What other support solutions are available?

As with anything else on the web, there are thousands of places to go to find a solution to a question, and this is also true of GoldMine. When I was first starting out, I was amazed with the volume of information that is out there. Now that I have been using GoldMine since 1997, I am just as amazed how much bad information is available. Below is a list of my trusted resources- the people to whom I turn when I have questions.

FrontRange Newsgroups gmnews.goldmine.com
These are the "officially supported" newsgroups by Frontrange / GoldMine. If you have trouble with these, you can also reach them via the FrontRange website, www.frontrange.com .

FrontRange Support http://support.frontrange.com/freesupport/knowledgesearch.asp
The is the FrontRange Knowledgebase- the horse's mouth. You can find a great deal of information here, but you have to be patient. Really patient.

Contact Review http://www.contactreview.com/mb/
This is by far one of the best forums I use- one which I check almost daily. Only Tek-Tips ranks higher in my book, and that is because of the greater topic selection. This website is all about CRM and reporting- all the time. Also, some of the really great innovators of GoldMine hang out here. You can get the solutions you need from some of the greats like Dave Petonic, The Answer Wizard, Bob Gannett, Wendy Collett, and DJ Hunt, as well as more...

Prior Analytics Forum http://www.prior-analytics.com/
This team participates in just about everything GoldMine. They are also a great go-to company for those of you on the other side of the pond- they are located in the UK.

Google Newsgroups http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=en&group=alt.comp.goldmine
This is a moderately good group to watch. The experts that answer questions there are just as good as everywhere else here (most people frequent multiple groups), the problem is that there isn't a great deal of traffic, so there isn't much history to review.

Tek-Tips (you are already here)
These people know how to run a forum. There are few problems I haven't found a solution for here.

Finally, there is your VAR. VAR's are your single most valuable resource when facing a GoldMine problem. If you don't utilize their experience, you are just begging for a problem. My suggestion is to find a VAR you trust, and become their best friend. CRM is not like a hammer- you don't just buy it and go home to use it. You must learn to use your tools, and your VAR is uniquely qualified to guide you through this process. (Yes, Virginia, it is a process- a sometimes long, involved process. But if you have the sense to listen and learn, it is a process that will make you a great deal of money.)

To best utilize your VAR, look for all of the support options. Many have websites with news pages to keep you updated. Some have forums right on site. Some have pointers back to the forums listed above.

One final note. Try to find solutions on your own. Search forum histories, newsgroups, and the like BEFORE calling for support. It's cheaper, and I've found I remember solutions easier if they aren't just handed to me. Also, don't cross post unless you don't get a reaction. Posting the same questions over and over again in mutiple forums is not only confusing for everyone, but it takes up resources, reduces the chances of getting an answer, and is just plain rude.

Good luck in your search for information!