Using Territories

Using Territories

Understanding Territory Management

  • Using Territory Management, you can segment accounts, contacts and deals into territories.
  • You can build a territory hierarchy by creating territories and sub territories. You can define criteria for each of these territories and based on the criteria, records will be assigned to the territories.
  • Based on the territory criteria, when a record is created or modified, territories are automatically assigned to the records.
  • A record will not be assigned to a sub territory unless it meets the criteria of the parent territory.
  • An account or contact can be assigned to a maximum of ten territories. Whereas, a deal can be assigned to only one territory.
  • Each territory can have a manager who can:
    • Create forecasts for the users in the territory.
    • Provide permissions for the users in the territory.
  • Territory managers will always have the Read and Write permissions for their territories.
  • Territories are automatically assigned for the records. If required, the territory managers can manually assign records to their territories and sub territories.Also, users with administrator profile can assign territories to records.
  • Multiple forecasts can be created for a user. Users cannot create forecast for themselves. Only the manager can create it for the users.
  • You can disable territory management based on your business needs. If you enable the feature again, the territory structure will remain unchanged.

Permissions to Access Records in a Territory

With Territory Management, the following criteria determines who can access the records in a territory.

  • The module-level permissions in profiles.
  • The permissions set for users in a territory.

Users can edit records in their territory only if:

  • The user has the profile permission to edit records of the module.
  • The territory to which the record belongs provides Read-Write-Delete permissions to its users.
  • The user is the manager of the territory to which the record belongs.
Note
  • Users will have full access to the records they own.
  • Child records will have the same permissions as that of the parent record.
  • Users with the Administrator profile will have full access to all the records.

Various Roles and Responsibilities

Role Responsibility
Administrators
  • Activate/Deactivate territory management.
  • Create territories.
  • Add/Remove users in a territory.
  • Manually assign territories to records, if required.
Territory Managers
  • Create sub-territories for their territories.
  • Add/Remove users to their Child territories.
  • Set up forecast targets for their territories.
  • Manually change the territory for accounts, contacts and deals.
Territory Members (Read-only Permission)
  • View accounts, contacts, and deals
  • View sales forecast of the territory
Territory Members (Read-write Permission)
  • Create or modify accounts, contacts and deals
  • View sales forecast of the territory
Owner of CRM Records
  • Can perform all functions as per the profile-level permissions.

Enable Territory Management

Before you enable Territory Management for your organization's account, please make sure that you have read our Decision Guide for Territory Management. While enabling this feature, you have two options:

Build territory hierarchy from scratch - Using this option, you can create territory hierarchy from scratch.

Extend your territory hierarchy from role hierarchy - Using this option, you can replicate the hierarchy from Roles to Territories. All the users in a role will be added as user in the territory. The role managers (in the new role hierarchy) will be transferred as territory managers. You may later have to change the territory hierarchy as per you business needs.

It is important to note that you can either build territory hierarchy from scratch or extend your role hierarchy to territory hierarchy. Once the option is chosen, you cannot go back to the other option.

Once territory management is enabled:

  • All the leads, contacts, accounts and deals will have an additional field, Territories.

  • In the Leads, Accounts, Contacts, Deals home page, a drop-down will be available with the territories that you create.

  • You will have the option to create forecasts based on territory hierarchy. Users belonging to multiple territories can have multiple forecast targets set for each territory.

To enable territory management

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management.
  2. Click Get Started.
    You will have the following options to create a territory hierarchy.
    • Extend from Role Hierarchy - Click to replicate the hierarchy from roles to territories.
    • Start from Scratch - Click to create territory hierarchy from scratch.

Enable Territory Rules for modules

Creating a territory requires you to specify criteria based on which territories are assigned to records. With the Territory Rules enabled, you can specify criteria based on which territories are assigned. Once you enable the Deal Territory Rule or the Lead Territory Rule, whenever you create a territory or edit an existing one, the option to add rules will be available.

You can disable the territory rules at any time. On disabling, the records will be automatically reassigned to the territories based on the associated account's territory. When you enable again, records will be automatically assigned to territories based on the rules.

To enable or disable deal rule

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management > Territories.
  2. Click the more (...) button and select Settings.
  3. In the Territory Settings popup, toggle Enable/Disable for the required rule.

Create Territories

Users with the Administrator profile can create territories. Territory managers also have the default privilege to create sub territories for their territories.

To create a territory

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management > Territories.
  2. Click Create New Territory.
  3. In the  Create Territory page, specify the following:
    1. Specify a Name for the territory.
    2. Add Description.
    3. Choose a Territory Manager from the drop-down list.
    4. Choose a Parent Territory from the lookup.
    5. Search and add Users and allot Permissions. 
      These users will have access to the records assigned to this territory. All the users can have the same permission for the records, either Read Only or Read/Write/Delete.
    6. Under Territory Rules, specify criteria for the records. Based on this rule criteria, territories will be assigned to accounts in Zoho CRM. See Also Territory Assignment for Accounts
    7. If you have Lead Territory Rules and Deal Territory Rules enabled, specify criteria.
      Based on this rule criteria, territories will be assigned to leads or deals in Zoho CRM. See Also Territory Assignment for Deals

  4. Click Save.

Create Sub (Child) Territories

Under each territory, you can create sub territories. In case a sub territory does not have a manager, the parent territory's manager administers the sub territories.

To create a sub territory

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management > Territories.
  2. In the Territory Hierarchy page, move your mouse pointer to a territory and click on the Create Child Territory icon.

  3. In the Create Territory page, specify details. Refer to the steps in Create Territory.

Delete Territories

When you delete a territory:

  • You lose the territory details forever.
  • You will be prompted to transfer the sub territories to another parent territory in the hierarchy.
  • The forecast created for the current and previous quarters/months will remain.

To delete a territory

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management > Territories.
  2. In the Territory Hierarchy page, move your mouse pointer to a territory and click on the Delete icon.

Manage Forecasts

When you enable territory management, you can configure the organization's forecast settings and begin creating forecasts every quarter/month. See Also Forecasts Based on Territory Hierarchy

To configure organization's forecast settings (after enabling territory management)

  1. In the Forecast module, click Get Started.
  2. In the Forecast Settings page, select the Target Period as Monthly or Quarterly.
  3. Choose the Fiscal Start Month from the drop-down list.
  4. Select Start Month or End Month. Based on your selection, the year will be displayed in the forecasts.
    For example, your fiscal year is from April to March. You select the End Month option for the financial year 2013-2014. The year in the forecast will be mentioned as 2014.
  5. Select the Target Field, and click Save.
    You will be asked to confirm the settings after which you can start creating forecasts for users.

Disable Territory Management

You can disable territory management. On disabling this feature the following will not be accessible:

  • The information related to territories in the Accounts, Contacts and Deals modules.
  • The existing forecasts based on territory hierarchy. It will be deleted permanently. You will be able to create forecasts based on role hierarchy.

To disable territory management

  1. Go to Setup > Security Control Territory Management > Territories.
  2. Click the more (...) button and select Disable Territory.

See Also

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