The Apps you use and the relationships between them will dictate how your information is managed in Servis.ai.
This article covers the following topics:
FAQs
What is an App?
An App is a customizable data-capturing tool that stores and organizes information like a collection of spreadsheets. See below to learn more.
Can I customize Apps in Servis.ai?
Yes. You can customize nearly every aspect of an App in the App Settings.
Can I create my own Apps in Servis.ai?
Yes. See our article, How to Create a Custom App-Part 1.
Note: We recommend talking to your account manager before creating your own custom Apps.
Can I control who has access to an App in Servis.ai?
Yes. Roles & Access Control Lists allow you to designate who can access a specific App and what actions they can perform.
Can I integrate 3rd party software with Apps in Servis.ai?
Yes, Servis.ai can integrate with a wide variety of 3rd party software applications, including email marketing tools, accounting software, and business analytics platforms.
How do Apps work together in Servis.ai?
See App Relationships.
What is an App?
An App is a customizable data-capturing tool that stores and organizes information like a collection of spreadsheets.
For example, each contact record in the Contacts App is like a single row in a spreadsheet that stores all the information about a contact.
The difference between an App and a collection of spreadsheets is that an App can make the information it contains accessible to other Apps, creating a network of interconnected data repositories.
B2B Sales Apps
Let’s look at some examples of Apps that you will typically find in a B2B sales setup. Even if your business doesn’t fit the typical B2B model, the following examples are still useful for understanding how Apps work in Servis.ai.
Contacts
The Contacts App is a complete list of every individual contact record being managed in Servis.ai. Each contact record contains the primary information related to a specific person associated with a specific account record, including the contact’s Name, Title, and Contact Details.
Accounts
The Accounts App is a complete list of every individual account record being managed in Servis.ai. Each account record contains the primary information related to a specific client, including the Company Name, Company Location, and Industry.
Opportunities
The Opportunities App is a complete list of every individual opportunity record being managed in Servis.ai. Each opportunity record contains the primary information related to a specific opportunity associated with a specific Account record, including the Opportunity Type and Opportunity Stage.
Quotes
The Quotes App is a complete list of every individual quote record being managed in Servis.ai. Each quote record contains the primary information related to a specific quote associated with a specific Account record, including the Quote Stage, Issued Date, Expiration Date, and Payment Terms.
Products
The Products App is a complete list of every individual product record being managed in Servis.ai. Each product record contains the primary information related to a specific product, including the product Name, Description, and Price.
Projects
The Projects App is a complete list of every individual project record being managed in Servis.ai. Each project record contains the primary information related to a specific project associated with a specific account record, including the Project Type, Stage, Status, and Price Estimate.
Tickets
The Tickets App is a complete list of every individual ticket record being managed in Servis.ai. Each ticket record contains the primary information related to a specific ticket associated with a specific Account record, including the ticket Title, Type, and Priority.
App relationships
App relationships form the foundation of how Servis.ai interprets and interacts with information and will define most business processes performed within the platform.
When talking about App relationships in Servis.ai, we are referring to the connections between Apps. Understanding these connections is crucial for managing and organizing information effectively.
Let’s look at an example. Here is a schema that displays how the Apps in a typical B2B sales setup relate to each other in Servis.ai.
Parent-Child Relationships
Accounts App at the Center:
- The Accounts App is the “parent” app to the Contacts, Deals, Projects, Quotes, and Tickets apps (the child apps).
- All Contact, Deal, Project, Quote, and Ticket records must be associated with a specific Account record.
Centralized Information:
- Designating the Accounts App as the parent creates a hierarchy that centralizes all information related to a customer.
- This structure ensures a single source of truth, promoting accuracy and consistency.
Simplified Navigation:
- The hierarchy makes it easy to navigate from an Account to any of the associated Contacts, Deals, Projects, Quotes, or Tickets.
Reduced Redundancy:
- The parent-child structure helps eliminate redundancies and simplifies the creation of Dashboards and Reports.
Automated Workflows:
- This relationship enables automated workflows that trigger actions based on changes in parent or child records.
Example: Updating the status of a Deal record can trigger tasks or notifications linked to the associated Account.
One-to-Many Relationships
Relationships Beyond Apps:
- In Servis.ai, not only do apps have relationships, but individual records can also have relationships.
What is a One-to-Many Relationship?
- A one-to-many relationship occurs when a single app record can be associated with multiple other app records.
Example:
- An Account record can be linked to multiple Contact records.
- However, each Contact record can only be linked to one Account record.
Hierarchical Structure:
- This type of relationship is commonly used in hierarchical scenarios, like a parent-child relationship, to streamline business processes.
Real-World Example:
- If a sales rep needs to send an email to a prospect in Servis.ai, they can:
- Access the complete list of Contacts linked to the prospect’s Account from the Related List in the Account record.
- Click on a specific Contact to navigate directly to that record in the Contacts App.
- Gain full visibility into the Contact’s information and interaction history from the record.
Many-to-Many relationships
Definition:
A many-to-many relationship in Servis.ai means that:
- Multiple records in one app can be associated with multiple records in another app, and vice versa.
Purpose:
This structure is designed for complex and interconnected relationships where records are part of a larger network of connections.
Example Use Case:
- The Contacts App and the Opportunities App often share a many-to-many relationship.
- Opportunities: Can involve multiple contacts.
- Contacts: Can be involved in multiple opportunities.
Key Benefits:
- Enhanced Collaboration: Teams can better coordinate when records are linked.
- Greater Visibility: Users can see all connections between related records.
- Comprehensive Reporting: Relationships enable deeper insights and more robust reporting.
By linking records in Servis.ai, you unlock powerful tools for managing complex relationships with ease.
Customizing Apps
In Servis.ai, you can customize nearly everything about an App — from its name, description, and look — to its access controls, privacy preferences, and form rules.
There are many benefits to App customization in Servis.ai, including:
- Improved information capture and refinement- You can tailor the information you capture to the specific needs of your business.
For example, if your company operates nationally, you could customize the Contacts App to capture information about a Contact’s location (city, state, and time zone).
- Better business process alignment- You can align Servis.ai with your unique business processes.
For example, if your company has a non-conventional sales cycle, you could customize the Deals App to create deal stages that reflect your unique workflow.
- Enhanced reporting- You can create reports and dashboards that provide meaningful insights to you and your team.
For example, if your company has a non-conventional sales cycle, you could create pipeline reports based on the unique deal stages you set up in the Deals App.
To learn how to customize an App, refer to the App Settings article.
Creating Custom Apps
When creating a custom App in Servis.ai or when customizing an existing App, there are a couple of things to consider before you start.
- Identify your business need- Start by pinpointing a process or information category that could use better management.
For example, you might want to gain clearer insights into your customer interactions or have a better overview of your project timelines.
- Plan Your App Structure- Decide what type of data you want to store in the App. Consider what fields to include.
Next, consider how the new App will relate to your existing Apps. What sort of relationships will it have? Will it be a child App associated with a parent App? Will the App have a many-to-many relationship with any other App?
Once you have a basic idea of what kind of App you want to create and where it fits in your Servis.ai instance, refer to How to Create a Custom App-Part 1.