Learn: CRM, marketing and invoicing terms explained

CRM

What is a CRM?→A CRM (customer relationship management system) keeps every customer, conversation and deal in one place. What it does, who needs one, and how to pick one.
What are custom objects in a CRM?→Custom objects let a CRM track the things your business actually works with, like properties, matters or vehicles. How they work and when you need them.
What is lead qualification?→Lead qualification decides which enquiries are worth sales time. Common frameworks like BANT, how to score leads, and turning a qualified lead into a deal.
What is a sales pipeline?→A sales pipeline shows every open deal and the stage it has reached. How stages work, how to read a pipeline, and the mistakes that make one useless.

What is an AI CRM?→An AI CRM builds an AI assistant into the customer database, so you can ask questions and get work done in plain language. What it can and cannot do.
What is MCP (Model Context Protocol)?→MCP is an open protocol that lets AI assistants like Claude connect to outside tools and data. How it works, why it matters for business software, and safety.

What is a sales action plan?→An action plan is a reusable sequence of tasks, like onboarding or a renewal, applied to a customer record in one click with the dates worked out for you.
What is CRM data hygiene?→CRM data hygiene is the habit and tooling that keeps customer records accurate, complete and free of duplicates. Why data rots and how to keep it clean.
What is data enrichment in a CRM?→Data enrichment fills in missing details on CRM records, from your own rules or from outside data providers. The two kinds, their trade-offs and examples.
What is a duplicate rule?→A duplicate rule tells a CRM how to spot a record that probably already exists, and whether to warn or block. How matching works and how to merge safely.
What is a validation rule?→A validation rule stops a record being saved until it meets a standard you set, like a valid email or a close date on every deal. Examples and pitfalls.
What is workflow automation?→Workflow automation turns repeated work into steps software runs for you. Kinds of trigger, small-business examples, and what to automate first.

What is a customer journey in marketing automation?→A customer journey in marketing automation is a multi-step path of messages, waits and branches. Learn how journeys work and how to design a first one.
What is email deliverability?→Email deliverability is whether your emails reach the inbox. Learn what affects it, from authentication to bounces and complaints, and how to protect it.
What is marketing automation?→Marketing automation explained: how software sends the right message to the right customer at the right time, and what a small business needs to start.
What is opt-in consent for marketing messages?→Opt-in consent means a person agreed to receive marketing messages before you send them. Learn how opt-in and opt-out differ by channel and topic.
What is RFM segmentation?→RFM segmentation groups customers by recency, frequency and monetary value. Here is how the scores work and how to use them to keep your best customers.
What is WhatsApp business messaging?→WhatsApp business messaging lets companies message customers on WhatsApp through an approved provider. Learn how templates, consent and providers work.

What is a booking link?→A booking link is a web page where customers pick a meeting time from your real availability. Learn how booking links work and how to set one up well.

What is a countersignature?→A countersignature is a second signature that confirms or completes an agreement. Learn when businesses countersign and how it works with e-signatures.
What is an audit trail for e-signatures?→An e-signature audit trail records every step of a signing, from sent to completed. Learn what it captures and why it matters if a signature is questioned.
What is an electronic signature?→An electronic signature is a way to agree to a document online. Learn how e-signatures work, what makes them reliable, and what to check first.

What is an accounts receivable aging report?→An accounts receivable aging report shows who owes you money and how overdue it is. Learn how to read the buckets and use them to get paid faster.
What is bank reconciliation?→Bank reconciliation matches your books to your bank statement so every transaction is accounted for. Learn the steps and the common causes of differences.
What is a credit note?→A credit note reduces or cancels an amount a customer owes on an invoice. Learn when to issue one, what it should include, and how it affects your books.
What is double-entry accounting?→Double-entry accounting records every transaction twice, as a debit and a credit, so the books always balance. Here is how it works, with a simple example.
What is a payment link?→A payment link is a secure web link that lets a customer pay an invoice by card in a few clicks. Learn how payment links work and why they speed up payment.
What is revenue recognition?→Revenue recognition decides when income counts in your accounts: when it is earned, not when cash arrives. Learn the idea with a simple retainer example.