We’re pretty close now so it’s time to reveal the meat and potatoes of Highrise: People and Companies. Highrise is all about people. Who you (or your co-workers) talked to, what was said, and what needs to be done next for/with these people/companies.

People
Every contact in Highrise gets a page. You and your co-workers can add notes from calls, conversations, meetings, or any other historic information about this person to this page. You can also attach files, attach notes to cases (more on cases in another post), and set permissions on specific notes. It’s sort of like a weblog about each person you do business with.

In the sidebar of a contact page you’ll find any tasks related to that contact, the ability to add a new task about that contact, contact info, and an “about” section where you can post their bio, background, or anything else that might be relevant.

To add a new note for a contact just type it in the box at the top of the screen and click the “Add this note” button. Data entry is rocket fast with no barriers.

Companies
Like contacts, company pages allow you to enter notes about conversations you’ve had with a particular company.

For example, if you deal with different people at a company sometimes it may just be easier to enter the notes on the company page instead of making separate pages for each person. We’ve been doing this internally with ADP (our payroll company). Since we talk to a different person each time we call we’ve found it better to just enter the notes on ADP’s page. Of course how you do it is entirely up to you.

Company pages also serve another function: They’re aggregators. Company pages aggregate all the communication you (or your co-workers) have had with any contacts at that company. It’s a great way to see all communications with everyone at a specific company. Imagine being able to see all the communication your company has had with anyone at The New York Times or at Acme Widgets, etc.

The sidebar also shows any tasks related to that company, company contact information, and the people that are part of that company. A click takes you right to the contact page of anyone listed in the sidebar.

The Dashboard
The Dashboard is the screen that brings it all together. It’s the mother of all aggregators in Highrise. It shows the latest notes/files/emails/activity entered on any contact or company page. Of course you only see items you have permission to see, but it’s a fantastic way to feel the pulse of the communications in your company.

The Dashboard also shows you your tasks in the sidebar. You can create new people or new tasks from this screen as well. And a quick person search helps you jump to any contact’s page quickly.

Sign up to have a chance at a Golden Ticket
We’ve begun issuing “golden tickets.” Golden ticket holders will have access to sign-up for Highrise prior to the public launch. To sign up for a chance at a golden ticket, be sure to sign up for the Highrise announcement list.