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Getting started with data manipulation tools
This tutorial will guide you through each step needed to create a Customer Support tool using Forest Admin.
No matter which type of installation you've chosen, Forest Admin will auto-generate an admin panel on top of your application. It means the core features of every admin panel are available out-of-the-box, and most of them are necessary to perform day-to-day operations in Customer Support.
To access user data for customer support, use the admin panel as the single source of truth. After creating a project and connecting a data source, you will be able to see a table view, with all the collections, and the ability to add, edit, and delete user data.
The first view of Forest Admin
A window that allows to create a new plan out of the box.
Most Support activities start with finding a customer that needs it. Later in the guide, we will show you how to build a custom user finder with no code.
Search box and advanced filters are available out-of-the-box
If you need to apply a specific set of filters on a regular basis, it's a good idea to save it as a segment. We created one to display only blocked users. To create a Segment, activate a layout editor, click on the cog just next to the collection you want to edit, and select the Segments tab.
The example of a segment showing only blocked customers.
You can always export the data you need, in the format you need. It's possible to export all data at once, or a specific set of data after applying a filter or a segment.
Export is also available out of the box
Rapid access to user data is necessary for every Customer Support team member. However, every company is unique, and there is no one UI that fits them all. Forest Admin gives you three types of views that gather the most important information and actions about your users that can be customized with a WYSIWYG editor: Summary View, Details View, and Explorer View.
It is important to set up your admin panel and create smart fields and smart actions before customizing the views.
A Summary View allows you to quickly gather the most important information about each record, e.g. a user and available actions. They are customizable with a no-code drag-and-drop visual editor. In this example, we built a basic view that allows you to preview the user's data, reset a password, change a plan, and anonymize this user. Go to the next section of the guide (Adding Customer Support-specific features) to learn how to create such action buttons.
Summary View in the editor mode
Summary View: The end result. The action buttons: Reset a password, Change a plan, and Anonymize a user need to be created, as they are not available out-of-the-box.
The next tab, Details View, displays all the user's information by default. You can hide and rearrange elements, but you can't customize it further.
The Explorer view allows you to quickly preview relationships between your data, even when they are multiple levels deep. For example, you can quickly access orders placed by a specific user. The view is available out-of-the-box, but you need to customize it.
Instead of taking advantage of Summary and Details Views, you can create a Workspace, that gives you many more customization options.
You can also use both in parallel - Summary and Details for a quick preview, and Workspaces for more advanced spaces.
Customer Support is almost always teamwork that requires keeping in touch with other team members and logging different activities. Both are possible on Forest Admin thanks to two features: Collaboration and Activity.
You can follow the trail of modifications on any customer's record to stay on top of everything related to specific customers.
Activity log on a customer record
Full project-related activity logs are available from the left-side menu, allowing accountability at key points through an extensive searchable activity log.
General project-based activity log, available from the left sidebar.
Admins can also export all activity logs.
Besides the automated logs, on Forest Admin it's also possible to leave notes, tag team-mates, and assign tasks to them. Everything is available on one page, in the Collaboration tab.
