Method Community

Is there a way to mass delete leads? We uploaded several hundred leads but now we don't want them in our database. Is my only option to go 1-by-1 through each lead to delete them, or is there a faster way?

Thanks!

Dan_AA-

You could create a button that loops through all customers who have IsLeadStatusOnly set to True and delete them (This would delete every lead you have).

I would be really careful about doing this as you want to make sure you wheres are set correctly in your Loop actions otherwise you could delete your customers too.

You may even want to have a grid that displays the leads and use the loop through grid action to delete.

-Michael

OK.  Can you elaborate on how to create a button or provide a link to a webinar/tutorial that can explain this in detail?

Being able to select contacts with a check mark box (think gmail/yahoo mail) and having a delete button could be something that really makes your product (Method) something that non-programming salespeople would appreciate.

Thanks,

~J

Jason_Silvereye:

OK.  Can you elaborate on how to create a button or provide a link to a webinar/tutorial that can explain this in detail?

Here are a few webinar's covering the concepts that we use to create a mass delete screen.

Overview of Method CRM
Introduction to Actions - Level 1 (note .wmv file using GoTo Meeting codec)
Introduction to Actions - Level 2 (note .wmv file using GoTo Meeting codec)
Intro to Method Objects - Level 1 (note .wmv file using GoTo Meeting codec)
Advanced Actions: Looping and Conditional Statements (note .wmv file using GoTo Meeting codec)

You should have enough knowledge after these videos to be dangerous in Method.  With great power comes great responsibility (especially with a mass delete screen).

Jason_Silvereye:

Being able to select contacts with a check mark box (think gmail/yahoo mail) and having a delete button could be something that really makes your product (Method) something that non-programming salespeople would appreciate.

Here's what you'll need to do for something like this,

1. Create a new screen based on the table with your leads (customer)
2. Add a grid and button object onto your new screen.
3. Add a filter to the grid on your EntityType for lead.
4. Add a start loop through grid action on your delete button.
5. Add a warning before your button so you don't accidentally delete records.

The webinar's above will cover all the objects and actions required for this screen.  If you get stuck programming the actions on the button I've taken a screen shot of my setup here.  Before you look at my solution please try it on your own and see what you come up with.

If you have any questions please post back.

Chad.

Method_Chad's reply mentioned the use of the grid checkbox:

If you want more control over which leads you end up deleting, you can enable the checkbox column in your leads grid (first page of edit screen), and tie that to the delete button's loop through grid action (create a conditional statement in your loop so the button will only delete those records where the checkbox is equal to Yes).

It's a bit faster than deleting each record individually, since you can check boxes much faster than you can delete records. At the same time, you can use the topmost checkbox to instantly check all the records displaying in your grid. This allows you to delete all your leads at once, but you can also narrow down to specific groups of leads using filters (eg all leads made on a given date) then select them all at once and delete those.

Smohyee,

smohyee:

If you want more control over which leads you end up deleting, you can enable the checkbox column in your leads grid (first page of edit screen), and tie that to the delete button's loop through grid action (create a conditional statement in your loop so the button will only delete those records where the checkbox is equal to Yes).

The part is not true.  The checkbox column is not available in any actions other than the Start Loop Through Grid which has properties for this.  That checkbox is not an independent field/object on the screen, it's embedded in the grid and can only be used when looping the grid.

smohyee:

It's a bit faster than deleting each record individually, since you can check boxes much faster than you can delete records. At the same time, you can use the topmost checkbox to instantly check all the records displaying in your grid. This allows you to delete all your leads at once, but you can also narrow down to specific groups of leads using filters (eg all leads made on a given date) then select them all at once and delete those.

I want to make sure Jason_Silvereye understands the concepts of screens, objects and actions in that order before going in to edit a complicated screen like the Leads.  You are much better off doing this on an empty screen with only the grid, a delete button and a Start Loop Through Grid action.

~Chad

Thank you for the reply, Chad.

~J

Also, Thank you Smohyee

Chad,

Can you explain more about what was incorrect in my suggestion? I did mention that the delete button would use a grid loop action. Actually, you're right if you mean that you cant create a conditional statement action referencing the checkbox as an object- that is handled by the loop through grid action itself.

Here's how I did it:

In a new screen tied to a new table with some made up data, I created a grid with a checkbox column. I created a separate "Delete Selected Records" button.

In the button action set I have something like this:

1. Start loop through grid - edited so the proper grid is selected, and it includes "only checked rows".

2. Delete record from table - where the RecordID of the grid table is set equal to the RecordID retrieved from the row.

3. End grid loop

4. Refresh grid.

With this I was able to select some or all of the records, and the button would only delete the rows that were checked. This doesn't take any more actions than a grid loop that just deletes everything, since the Grid Loop action just gives you the option to only apply its loop to checked rows. In fact, the only difference from your suggestion is the editing of the "Start loop through grid" action.

smohyee:

Can you explain more about what was incorrect in my suggestion?

Just the part about the conditional - you can't see what the checkbox status is outside of the Start Loop Through Grid action.

smohyee:

...(create a conditional statement in your loop so the button will only delete those records where the checkbox is equal to Yes).

Everything else about your statement was correct though.  I just didn't want to send Jason down the path of trying to create a conditional that could never see the status of the checkbox.  I also wanted to make sure he's working off a new screen and not trying to edit the lead list screen.  

It's always a good idea with looping delete actions to start with a new screen and new objects so you don't have errant actions going off.

~C

Rgr that, thanks for clarifying.