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Quick Guide: Log History

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Quick Guide: Log History

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Tutorial: Log History

1.On the History Tab, press the Log History button.

2.Select the task type (such as Call, Letter, etc.)
3.Select the result (Attempted, Done, and Received).
4.Select the date and time if different. TntConnect will offer a time for certain time-specific task types (such as Appointment, Call, E-mail, and To Do) but not for others (all types of Letters).
5.Write a meaningful description—for when you look back months or years later.
6.If this item is related to a special gift appeal, select the appeal from the Appeal drop-down list on the Details tab.
7.Assign any of the appropriate details:
If you are married or work in a team environment, select the User who performed the task.
Share with Support Coach adds this item to the weekly update (on the Analysis View).
Define the Purpose. This is a great feature because sometimes a "Call" is actually a "Thank".

(By default, "Newsletters" are tagged as Mass Mailings. "Thank" and "Present" are marked as Thank.)

While Appointments are not marked as "Partnership Challenge", Appointments have the Partnership Challenge checkbox on the main page in addition to the Details tab.

Assign the Special Gift Appeal.

8.Press OK.

 

Sometimes you want to reply or act on a previous item in your history (for example, completing a phone call when the previous one was only "Attempted"). To do this, right click on any item in the History list and select, "Log Reply".

Tip: View History Details right on the History Tab

You can now view the details of your history with a contact right on the History Tab. These details include Last Call, Last Thank, Last Appointment, etc. Press the little drop-down arrow next to the Individual button. (Naturally, you need to be logging history for the details to display!)

1.Pressing this button...

2.Displays these details:

Helpful videos about using the Log History features

Video Series: Track Anything with Log History

Video: Track Pledge Changes using Log History

Video: Manage Prayer Requests using Log History

Video: Log History for "Presents" (non-financial gifts)

Tip: Prepared Message for Answering Machines

In an era of cell phones and busy schedules, it is not uncommon to have difficulty reaching someone by phone. Having a prepared message to leave on their voice mail or answering machine can save you time and frustration, and help you avoid "stumbling" (that is, leaving a confusing message).

Remember when leaving a message to leave it with a smile on your face (they notice). Speak loudly, warmly, and with encouragement.

A prepared message could include one or more of the following items:

Your name and ministry
Why you are calling
When you will call back
An encouraging word
A Bible verse
A mention that you are praying for them

Tip: Log Group History

You can log history for a group of contacts at the same time (such as sending a monthly newsletter or an appeal) instead of logging history one contact at a time.

Menu Path: Group Actions | Log Group History

Read More > Tutorial: Log Group History

Tip: History Tips

Log every task you do, regardless of the result. 10 dials = 10 tasks logged.
When you send a support-related e-mail, blind copy (BC:) yourself, then copy and paste the whole text into the description of your task. Copy both sides if your message is a response to theirs.
An event is "Attempted" if the desired result is not achieved, such as:
The person you wanted to talk to did not answer (busy, no answer, babysitter, child, secretary)
You went to an appointment but they did not show up
You sent an e-mail but it was returned with a wrong address
Save commonly-used descriptions to make your history more consistent and easier to create—the description box auto-fills from your saved list.
When writing a description, be detailed so you can make sense of your history.
History isn't perfect. For example, if a contact calls you back and you fulfill the activity you were seeking, you may want to use "Done" instead of "Received" on the task.
Write casual encounters as an "Unscheduled Visit" (found on the bottom in the "Other" task types).
Log history for all the contacts in the Current Group. For example, when you send a special ask or your monthly newsletter.
Be ready in and out of season. Have note cards handy, with stamps. Keep an index card to write down who you sent notes to so you can enter it in TntConnect later.
When talking on the phone, use a pen and paper to scribble notes, as typing may be distracting to the contact (sounds like an airline reservation system!)

Tip: Saved Descriptions speeds up entry of commonly used task/history descriptions

You can save your frequently used descriptions for tasks and history. These autofill as you type them.

