Results" field will generate a contact history when changed.

[jnpurdy]

I understand that the history will be generated if coded to record history. I'm just confused as to why it is part of System Changes and not a normal contact history under Activity History. In fact that is a quick way to record a customer activity history without all the other clicks to accomplish the same thing. For me, I've been using it as a record of a recent customer information or activity that I always want to make sure it is front of mind. I wanted to check the date of the "Last Results" that was on the screen and didn't see it in the history. I checked "Define Fields" and saw that history was checked. I then went back to the type filter and checked "All" and the history then appeared. Through trial and error I found that it was categorized as a System Change. I unclick system changes just so that type of history will not be listed under a contact. I just want to know about the contact, not the system. (If I need to look at system changes, I will then turn that on for a search.) Does this make any more sense?

[Gary W]

Ahh, I understand what you're asking now.

It would appear that at the time this feature was added, it was decided that the most suitable history type for the Generate History feature to use, would be a System Change, as it is entirely separate from the Activities and other correspondence history types. Because Act is recording the fact that the database field value has changed, which incidentally shows the before and after values, System Change seemed like the most logical categorisation for this history type.

If you have a suggestion of a better implementation of the Generate History feature, then our Share Your Ideas board would be the best place to post this.

[Roy_Laudenslager · Accepted solution]

If memory serves correct Last Results is a carry over from ACT! for DOS where the number of history types was very limited and non-configurable. To maintain compatibility as a database was converted to later versions, the history type for last results was unchanged. In the DOS days there wasn't any ability to create history without creating an activity and then clearing it. The last results was the way to create an immediate history entry.

[jnpurdy]

Thank you Roy.  As always, you are a fountain of resourceful information. 

[vhammond]

Hi Gary - I have a question related to History Types... is this field an editable field so that I can add other History Types? Or, is it possible to edit the options under Results? 

Thank you for your time!

[Gary W]

Hi vhammond,

You can create new Activity Types that will appear as a history type. The Results options can also be edited. The following Knowledgebase article details this feature: http://kb.act.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/13870