Nodes are the elements used in an influence map to indicate people and places. Connections are the lines that indicate how the people and places are linked.
Add a node
A node can represent this account, another account, a customer, a location, or something else that you define.
Each node added will automatically contain the customer, location or account name and the last contact date. The node will also contain icons that indicate the node type and relationship level, and for customers, whether they are a key customer or not. Node types and relationship levels are company specific so are not detailed here. Hover over the icons to see what they represent.
- Open an account
- Navigate to Influence Mapping
- If this is the first diagram to be created, the Edit Diagram tab will be active
- If a diagram already exists, then click the down arrow next to the diagram name on the ribbon to create a new diagram or open an existing one
- From the Edit tab click: Add this Account: Adds a node for the account to the diagram. Add Account: Include other accounts where their decisions have an influence on the account. Add Customer: Select one or more key customers from Account Customers in the customer selection list. Additional customers can be selected from elsewhere in the customer selection list. Click the Select Customers and Add Selection buttons to add customers to the diagram. Important: Customers added to the influence map will automatically be added to the key customer list. If the customer is not intended to be a key customer, then click the Key button. The node will remain on the diagram, but the customer will be removed from the key customer list. Add Location: Select one or more locations from Account Locations in the location selection list. Additional locations can be selected from elsewhere in the location selection list. Click the Select Locations and Add Selection buttons to add locations to the diagram. Add Other: Creates a node not linked to a location or customer. This is useful for adding a reference for yourself or other employees on the account team where they have specific areas of responsibility.
Name: Prefilled by the system based on your selected account, customer or location
Node Name: Same as above, but can be overwritten with your own text
Tooltip Text: Type any text that you wish to appear when you hover over the node in the diagram
Notes: Type any notes relevant to the node
Node Type: Select from the options available. These can be different depending on whether account, customer or location is selected
Relationship Level: Select from the options available
Click the OK button to add the node to the diagram
Add a connection
Connections are how the nodes are linked together. They are lines which indicate the direction of influence from one node to another. The connection types are company specific but may include solid and dashed lines and arrows.
- From the influence map Ctrl+Click to select two nodes, the first will be the From Node and the second will be the To Node.
- From the Edit tab, click Add Connection
From Node: prefilled with the first node selected from the influence map, or click the down-arrow and select an alternative from the list.
To Node: prefilled with the first node selected from the influence map, or click the down-arrow and select an alternative from the list.
Line Type: Select from the available options.
Line Text: Type any text that you wish to appear with the connection line on the diagram
Connection type: There are two types of connection line:- Direct: a straight line between two nodes
- Elbow: vertical and horizontal lines jointed at an angle between two nodes
- Click the OK button to add the connection to the diagram
Important: There can only be one connection between two nodes.
Use Direct Connection Lines: Switch off to use elbow connections as the default or switch on to use straight line connections as the default for the diagram. This can be overridden on a connection by connection basis by selecting the connection line type in the Create Connection Details screen.
Important: Switching the default connection types during or after the diagram is complete will apply the change to all connections in the diagram.