Easily build YOUR perfect custom CRM in OBSIDIAN - Step by Step

[@leanproductivity]

I received a few requests related to a CRM (kind of) solution in Obsidian. So I built one for you. This is a step-by-step guide for building it from scratch with the help of my Wiki (wiki.sascha-kasper.com/obsidian-course/crm/lean-crm-vault). If you value your time, you can also download a dedicated CRM vault including the theme, plugins, CSS snippets, folder structure, QuickAdd actions, buttons, and sample notes at store.sascha-kasper.com/l/obcrm.

[@perotinofhackensack2064]

one of the very few covering CRM for obsidian. there are a couple who have made complex dashboards, but really, it's so involved, with so many plugins, that it's almost impossible to understand if the user didn't build it himself. so great walkthrough. i have two questions: 1) if i follow the video instead of downloading the finished vault, I can get to the same endpoint? (build it myself by going through the video?) There is nothing left out of the video ? 2) mail merge- can you make a video to show how properties in a CRM for contacts -- ie company, title, first_name, last_name, phone, fax, address, etc -- can be used to create a single mail merge document (boiler plate 2-3 page letter with the main contact info plugged in, ready to print to pdf, for example?) (or maybe pasted into an email and emailed?) this would be a short contract, or a marketing email, or--- with personalized info plugged in for the contact record you are on. Ooh -- and then maybe update the crm to show a history of that letter having been generated and the date and time? great job, keep it up!

[@leanproductivity]

First, thank you for your kind comment. Second, regarding your questions: 1. Yes, you can do it manually without downloading the CRM Vault. The video explains exactly how to do it. Note that I don't show repetitive steps (e.g., pasting and adapting queries in the various templates). But - if you are unsure how the queries shall look like - you can find them all at wiki.sascha-kasper.com/obsidian-course/crm/lean-crm-vault/. For the dashboard and all templates. 2. I have no idea if this is possible with Obsidian only and would have to research the topic. I will add it to my list. But in all honesty, I will not get to it any time soon, I am afraid.

[@tsentenari4353]

Wow. I cannot believe how much value this video provides. (As do all of your videos.) Introducing a solution for such a demanding task, in such a concise, easy to understand, well thought through manner. Not a word too many, not a word too few. The sheer amount of time and mental load that goes into trying out and understandig all those plugins, which enables you to casually introduce the perfect menu of plugins for doing the job in the most efficient way possible. Your tutorials are simply perfection, I have no other word for them.

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you so much for this encouraging feedback. It really means a lot to see that all the work and effort are not wasted.

[@dubo5759]

Great video - can you pls create a video „CRM in action“? Thx

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you for that. I will add it to my list of audience requests. I love getting these requests!

[@GordonShamway1984]

wonderful tutorial, thank you very much

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you - again - for taking the time to keep showing your appreciation.

[@usiala]

Great Video , Thank you very much.👏

[@leanproductivity]

I am very glad you liked it. Thank you!

[@jonr6680]

Oh this is going to be great! Exactly the rigor I need to apply to my growing chaos aka vault. CRM today, but the database like structure can be adapted for so many multi dimensional systems... Presented with great pace & clarity, too.

[@leanproductivity]

I know how you feel - good luck with your vault organization. And thank you for your kind feedback.

[@solononforever]

You are a great educator! - thanks for the tutorial

[@leanproductivity]

It is my pleasure. I am happy if it helps you and others.

[@GradR5]

Hello, I like your videos. Listen, how did you make syntax highlighting for dataviewjs?

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you. I think this comes with the "Editor Syntax Highlight" plugin. Currently traveling, though. So I cannot really check.

