Managing People
Organize and manage all the people your business interacts with in Coherence
Managing People
The People module is the foundation of your workspace. Coherence provides powerful tools to organize, track, and engage with every person your business interacts with - whether they're customers, vendors, partners, or team members.
The People Module
The built-in People module comes pre-configured with essential fields:
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Full name (primary display field) |
| First Name | Text | First/given name |
| Last Name | Text | Last/family name |
| Primary email address | ||
| Phone | Phone | Primary phone number |
| Person Type | Select | Customer, Vendor, Partner, Employee, Other |
| Company | Reference | Link to Accounts module |
| Owner | User | Assigned team member |
You can customize the People module with any additional fields your business needs - job title, social profiles, custom tags, and more.
Person Types
Person types help you categorize and manage different relationships. Each type can have its own set of visible fields and workflows.
Built-in Person Types
| Type | Description | Common Use Cases |
|---|---|---|
| Customer | People who buy from you | Sales contacts, account managers, end users |
| Vendor | People who sell to you | Suppliers, service providers, contractors |
| Partner | Strategic relationships | Resellers, affiliates, integration partners |
| Employee | Internal team members | Staff directory, org chart, HR records |
| Other | Flexible catch-all | Consultants, investors, press contacts |
Customizing Person Types
Add your own person types to match your business:
- Go to Settings > Modules > People
- Find the Person Type field
- Click Edit Options
- Add, rename, or reorder types
Example custom types:
- Investor
- Consultant
- Press/Media
- Board Member
- Advisory
Type-Specific Fields
Configure fields to show or hide based on person type:
- Edit any field in the People module
- Find Visibility Settings
- Choose which types see this field
Example:
- "Employee ID" → Only visible for Employee type
- "Contract Terms" → Only visible for Vendor type
- "Account Manager" → Only visible for Customer type
Person Record Layout
Details Tab
The main view shows all person information:
- Basic info (name, email, phone)
- Person type badge
- Company association
- Custom fields you've added
- Notes and descriptions
Activity Timeline
Every person has a timeline showing:
- Emails sent and received
- Meetings and calls
- Field changes
- Notes and comments
- Linked activities from other modules
Related Records
See connections to other data:
- Deals associated with this person
- Tasks assigned to this person
- Projects they're involved in
- Documents shared with them
- Any other linked modules
Creating People
Quick Create
- Click + New in the People module
- Select the Person Type
- Enter required fields
- Click Save
From Email
When you receive an email from someone new, you can quickly save them:
From the Email Sidebar:
- Open the email in Coherence
- In the right sidebar, you'll see the sender's info
- Click Save as Person
- Select the person type (Customer, Vendor, Partner, etc.)
- Fields auto-populate from the email:
- Full name parsed from sender
- First/Last name split automatically
- Email address pre-filled
- Person type pre-selected
From the Linked Records Section:
- Open the email
- Find the Linked Records section
- Click Create a Person
- Choose the person type
- Complete the form with pre-filled data
The person type selector dynamically loads your configured types. Customize these in Settings > Modules > People > Fields.
From Import
For bulk additions, use the import feature:
- Go to People > Import
- Upload your CSV or Excel file
- Map columns to fields (including Person Type)
- Review and import
People Views
Table View
Spreadsheet-style view for:
- Bulk editing
- Sorting and filtering
- Data export
Kanban View
Organize people by type or status:
- Visualize your relationships
- Drag to change categories
- Quick updates
List View
Simple scrollable list for:
- Quick scanning
- Mobile-friendly access
- Minimal interface
Filtering by Person Type
Quick Filters
Click the type tabs above the record list:
- All - Everyone
- Customers - People buying from you
- Vendors - Your suppliers
- Partners - Strategic relationships
- Employees - Your team
Saved Views
Create type-specific views:
- Filter by Person Type = "Customer"
- Add additional filters (e.g., Owner = Me)
- Save as "My Customers"
Searching People
Quick Search
Press Cmd+K (or Ctrl+K) and type:
- Person name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Company name
Advanced Filters
Build complex queries:
- Click Filter in the toolbar
- Add conditions (Type = Customer AND Owner = Me)
- Save as a view for quick access
Best Practices
Keep Data Clean
- Merge duplicates regularly
- Validate email addresses
- Update person type when relationships change
Use Person Types Effectively
- Assign the correct type at creation
- Review and update types as relationships evolve
- Use type-specific fields to capture relevant data
Organize with Tags
Use multi-select fields for flexible categorization:
- Industry tags
- Interest areas
- Engagement level
Track Engagement
Use the activity timeline to:
- See last contact date
- Review conversation history
- Plan follow-ups
Next: Learn how to import people from other systems.