Keeping a phone log is helpful when running a business. Your clients and even new customers may have special requests that need fulfilling. You may want to keep track of orders placed with special instructions or you may simply want to track who you called, who called you and when. Keeping a logbook or phone log is the way to accomplish this. You can keep a log in a simple Excel-based spreadsheet or use the built-in features of Microsoft Outlook.
Instructions
Spreadsheet
1. Open your Excel-based spreadsheet.
2. Create a table in the spreadsheet consisting of four columns.
3. Label each column. Make them "Date," "Time," "Person" and "Notes." If you don't like "Person," use another word denoting with whom you spoke. "Notes" is where you elaborate on the conversation's essence.
Microsoft Outlook: From A Contact
4. Open Microsoft Outlook.
5. Click "Accounts," "Business Contacts" or "Opportunities" from the business tools menu.
6. Double-click on the contact name or record for which you want to create a phone log.
7. Locate "Account History Items," "Business Contact History Items" or "Opportunity History Items." Click "New" under any of these menus, then "Phone Log."
8. Enter the details of the phone conversation or whatever notes you want to make. Then click "Save and Close" when you are done.
Microsoft Outlook: From The Standard Toolbar
9. Click the arrow next to "New" on the toolbar.
10. Click "Phone Log."
11. Type the information you want to record.
12. Click "Link to Record" on the business contact manager toolbar.
13. Click the contact person to whom you wish to link your phone log in the "Link to Record" dialog box. Select the record to which you wish to link and click "Link." The phone log is now linked to your contact's name.
Tags: Microsoft Outlook, History Items, contact name, Excel-based spreadsheet, Link Record, Microsoft Outlook From, Outlook From