[@CharlieUniman]

Thank you for all your very helpful Obsidian videos. They're unmatched for clarity, comprehensiveness and productivity-enhancement. I have already downloaded the Lean Productivity Starter Vault. I've found it incredibly helpful. I now want to download the Lean CRM "module;" however, I'm not sure how to include it in the Lean Productivity Starter Vault. I've seen you say in your video about the CRM that it interoperates perfectly with the Lean Productivity Starter Vault. What puzzles me is this: If, when downloading the CRM, it requires me to do so by creating a brand new vault (that is to say, a new vault - let's call it the "New Lean CRM Vault" - different from my Lean Productivity Starter Vault), how do I move the files from the CRM "into" the Lean Productivity Starter Vault? Do I just create a new folder (let's call it the "New CRM Lean Folder") in the Lean Productivity Starter Vault and then simply copy and paste into the New CRM Lean Folder all the files from the CRM that are contained in the New Lean CRM Vault?" Is that the best and most efficient way to do wanted I wanted to do. I should also ask two more questions. First, and related to my question above, are there any community plugins or icon packs that I need to install in my Lean Productivity Starter Vault for the Lean CRM to work properly? Second, and this question, applies to both the Lean Productivity Starter Vault and the Lean CRM, do you know how to bring the icons that are used in the desktop versions of these apps to iOS (that is, can the icon packs available for the desktop versions of these Vaults be found for use on iOS)? Thanks in advance for your reply. Charlie

[@leanproductivity]

Hi Charlie. Thank you so much for your extensive and kind feedback. Yes, you copy the folders from one vault into the other. Both vaults integrate in the sense that their folder structures are made not to overwrite each other. But then you still have to configure the QuickAdd actions-currently, they are vault-specific, and overwriting them would not be good. Based on your question, I will fix this and create a detailed "integration" guide for all the Lean Vaults. Consequently, there will also be a new version for each vault. I should have this ready by tomorrow or Thursday, at the latest. If you could wait until then, this will make it much easier for you - and others in the same situation. I'm sorry for not preparing this already. I am doing this besides my full-time job, and time is a challenge. Thank you for your patience. I will announce the availability of the new versions and the related documentation on my Discord server and the various social media platforms. All the required plugins are included in the respective vaults. Just copy the ".obsidian/plugins" directory from the CRM vault to the Starter Vault **without** overwriting existing files. This will add any CRM-specific plugins (e.g. map view). Icon packs should also come with the vault and work out of the box on your PC. I noticed a potential issue when syncing to your mobile-the plugin developer is aware of it-that might require you to manually assign an icon to your folder on the mobile. After doing this and restarting Obsidian on the mobile, all missing icons should be loaded automatically. Small caveat: I only tested this on an Android phone - I don't have an iOS device.

[@CharlieUniman]

@@leanproductivity Thank you, again so very much, for your detailed reply. It's quite amazing that you can do such splendid work on these Obsidian vaults and still maintain a different full-time job. Kudos to you for doing all this. As to the new vaults that are forthcoming (I will of course wait to do any further work adding the Lean CRM vault until these new vaults appear). A few quick questions: (1) Are there new vaults coming for both the Lean CRM and the Starter Vault? (2) Will the related documentation for the new vaults explain how to "integrate" them with exist vaults on the desktop. (3) Once properly "integrated" with the desktop, with the new vaults then automatically correctly sync over to the mobile versions of the vaults. Finally, when it comes to icons on iOS, the challenge will be, I believe, finding icon packs that Apple, in its paternalistic wisdom, will allow iOS users to install. I'm afraid if I can't replicate the same icons on mobile, I then install different icons on mobile, these different icons might - when my mobile and desktop vaults next syn - the beautiful use of icons that you have on the desktop version of the vaults will be "disfigured" (messed up?). Is that a possible concern? Once more, lovely work that you're doing hear. Is there a place on one of your site to contribute? Thanks, Charlie

[@leanproductivity]

@@CharlieUniman 1. All vaults 2. Yes 3. Yes Watching, liking, subscribing, and sharing is really helping. If you are talking about financial support - and if you are in a position to give it - you can use "super thanks" here on KZbin. Alternatively, you can enter any amount you like when buying even a nominally free product from my website. If you can and want to do that, I will certainly appreciate it.

[@leanproductivity]

@@CharlieUniman Hi again. Thank you so much for your generous "super thanks." I really appreciate it. As promised: 1. All updated vaults are now available store.sascha-kasper.com/?tags=obsidian+vault 2. I wrote a guide for installing and merging the vaults: wiki.sascha-kasper.com/obsidian/lean-vaults/setup/lean-vaults-integration-guide/ It would be a massive help if you could let me know whether these instructions were helpful/clear/precise enough or if anything is too ambiguous or plain wrong - there is always the risk of missing things simply because one is too deep into the topic. Based on your feedback, I would update the guide before communicating it widely. And - of course - should you run into any issues, I will be happy to help.

