Using the Contact Log
From AFSWiki
Global Link’s Contact Log is an excellent tool of communication between AFS volunteers, host families and staff members. The Contact Log allows all people associated with AFS to formally document their contacts (email, phone calls, letters, etc.) and share these contacts with one another so as not to duplicate efforts. By using the Contact Log, everyone can input, retrieve and share information about program participation in an effective and efficient manner. This guide will give you some basic information on how to find and use Global Link’s Contact Log.
To download a copy of this guide, click here: Media:How to Use the Contact Log in Global Link.doc
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How to Find the Contact Log in Global Link
Every Person Record in Global Link has its own Contact Log. To access a particular person’s Contact Log you must first access their Person Record in Global Link.
1. Click on Person on the left hand side of the Global Link homepage.
2. The Person Search screen will appear. This screen allows you to enter any information you have on a particular volunteer in an attempt to find their record in Global Link. Some of the most common ways to search for a person are by name and/or email address.
3. Once you have entered your search terms, click the Search button to begin your search. 
4. When the search is complete a list of volunteers that meet your search criteria will appear at the bottom of your screen.
Note: In some cases, there will be only one record that appears. In other cases, you may have put additional information into your search, such as their affiliated main organization, in order to further narrow your search results.
5. To select a record, click on the highlighted blue name. In this example, this name is represented by a blue box.
6. Once you have selected the correct record, their Person Detail screen will automatically appear. This screen gives you additional information on the contact information they have given to AFS. It also gives you the option to view their Contact Log. It is important to note that you will only be able to view the Contact Log for the people who are affiliated with the same team/chapter as yourself.
7. Click on Contact Log.
8. A screen will appear that provides you with an overview of all of the logged contacts, which were made to or about this person. The subheadings will provide you with additional information about each contact.
a. Contact Name: This column lists the name of who initiated the contact.
b. Contact Type: This column lists the AFS department, if any, the contact is associated with.
c. Contact Subtype: This column provides you with information on the contact’s specific purpose and/or the means of contact.
d. Means of Contact: This column answers the question, “How was contact made?” The most common means of contact are email or a phone call.
e. Subject: This column offers specific information on the subject of each contact. In the case of an email, the subject is the same as the email’s title. To read a more detailed description of each contact, click on the highlighted blue subject title of each contact.
f. Contact Status: This column will usually read “Completed”, unless the contact requires a follow-up call or email, then it is “Pending.”
g. Contact Date: This column lists the original date when contact was made.
h. Follow up Date: This column is used to schedule a follow-up contact. Note that this column is only used if the “Contact Status” is listed as “Pending”.
How to Add a Contact to the Contact Log
This section will show you how to record a person-to-person contact in one’s contact log. By recording every contact you make in the Global Link system, you can easily share information with other members of your team/chapter. The following features are only available to certain volunteers with affiliations such as:
- Chair
- Chair Elect
- Host Family Orientation Coordinator
- Orientation Leader
- Hosting Coordinator
- Hosting Interviewer
- Hosting Volunteer
- Sending Coordinator
- Sending Volunteer
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Volunteer Registration Interviewer
Sending an Email from Global Link
1. Follow steps 1-6 to access the Contact Log of the person whom you wish to email.
2. Click on the Compose Email in the upper left corner of the person’s Contact Log.
3. The AFS Email Composer screen will appear. This screen provides you with all of the basic functions found in standard email systems. Some of the unique features of the AFS Email Composer have been highlighted in this example.
a. Contact Type: This pull down tab allows you to categorize the AFS department with which the email is associated. Some of the options are, “Volunteer Development”, “Hosting”, “Sending” etc. You must choose a “Contact Type” in order to send an email through the AFS Email Composer.
b. Contact Subtype: This pull down tab allows you to further define the purpose of the email. The available contact subtypes change based on the “Contact Type”. You must choose a “Contact Subtype” in order to send an email through the AFS Email Composer.
c. Means of Contact: This pull down tab is automatically set to “Email” in the AFS Email Composer. It should NEVER be changed.
d. Template: This pull down tab offers a variety of email templates created by AFS staff for frequently sent emails. Please take some time to browse through these templates to see if one might fit your email needs.
e. The image highlighted in orange allows volunteers to add hyperlinks to their emails. This is an important function to use if you would like to include links to specific information within an email.
