Predefined Queries
Queries are grouped into logical categories which are represented by the highest branches on the tree (see illustration below). To select a query in that category, click the plus  to its left. That will expose the next level of branches, which represent the actual queries themselves. In the sample below, the Auto Queries have been exposed, and a query that lists Fire Renewals but no Auto has been selected.

The right side of this screen lists additional criteria that will be required by certain queries. When a query requires additional input from you, the appropriate portion will be activated. When no additional information is required, the right side remains inactive.  For example, the selected query requires a month in order to list renewals. You will notice that “Month” has been activated, and June has been selected from the drop-down list.

Once the query is ready to be displayed, click the OK button. Query results are displayed in a spreadsheet-like grid. An example is shown in the next section on Customizing Query Results.

Customizing Query Results

Below is a copy of a typical screen resulting from a query. In this case the selected query was for accounts with mortgages but not life insurance. The name of the selected query is displayed in the caption at the extreme top left of the screen. Below the caption is a tool bar to further customize the query.

Sorting Query Results

Sorting a query is done by clicking the column header of the field you wish to sort. Reclicking the same header will reverse the sort direction. An arrow will appear to indicate the sort direction.

Filtering Query Results

In some cases you may wish to reduce the number of records the query produces because it is more than you care to deal with, or you may simply wish to refine the selection a little. Either can be accomplished by filtering the results with additional selection criteria. This additional criteria allows you to exclude records that contain certain values or limit the result to show only those records that have those values. With ABS Agency Builder, we have simplified the process of filtering. That process is described below.

1. To limit the results to one city, click the desired city name in the City column. Then click Selection Only in the toolbar. For example, if you had highlighted Burlingame, the only records that would be displayed would be those in Burlingame. All others will be eliminated.
   Note: You can filter on a value in any column, such as Zip, Mailing List, Status, etc. We just used city as an example.
2. To Exclude one City from the results, click the desired city name in the City column. Then click Exclude Selection in the toolbar. Note: You can filter on a value in any column, such as Zip, Mailing List, Status, etc. We just used city as an example.

Hypothetical:  Let’s pretend you wanted to view Active accounts in Burlingame, and eliminate those not on your mailing list. Here is what you would do:

    Select the query you want and click OK to produce the query result grid.

1. Click Burlingame in the City Column.

2. Click Selection Only.

3. Click A in the Status Column.

4. Click Selection Only.

5. Click an Unchecked box in the Mailing List Column.

6. Click Exclude Selection.

That’s all there is to it. Customizing queries is about as easy as it gets.

Query Output

Naturally, query information is displayed on the computer screen, but what you see there can be used in a printed report, for mail merge, in mailing labels, or exported to a standard ASCII delimited file. The icons are arranged from left to right in that order ( report, mail merge, labels, export).

A word of caution is appropriate with regard to mail merge. It is very easy to produce a list of hundreds, perhaps thousands of accounts with a couple of mouse clicks. Please think ahead when sending such a query to a mail merge document. Naturally, there is the concern about the cost of paper, envelopes, postage, and the labor to fold, stuff, and post the finished job. Perhaps more important is what happens after the letters are mailed. If you intend the mailing as a pre-approach marketing letter, think about your ability to make follow-up contacts. Consider how many phone calls you can make in a reasonable time after the mailing. If the calls don’t occur within a week or two, you might as well not call. They won’t remember the letter.