Structured phone fields..

[dpuryear]

Is there a way with SugarOS or any modules to make the phone fields a little more structured?

For example, if I have 8005555555 really it should be (800) 555-555.

In general, my opinion is that free-form text fields are generally a bad idea. Sure, phone numbers come in various formats, e.g., +70 (50) 343 4333 for some given country perhaps, but you can usually make it happen.

I guess the issue is that I want to make data entry and data presentation consistent whenever possible.

Also, no phone extension field??

That means we'll see:

555-555-5555 x102
(555) 555-5555 ext 102
5555555555 ext.102
555.555.5555 102

etc.

[susiewilliams]

Hi there,

Check out this post, which is also listed in the Code Depot section of the Developers website, for some helpful code tweaks for phone fields.

[susiewilliams]

One other comment regarding your question (about why the app doesn't force you to put phone numbers in with one particular formatting scheme):


Remember that the goal of this app is to be a tool for people to use to do their jobs quickly and efficiently. It's not to generate pretty and uniform data in some database. For things like phone number fields, my opinion is you want to make it as easy as possible for your end user, the person who has to be using the product all day long, to get the right information into the system quickly and with the minimum hassle. I don't get so concerned when I see a list of phone numbers and they don't all look the same; I do get concerned when I hear end users complaining that the system is too cumbersome to enter data.

Just my opinion...

[dpuryear]

Well, let's keep in mind WE are the users you are talking about.

In general, CRM systems do try to structure phone fields in some way. I know most of the major small- to mid-size ones do. And structuring a phone field should have no impact on data entry. The CRM should do the work, not the user.

If I type:

5555555555

Then the CRM should structure that input the standard format of:

(555) 555-5555

Or even:

555-555-5555

At least, that's been my experience with other CRMs and my experience as a "user".

One other comment regarding your question (about why the app doesn't force you to put phone numbers in with one particular formatting scheme):


Remember that the goal of this app is to be a tool for people to use to do their jobs quickly and efficiently. It's not to generate pretty and uniform data in some database. For things like phone number fields, my opinion is you want to make it as easy as possible for your end user, the person who has to be using the product all day long, to get the right information into the system quickly and with the minimum hassle. I don't get so concerned when I see a list of phone numbers and they don't all look the same; I do get concerned when I hear end users complaining that the system is too cumbersome to enter data.

Just my opinion...

[claudius139]

I strongly agree with you.

Phone Field should be structured and even Postal Code (for canada) should be structured.

When we do searches for postal code the fact that the data isn't structured sometimes make the search fails to find what we are looking for, for now I do all the formatting work on the side, but I agree it would be a nice built-in function to have.

[dpuryear]

Yup. Sugar should TRY to structure data WHENEVER POSSIBLE. I've never seen this slow down data entry. If anything, it speeds it up. Using the phone entry as an example again, if someone enters a phone number they almost always repeat it back or at least check it visually. Now, which is faster to read:

5555555555
(555) 555-5555

That's just the reality of it. Of course, there are times when Sugar has to punt, e.g., if a phone number uses a country format it doesn't know. Understood. But it should catch most cases.

There is nothing more evil than unstructured free-form fields that put data into a database.

Well, okay, when Taco Bell doesn't give you hot sauce in the bag for your chicken soft tacos, you get home, realize what just happened, but it's too late to go back.. hey, that's pretty evil too. Maybe even more evil.

Still, this is pretty evil.

I strongly agree with you.

Phone Field should be structured and even Postal Code (for canada) should be structured.

When we do searches for postal code the fact that the data isn't structured sometimes make the search fails to find what we are looking for, for now I do all the formatting work on the side, but I agree it would be a nice built-in function to have.

[dpuryear]

Hmm. A nice feature would be if you could create a FORMAT spec for a field, whether built-in or custom. CRMs like ACT! let you do this. I think bigger packages like ACCPAC/WHATEVER-THEY-ARE-NOW CRM do it too.

I strongly agree with you.

Phone Field should be structured and even Postal Code (for canada) should be structured.

When we do searches for postal code the fact that the data isn't structured sometimes make the search fails to find what we are looking for, for now I do all the formatting work on the side, but I agree it would be a nice built-in function to have.