4. When you have completed your email, click the Send button in the upper left hand corner of the AFS Email Composer screen.
Note: Emails sent from within Global Link will AUTOMATICALLY be recorded in the recipient’s Contact Log.
Recording Other Contacts in the Contact Log
All contacts other than emails sent through Global Link must be separately recorded in the appropriate person’s Contact Log. It is important to record these contacts immediately after the attempted contact is made.
1. Follow steps 1-6 to access the Contact Log of the person whom have contacted.
2. Click on Create Contact Log in the upper left corner of this person’s Contact Log.
3. The Contact Log Detail screen will appear. This screen allows you to create a new contact.
4. When the Contact Log Detail screen appears, you will notice that some of the boxes already have values entered.
a. Contact Date: This box will always appear with the current date entered. To change the date, click on the calendar icon located to the right of the “Contact Date” box.
b. Person who made contact: This box automatically lists the name of the person who is currently logged into Global Link. To change this name, click the spy glass icon located beneath the “Person who made contact” box.
c. Person who was contacted: This box automatically lists the name of the person whose Contact Log you are altering. DO NOT change this box. If you are in the wrong Contact Log, you will need to repeat steps 1-6 to find the correct Contact Log.
d. Means of Contact: This pull down tab is automatically set to “Contact Log”. However, it should be changed to reflect the medium through which the contact was actually carried out. Your options are: Email, In person, Letter, Mail/fax, Phone call (outbound), Phone call (inbound) and Contact log. You must choose a “Means of Contact” in order to add a contact to the Contact Log.
e. Visibility: This pull down tab is automatically set to “Anyone”. “Anyone” means that all AFS staff and other active volunteers affiliated with the appropriate team/chapter will be able to read this contact information. If you wish to make the contact more private, change the “Visibility” tab to “Staff Only”.
5. The rest of the boxes should appear empty on your screen. Offered below is a brief explanation of every box’s purpose/function and whether it is necessary to successfully enter a new contact.
a. Contact Type: This pull down tab allows you to categorize the AFS department, with which this contact is associated. Some of the options are, “Volunteer Development”, “Hosting”, “Sending” etc. You must choose a “Contact Type” in order to add a contact to the Contact Log.
b. Contact Subtype: This pull down tab allows you to further define the purpose of the email. The available contact subtypes change based on the “Contact Type”. You must choose a “Contact Subtype” in order to add a contact to the Contact Log.
c. Subject: This box provides limited room for you to write a basic description of the contact. It can be thought of as a title for your contact. You must include a “Subject” in order to add a contact to the Contact Log.
d. Contact Status: This pull down tab allows you to communicate the condition of this contact. The pull down tab options are: Pending, Completed and Cancelled. The large majority of contacts are listed as completed. If you do want to make a follow-up call or send a follow-up email regarding this contact, list it as Pending (see step 7). However, you must choose a “Contact Status” in order to add a contact to the Contact Log.
e. Contact Detail: This box provides an expanded space for a more detailed description of the contact’s content. It is especially helpful for phone conversations. However, this box IS NOT required to add a contact to the Contact Log.
6. Once you have successfully entered all of the required information to add a contact, click the Save button located on the bottom right side of the screen. You can choose to not enter a contact at anytime by clicking Cancel located next to the Save button.
7. This optional step only applies to those contacts, which you wish to follow-up on. As mentioned in Step 5(d), the “Contact Status” of these contacts should be listed as Pending. Once you list a contact as pending, you can fill in the boxes titled “Next Step”, “Follow Up Date” and “Who Is Responsible for the Follow Up”. These boxes exist to create self-reminders for staff and volunteers. You can even click the highlighted red box to send yourself an email reminder about this contact on your chosen follow up date. All of these additional steps are OPTIONAL.