[@CharlieUniman]

@@leanproductivity Here are my comments on the instructions:: On the page with the title "Lean Vaults Integration Guide," there's a word missing in the second paragraph from the top. I believe the word "merge" should appear of the words: "This is a detailed description of how you can" in that". On the page captioned "Merge the vaults," in the numbered paragraph 2 under heading "Merge dashboard and demo notes," I suggest that you add, for clarity's sake, the following text after the words:" Copy the CRM folder": "(that is to say, the folder called [CRM]' in the above screenshot)" and also suggest that you add the following text after the words "and the Learn CRM file: "(that is to say, the file called Lean 'CRM md' in the above screenshot)" On the page captioned "Merge the vaults," I suggest adding a section that calls out special attention to the "Configure QuickAdd Actions" - I say this because people unfamiliar with Obsidian's QuickAdd functionality might not appreciate what's going on with the information that you've provided upon clicking the link called "Configure QuickAdd Actions." (BTW, I do very much applaud the approach that you followed with QuickAdd Actions, i.e., having EACH of your vaults contain the QuickAdd Actions for all ALL vaults by default and suggesting only deletions of QuickAdd actions for those vaults not downloaded. This approach simplified things immensely for downloaders, like me, of several of your vaults.)

[@lotharjohansson3785]

Great video. Can you tell what is the tool you are using to paste from Clipboard that we see at 14:28 ?

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you so much. This is the keyboard shortcut WIN+V on Windows.

[@HiltonT69]

REALLY useful!!!

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you. Much appreciated.

[@xxjohnboy]

I just bought the CRM and the whole bundle actually, but the buttons dont work because the buttons plugin is not installed. It seems you have swtiched to the MetaBind plugin instead?

[@leanproductivity]

@@xxjohnboy yes, but this should be reflected in the vaults. Let me check it and get back to you. Sorry about that.

[@xxjohnboy]

@@leanproductivity I've noticed that the quickadd options for the CRM are not activated. And also htye are under the wiki folder in the quickadd section... i dont want to mess with it too mcuh though...

[@xxjohnboy]

yes, putting sone lightning in the quickadd options fixed it. thanks for the quick response though.

[@xxjohnboy]

ANy tips for how to use this for work projects? shoudl i be doing this in the CRM, or in my startup vault?

[@leanproductivity]

@@xxjohnboy That's by design. Each vault includes all the options but only the vault-specific ones are active to prevent users from running an action that does not work. If you merge vaults, you need to activate them.

[@hedge4738]

You have a mistake in your datavie js query it doesn't work when replicated

[@leanproductivity]

Oh, really. Sorry about that. Which one exactly?

[@giovannigraziani80]

Hello, Fantastic video, absolutely necessary. You opened up a world for me to use these plugins to create a CRM. I'm creating one for work with the list of company employees (350). What I can't do and maybe you can't do is have two metadata fields, Line Manager and Direct Reports, that search for the names from the same folder (and I know how to do this), but that update automatically. For example, if I enter the name of the Line Manager in the employee file, I would like the Direct Reports field to be filled in the Line Manager file automatically. Do you think it's possible to do it in Obsidian? And if so, how?

[@leanproductivity]

Thank you so much for this great feedback - I really appreciate it. More importantly, it's great to see that the video is helpful to you. Regarding your question: frankly, I am not sure. It might be possible to do this with the "Linter" plugin. But I am not very familiar with it, so I cannot really tell. For better information, you may want to check the Obsidian forum or their discord server - people there are very capable and always willing to help.

[@giovannigraziani80]

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely follow it. And thank you again for this video so full of information and so well detailed. I hope to find time to try to implement some of the solutions you have adopted. I can't wait to try my hand at it.

[@lorriemaseyLMS]

@@giovannigraziani80What about metabind? I've seen a lot about it, but I can't seem to find really good tutorials to learn how to use it.