I remember a discussion about this in the mail-list so now that we have a forum with a specific zone for requests - here goes.

I'd like a HUD that can be called up in any view that gives the details for a contact. For example, in a project, task, or even appointment - a HUD that displays all the contact's 'contact' info, as well as their roles and relationships - and especially extra fields where we may have specific information about that contact. That way, not matter what you're doing, especially if having a conversation with them, you have all their details handy.

Remember that anything (i.e. A Project, Org, Opp etc...) can have multiple contacts. How do you envision handling that?

Hmmm... good question AJ - didn't think about that. Well, if you're in Org, project or something like that, the linked contacts appear in the second pane. How about a HUD that displays the detail information if they are selected. I just want to avoid double-clicking on the contact to get their information (or even just to review it while speaking to a contact) and then have to click back to the project/org/etc. to carry on with my needs there. In other words, no matter where I am, if there is a contact shown somewhere, simply have the HUD appear if that contact is selected - without having to leave the area you're in.
Does that make any sense?

If multiple contacts were selected (either via a Project with many linked contacts, or simply many contacts selected) the HUD could be split in two panes. The top pane would show a list of contacts and the lower pane the detailed information per contact.

Would that suffice Mike?

I like that idea. The only thing would be that, with a lot of contacts, you'd probably have to scroll within the HUD. Not sure if that would defeat the purpose (ie. extra steps/mouse-cliks). Might be better off with selecting the contact within the Project or Organization window and only showing that contact's info in the HUD.

Anyone else have any input on this?

I am curious if opening the contact's card, or even switching to the contact in the main window, would not satisfy the requirement? Considering that it is easy to use the "back" button to return to where you were originally, or to close the contact's card.

Just trying to better understand the need... or how the large volume of information (say, all a contact's details, plus what's already on screen for a project, or whatnot) might be best presented or divided on screen.

Thanks

My main focus is in tasks. When I select a task from a list of todos, I want to be able to see the contact that is linked to that task. I may want to make a phone call, email, or otherwise contact them, and if there was a HUD with the contact's info, it would display in that empty bottom right corner of the task view.

Now that I look at it again... this is only necessary in the list view (third option in top panes). The two section option is really no use to me, and in the three pane option, the contact's info does appear, but, I use the list view because I can see more of the information I need - everything except the contact's info.

In my list view I show columns: Is Done, Category, Start, Link Detail, Name and Details. I sort by category to see what I need to do in groups, and then the start date so I know how long the task has been around, the link detail so I know who the task is for, the name of the task and the details of the task.

If, for example, I have client's that I'm waiting for an order from and it's past their due date (which bolds the entry - love this feature!), if a Contact Info HUD was available, I could see their info, place a call, or maybe clik on their email address to send a reminder.

This set-up of my tasks works very well for me, and the only thing missing is the contact's info. Now I have to switch to the contact (and there's no way of doing so in this list view), get the info I need, and then switch back to the task for the information I need from it. If there's no answer at the phone number I call, I have to switch back again to the contact's info to get another phone number, and switch back again. See what I mean?

It's probably as clear as mud, but a Contact HUD could be called up by the user whenever they needed it. In my case, I would always have it open. I'm only suggesting a HUD because in this list view, the bottom right pane is blank and, I believe, is designed for display of a HUD.

Hi Mike,

It sounds to me as if the 3 pane view already has everything you need.

The left pane has the list of tasks which you can sort in virtually any way you want via a click on the column header, or filter via a Smart List. It also shows due date and color of category as well as provides a drop down list for resetting a future due date and new category or priority.

The bottom pane has all the main info:

Category
Status
Priority
Start and Due dates
Link Detail
Name of task and details

The middle pane has the links and the right pane has the email, address, and phones from which you can click on the links.

I don't see why you have to be jumping around.

What detail or functionality is missing from the above?

Regards,

Howard

Howard, you're perfectly correct. For one, I didn't know about the drop down menu - didn't think to clik on that little arrow. That works great.

I like the functionality of this view, but I do like being able to scan down the list of tasks and instantly see who the task is linked to and the details without having to clik on the particular task.

Just thinking out loud, but I'm thinking that I can use the list view as I do now to scan the list to see what needs to be done next and then simply swith to the 3-pane view for working on the individual tasks. That should work nicely.

Just looking at the 3-pane view again.

I think it's going to work well, but how come you can't select any HUD widget in the bottom right pane? It would be handy to see Andy's HUD Note Widget there.

I think it would have to be a HUD related to the Tasks (since that's what's active in the detail pane), and you can't make Notes linked to Tasks -- so the trick would be to see if a HUD could be created that would list all HUD Notes linked to the Contacts that are linked to the Task, which is a different beast than what we've got available so far.

Whether it's possible or not, I don't know - but if it is, I would think a HUD that showed each linked Contact's name and their Notes might do the trick -- but then you're also going to get all "HUD Notes" for all Contacts linked to the Task, many of which may not have anything to do with the task.