FAQs: CommandCenter

FAQs: CommandCenter

1. What is CommandCenter?

CommandCenter is a process management tool that lets you build journeys for different business entities such as customers, products, and services. Building journeys allow you to visualize the entire path of an entity and suggest a personalized path based on their reactions at each stage, and automate actions like sending emails and updating fields in the entity's record.

For example, a customer who abandons items in their cart can be sent an email alert every 15 days while a customer who completes the purchase can be sent a promotional email. 

2. Is CommandCenter a replacement for blueprint?

No, CommandCenter is not a replacement for blueprint as the features address different problems. Blueprint allows you to mandate certain guidelines for different business activities.

For example, the lead qualification process requires a follow-up call at the negotiation stage and sending a quote before moving the lead to the next stage.

These activities must be performed in the right order and at the right stages for a transition to occur which will move the lead to the next state.

 

CommandCenter, on the other hand, is a process management tool that lets you build end-to-end journeys for different business entities such as customers, products, and services and automate them based on what happens at each state.

For example, a customer who abandons items in their cart is sent an email alert every 15 days, but if they complete the purchase then a promotional email will be sent instead.

 

Blueprint allows you to build step-by-step process guidelines within a module while CommandCenter allows you
to build a continuous journey by connecting multiple modules and third-party or Zoho applications.

3. How is CommandCenter different from Orchestly?

Orchestly is a another product of Zoho which is used to build guidelines for a process to help users perform activities step by step. Orchestly cannot be integrated with Zoho CRM.

CommandCenter is a process management tool in Zoho CRM that lets you build and automate journeys for different business entities such as customers, products, and services. 

4. What is state in the CommandCenter?

Each step that a record takes from the start to end of a journey is called a state.

For example, a deal moves through the following stages or states:

Follow-up > Qualification > Negotiation > Discount approval > Deal Final > Closed won.

5. What is Transition in the CommandCenter?

A transition is a link between two states in a process. It prescribes the conditions required for a record to move from one state to another.

6. What is the difference between a "transition" and a "trigger"?

A transition creates a link between two states. It lets you define the condition when a record can move from one state to another.
For example, a customer record can move from "order placed" to "order confirmed" only if the "product is marked as available" by the stockist.  
So here the transition is "product availability".

This transition can be triggered only if the stockists checks the availability and approves. So the approval of stock is the trigger.
Therefore, the record will move to the next state only when the transition happens which in turn will be triggered once the condition mentioned for the trigger is satisfied. If the stockist rejects the product availability then the transition will not take place, or the order will remain unconfirmed. 

7. Can I set a transition for selected records only?

Yes, you can set a criteria for which records will undergo the transition. Read more about setting criteria for transitions.

 For instance, you can mention that only invoices above $3,000 should undergo a transition for "discount" before moving to the next state.

8. Is it possible to choose when a transition will be triggered?

Yes, you can define when a transition should trigger from the following actions:

 

Trigger

Description

Submission of a webform

A transition will be triggered when a record enters CRM through a webform. This trigger is only available at the beginning of the process or for the first transition of a process.

Creation of a record

A transition will be triggered when a record is created in the specified module and layout.

Editing a record

A transition will be triggered when a record is edited. You can also add a condition. For example, whenever the lead status is changed to "Qualified", a payment link must be sent.

Receiving an API call

If you want to invoke any transition from a third-party application, you can select this option and copy the API URL we provide. Specify the parameters to be passed along with each API call. You can select a maximum of six parameters from the following data types: string, number, date, date/time, boolean.

Approval of record

A transition will only be triggered if a record is approved. For example, an order will only be placed on payment approval. You must select which approval process the record belongs to.

Rejection of record

A transition will be triggered on rejection of a record. For example, the order will be canceled if the payment fails. You must select which approval process the record belongs to.

A date/date time

A transition will be triggered on the date or at the time specified in a date or date/time field in a module.

SalesSignals from communication channels

A trigger can be initiated based on the response received to emails, chats, calls, support tickets, or marketing campaigns.

 

Read more about triggers in CommandCenter.

