custom setup questions

[emyllyma]

Our business uses the "couple" as the smallest marketable unit most of the time. As such, our existing tools all have forms where staff enter first_name, last_name as well as spouse_first_name and spouse_last_name.

The underlying table, clients, also has these four fields. I know, a terribly designed database from all angles (i inherited the design, but have had more than enough time to have changed it ... :0 ).

So looking to trial SugarCRM, I see two possibilities. Customize the Contact module to include these two custom fields (spouse_first_name, spouse_last_name). this is quick and dirty and brings with it the bad design that we currently have but it is familiar to our sales staff.

The other option I am considering is hijacking the "Reports to" feature and use that to link one spouse to the other (one of the salespeople mentioned that "Reports to" must be referring to the spouse, jokingly, but it seems it might work in practice .

This is better design-wise, but is also more complicated - when they enter a new "couple" they will have to remember to make two contact records - and if things are too complicated, the spousal information
will just wind up in the notes field, guaranteed.

Also, to make the "Reports to" relation work in this "Is partner of" way, it would also have to reciprocally link back the other way, so search a for "Smythe" would show both Bob Smythe and Cheryl Smythe, and bringing up either record would allow you to see the relationship to the other.

In general, our business could make use of a relation called "Relationship" that would allow this linking as well as offer an attribute on the relation to identify what type of relation it is (Sibling, child, parent, partner, husband, etc.).

A bit of a ramble, I appologize. Your thoughts appreciated.