1.In the Description box, press the drop-down arrow

2.Select "Edit List" from the bottom of saved descriptions (if there are any)

3.Add or Edit your Saved Descriptions
4.When you want to use a Saved Description, just click in the "Description" box and start typing one of your saved descriptions... TntConnect will auto-fill from your list. (Or, click the drop-down arrow and select the one you want.)



Comments on this Help Topic

Jana Disney wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 2 Dec 2010 2:17 PM

How can you delete an entry mistakenly put into someone's history?

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 16 Dec 2010 5:44 PM

Click on the history item and then click the "Delete" key on your keyboard.

abendeb wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 24 Jan 2011 7:35 PM

newbie question: what's the difference between "Done" and "Received" in the results field?

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 8 Feb 2011 9:19 PM

When you receive a phone call or a letter from a partner, you'd log it as "Received".

Stevie K wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 7 Jun 2011 1:04 AM

Can I add a new TYPE? Want to create a field called "Text" for Text messages.

Stevie K wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 7 Jun 2011 1:05 AM

Can I add a new TYPE field? I want to add "Text" for text messages.

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 12 Aug 2011 7:53 PM

Stevie, you can't currently add custom task types.

Bob Mac Leod wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 26 Aug 2011 7:31 PM

A good workaround is to consistently use a similar field. For example, if you consider a Text most like an email, always use Email as the task type, then always start the description with "TEXT: "

I do this with "cards" that I send to partners. I use "LETTER" as the task type but use the description "CARD: " to indicate that I sent them a card. It is very much like a letter, but since I send so many 'cards' that are not thank you cards (using custom cardstock).

Chris Hubbard wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 10 Sep 2012 7:37 PM

So why does "Attempted" history have strike-through through it and "Done" is a maroon color?

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 17 Sep 2012 9:15 PM

Chris, completed phone calls in the history are purple.  Attempted are strike-through to show that an attempt was made, but it was never completed.

JoshuaBass wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 10 Mar 2013 12:45 AM

My tasks and history are not showing up on any contacts tab.  How do I fix it where every task I complete is moved to the contact's histroy tab?

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 23 Mar 2013 2:07 PM

Joshua, visit the "Downloads" section and make sure you're on the very latest version of TntMPD.  If you still have a problem, report it in the forums.  --Troy

R.ScottWilliams wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 7 Jun 2013 5:33 PM

In the "By" column in History, my name is autogenerated. The dropdown box only has my name. How do I get my wife's name into the list?

reK1NDLE wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 11 Jun 2013 4:20 PM

Is there a way to "un-complete" a history item, i.e. move it from History back to Tasks?

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Tutorial: Log History
on 14 Jun 2013 5:59 PM

Hi R.ScotWilliams, under the "File" menu, click on "Manage Users".

Hi reK1NDLE, there's not a way to un-complete a history item.  You'll have to manually re-create your task.  :(

JeffreyUrich wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 29 Sep 2014 4:50 PM

Can we customize the list of History types?  For example, rather than logging an "Unscheduled Visit" I would like to log a "Visit" in History.

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 29 Sep 2014 7:02 PM

If it's a scheduled visit, it's an "appointment".  (But no, the list is not customizable.)

Leendertjong wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 13 Dec 2017 12:24 PM

if i make a group history item, can i later see the individual history items so i can filter out those i did not actually do? (for example, writing a Christmas card to everyone receiving the newsletter except those i did not wish to send.

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 16 Dec 2017 7:35 PM

Hi Leendert, to see the individual items, un-check the box "Combine History Logged as a Group".

dnckrebs wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 14 Jan 2019 10:25 AM

Can I delete a group history item? I used the wrong group.

Troy Wolbrink wrote re: Quick Guide: Log History
on 3 May 2019 5:59 PM

Yes, in the History view, select the history item(s) you logged and click "Delete" on your keyboard.