9. When can I set up actions in CommandCenter?

Automatic actions can be set for each s tate and t ransition. For states you can configure instant, scheduled, and recurring actions. For transitions you can only configure instant actions. Following actions can be set:
Instant actions

  • Field update

  • Email notification

  • Task: three per state

  • Webhook

  • Function

  • Add or remove tags

  • Slack and Cliq notification 

Scheduled actions

  • Field update

  • Email notification

  • Task

  • Webhook

  • Function

Recurring actions

  • Field update

  • Email notification

  • Task

  • Webhook

  • Function

10. Can different modules be used to build a journey in CommandCenter?

Yes, you can link multiple modules by selecting the required module at each state. For example, you can build a journey for a lead through to completion of the deal transaction by linking the following modules:

Lead > Contact > Deal > Quote > Invoice > Product Delivery > Product Return.

11. Can I assign a task to a user when I add it in CommandCenter?

Yes, you can add a task as an automatic action in a state or transition and select the assignee.

State: A task can be added as an instant, scheduled, or recurring action.

Transition: A task can be added as instant action.

12. What will happen when I deactivate a journey?

When a journey is deactivated, new records will not enter that process until it's reactivated. All instant actions and transitions will be stopped. However, the existing data about the journey will be retained. 

13. Can I use the smart filter to see the CommandCenter records?

Once a journey is published, a system-defined module called the CommandCenter will be created in your CRM account. All the records that participate in the journey will be listed in this module. You can use a criteria like the start or end date of the journey, deadline, or instance ID to filter the records. 

14. What are logs used for in the CommandCenter?

Logs can be used to keep records of important details. They can also be used to trace the path of the record in a transition. You can type the required details into the log text box or use the # symbol to see the complete path.

For example, the screenshot below shows which journey the record belongs to, the name of the transition, when was it triggered, the action that was triggered, and the result. You can insert a log like this by entering the #symbol and select the right values.

The log can be viewed in the timeline under CommandCenter. You can add up to three logs for a single transition.

15. How can I connect two modules in CommandCenter?

It is only possible to connect between modules if the states are defined in two different modules, for example, state 1 is in the Leads module and state 2 is in the Contacts module.

By connecting between modules, you can trace where a particular record came from and identify the action that propelled the record to the next state.

There are two ways to connect:

  • Reference: The path generated by the system shows the connection between the modules, transition, and the trigger.

  • Lookup field: A contact lookup in the Leads module.

16. Can I see the amount of time a record spent in a state?

Yes, we provide system-defined reports that can help you see the average time a record spent in each state. The records can be filtered based on days, weeks, and months. The Average time taken in each state report will show you the amount of time a record spends in each state. You can see where delays occur, pinpoint bottleneck states, identify the states that have the most stagnation, and see the time taken for a transition. 

17. Can I set the deadline for a record to be in a particular state?

Yes, you can set a limit for how long a record can stay in a particular state. You can also choose what should happen to the records after a state has reached its deadline—the record can either be escalated or moved to another state.

  • Escalate the record to any user using the following categories:

    • Users

    • Groups

    • Roles

    • Record's owner, creator, or record owner's manager

  • An email notifications will be sent to the selected user.

  • Move the record to the any of the previous states in your process. For example, the record can be moved to the Order Canceled state according to the SCM process.

The option to select a deadline will only be available after you have added a transition. 

18. Can I define the order a transition must occur in?

Yes, if a state has multiple transitions you can define the order of precedence the triggers will be executed in. 

19. Can I automatically push the prospect onto a journey based on their response to an email?

Yes, you can select the trigger based on email status. Triggers can be set for:

  • Outgoing emails: Sent, opened, clicked, bounced, not opened, opened but not replied, not replied, unsubscribed

  • Incoming email: Received

You can also enter a criteria to select the trigger on specific emails. For example, if the prospect clicks on a link in your registration email, they will be added to a journey.

 
Similarly, triggers can be initiated based on responses received to emails, chats, calls, tickets, and campaigns. 

20. Can I change the "trigger" after creating the journey?

No, once a trigger is defined it cannot be edited. You can delete it and add a new one.

In this article, you can find detailed answers to the frequently asked questions about CommandCenter. We have covered questions about its conceptual and technical aspects. However, should you have more questions, feel free to drop them in the feedback section or write to us at crm-useredu@zohocorp.com

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