How do I put a "Convert Lead" button in a new module?

[secant]

Greetings to the forum!

Apache version 2.2.6 (Unix)
PHP version 5.2.5
MySQL version 5.0.45-community
Operating system Linux

Sugar Version: CE 5.0.0c

After creating a new module, I was hoping to place a button similar to "Convert Lead" in the leads module to my new module. The new module is mostly a basic person/contact module. This module is designed to be a private area for users to keep personal contacts away from the prying eyes of others using the database. So, often these personal contacts will develop into 'Business Contacts" and I was hoping to place a button for easy conversion. I know that I can do a quick export/import and setup a custom mapping but I thought this might be easier.

Anyone know how to get this accomplished?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!!

[susiewilliams]

Hi secant,

I won't give you a technical answer, I'll give you a User answer:

If I was using your system, there is no way I would put personal contacts into it. From a sales rep's point of view, his/her personal contacts, the "rolodex" if you will, are sacred and are kind of like a tradesman's tools. They're mine, I own them, when I leave my job you don't get them, I do.

Now from a company standpoint, any business contacts belong to the business, so you get into interesting wars when a sales rep leaves (i.e.- the rep wants to take the company contacts with him when he leaves, and the company says "no way").

The end result, from my observations of working in and around sales groups for years, are that reps have two contact lists... one that the company owns, and one that the reps own. The former lives in the CRM system and the latter lives on a spreadsheet or Outlook personal folder (PST) file.

So my suggestion would be to ask your users if this is something they would want and use before building it. My guess is that they will tell you to direct your efforts and valuable time elsewhere.

[secant]

Hi Susie,

Thank you fro your input ... and for the most part I agree ...

Here is the rest of the story that you were not privy to knowing. We have already sat down to discuss how it would be nice to have our 'personal contacts' in the database but to limit access to the user/owner of the record. Since the Community Edition doesn't allow the possibility to restrict access at the record level, then the only option was to build a 'Personal Contacts' module. Another reason is because we want to be computer independent, so that everyone's contacts ... personal or business can be accessed from any web-based computer.

The module is completed and working ... and the module is restricted to the user/owner to have exclusive rights to their personal contacts. Occasionally the personal contact will need to be converted to open access, thus the conversion from personal to business contact, so that when the contact gets assigned to a project then everyone can view it. Which is why the need for the convert lead button.

In most cases the separate 'personal' module would not need to be built, because everyone could use contacts as their personal contacts and we could restrict access through roles and Leads could be open to public access. Unfortunately, the Leads will be used in a way that would not allow this business process to work. So the new module was needed.

Susie, I believe that this has been thought out fairly well ... if I have missed something, please share your thoughts.


NOW, I am still in need of 'how to' ... anybody out there able to help?

[susiewilliams]

Thank you for the rest of the story! I just feel it my duty to make sure customizations are thought out, relevant, and usable. It sounds like you've done your due diligence to ensure that's the case.

I'll leave it to others to answer the technical portion of your question, as I slide back in to my non-forum moderator role...

[mylo78]

bump.


Anyone have anything to add on the technical level. I found a similar post http://www.sugarcrm.com/wiki/index.php?title=Model-View-Controller_(MVC) - it's too early in the work day to tackle it though. I'm collecting info for now, will work on in the evening.

Cheers
Mylo

[andopes]

Hi Mylo

Take easy man.
Everybody needs help and we help asap.

have you already edited the modules/Leads/metadata/detailviewdefs.php?

             'buttons' => array (
                'EDIT',
                'DUPLICATE',
                'DELETE',
                array (
                    'customCode' => '<input title="{$MOD.LBL_CONVERTLEAD_TITLE}" accessKey="{$MOD.LBL_CONVERTLEAD_BUTTON_KEY}" type="button" class="button" onClick="document.location=\'index.php?module=Leads&action=ConvertLead&record={$fields.id.value}\'" name="convert" value="{$MOD.LBL_CONVERTLEAD}">'
                ),
                array (
                    'customCode' => '<input title="{$APP.LBL_DUP_MERGE}" accessKey="M" class="button" onclick="this.form.return_module.value=\'Leads\'; this.form.return_action.value=\'DetailView\';this.form.return_id.value=\'{$fields.id.value}\'; this.form.action.value=\'Step1\'; this.form.module.value=\'MergeRecords\';" type="submit" name="Merge" value="{$APP.LBL_DUP_MERGE}">'
                ),
                array (
                    'customCode' => '<input title="{$APP.LBL_MANAGE_SUBSCRIPTIONS}" class="button" onclick="this.form.return_module.value=\'Leads\'; this.form.return_action.value=\'DetailView\';this.form.return_id.value=\'{$fields.id.value}\'; this.form.action.value=\'Subscriptions\'; this.form.module.value=\'Campaigns\';" type="submit" name="Manage Subscriptions" value="{$APP.LBL_MANAGE_SUBSCRIPTIONS}">'
                ),
                
            ), 
  

You will see the code above.

You just have to copy the custom code for the ConvertLead button, change the necessary and points to a php script which will perform the specified action.

Cheers

[mylo78]

I'll give it a shot this week,
Obligado

[mylo78]

Would it be helpful to read up on the Smarty templating system?

[andopes]

Would it be helpful to read up on the Smarty templating system?

Sorry.

I didn't understand.

Can you explain again?

Cheers

[mylo78]

I was having a bit of trouble getting a convert lead button working.
It's all good now though.
I've only got the button there, not doing anything yet.


1) Make the changes in th e modules/<MODNAME>/metadata/detailvardefs.php file as you instructed.
2) Remove the cache/modules/<MODNAME> directory so the new script in (1) gets loaded.


From now, it's up to a bit of reading code.


The aim is to build a custom Prospects module - I'll start a new thread in the developer section.
Thanks for your help so far Andres.