Organize your data with subject trees
Updated: April 7, 2006
The subject tree is the hierarchical list of categories used to organize information in Microsoft CRM 3.0. It is like the index in a book or a card catalog in a library. With a subject tree, you can quickly find and access information about products, cases, sales literature, and knowledge base articles.
This article shows you how to create a subject tree and add subcategories to it. The article also contains sample subject trees that you can use for your own business needs.
On This Page
Create a subject tree
1. | In the Navigation Pane, click Settings. |
2. | Under Settings, click Settings. Then, in the Settings area, click Subjects. |
3. | Under Common Tasks, click Add a Subject. |
4. | In the Subject dialog box, enter information or observe any noted restrictions or requirements as needed: | • | Title
Enter a name for the subject. This is a required field. | | • | Parent Subject
You can click Lookup to search for and select a parent subject for the new subject.
Leave the Parent Subject box empty if you want the new subject to be a parent subject. | | • | Description
Enter a descriptive statement about the subject. |
|
5. | Click OK.
To add a subcategory for a subject, select the subject and then follow steps 3 through 5. |
Examples of subject trees
The following top-level sample subject trees can be used and customized for your business. Only the top-level is provided, but you can add subcategories as needed.
Subject trees for manufacturing
The following subject trees can be used for manufacturing businesses. Note that for a discrete or process manufacturing subject tree, the categories are identical. For a manufacturing subject tree, however, you can omit the changeover category.
Manufacturing | Discrete Manufacturing | Process Manufacturing |
Agile Manufacturing | Agile Manufacturing | Agile Manufacturing |
Benchmarks | Benchmarks | Benchmarks |
Cellular Manufacturing | Cellular Manufacturing | Cellular Manufacturing |
Inventory | Changeover | Changeover |
Manufacturing Costs | Inventory | Inventory |
Parts | Manufacturing Costs | Manufacturing Costs |
Preventive Maintenance | Parts | Parts |
Process Manufacturing | Preventive Maintenance | Preventive Maintenance |
Productivity | Productivity | Productivity |
Vendors | Vendors | Vendors |
Subject trees for technology
The following subject trees can be used for technology businesses.
Communication Service
Provider | Network, Internet, or
Application Service Provider | Telecom |
Billing | Billing | Billing |
Competitors | Hosting | Carriers |
Customer Service | Partners | Customers |
Customers | Product Support | Data Services |
Partners | Service Level Agreements | Facilities Operations, Maintenance,
and Access |
Policies and Regulations | Value Added Services | Partners |
Services Packages | | Sound |
| | Technologies and Emerging
Technologies |
| | Telephony Services |
| | Text |
| | Trends and Demographics |
| | Video |
| | Voice |
Subject trees for professional services
The following subject trees can be used for businesses that offer professional services, such as advertising, financial services, or real estate.
Advertising | Engineering and Architecture | Equipment Providers |
Accounts | Architectural Designs | Access Equipment |
Audiences | Bids | Customer Premise Equipment |
Billboard | Billing | Handset Equipment |
Boilerplates | Contracts | Hardware |
Internet | Design Reviews | Product Support |
Print | Expense Reports | Wireless Communications |
Promotions | Pictures and Images | Wireline Communications |
Public Relations (PR) | Service Requests | |
Radio | Statement of Work | |
Spam | Subcontractors | |
Television | | |
Financial Services | Insurance | Legal |
Banking Services | Annuities | Billing |
Brokerage Services | Benefits | Cases and Codes |
Credit Services | Claim Adjustments | Clients |
Financial Planning | Claims | Contracts |
Foreign Exchange | Deductibles | Criminal Law |
Insurance | Insurance Brokerage Services | Family Law |
Investment Services | Insurance Policies | Federal and State Law |
Securities | Third Party Administration | Health and Health Care Law |
Speculation Services | Underwriting Services | Injury and Tort Law |
Trust Services | | Legal Forms |
Underwriting Services | | Litigation |
| | Presentations |
| | Research |
| | Tax Law |
Management Services | Professional Services | Real Estate |
Advertising Materials | Advertising Materials | Advertising Materials |
Billing | Approvals | Apartments |
Clients | Best Practices | Buildings and Commercial Spaces |
Consulting | Billing | Buying and Selling |
Marketing | Business Processes | Clients |
Meetings | Clients | Duplexes |
Objectives | Escalations | Manufactured Homes |
Discounts | Meetings | Pictures and Images |
E-Commerce | Notifications | Retail and Leasing |
Employment | Outsourcing | Townhouses |
Inventory Management | Proposals | |
Marketing | Reports | |
Merchandise | Service Offerings | |
Point of Sale | | |
Pricing | | |
Revenue | | |
Stock Keeping Units | | |
| | |
Retail | Transportation and Logistics | Utilities |
Brands | Backhauls | Accounts |
Catalogs | Billing | Billing |
Customer Service | Carrier Documentation,
Manifests, and Packing Lists | Contractors |
Discounts | Clients | Distribution |
E-commerce | Freight Carriers | Meters |
Employment | Inventory Management | Rates |
Inventory Management | Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) | Regulations |
Marketing | Multimodal Products | Safety |
Merchandise | Point of Service (POS) | Service Requests |
Point of Sale | Production and Delivery | |
Pricing | Shipping Materials | |
Revenue | Tracking and Mailing | |
Stock Keeping Units | Trips | |
| Vehicle Fleet | |
| | |
Subject trees for the health industry
The following subject trees can be used for business in the health industry services, such as healthcare providers, medical devices, and pharmaceuticals.
Healthcare | Health Plan Payor | Healthcare Provider |
Biotechnology | Claims | Billing |
Healthcare Payors | Explanation Codes | Compliance |
Healthcare Providers | Explanation of Benefits (EOB)
and Remittance Advice | Data Security |
Hospitals | Health and Health Care Law | Healthcare Payors |
Patients | Healthcare Clearinghouses | Medical Supplies |
Pharmaceuticals | Healthcare Providers | Patient Accounts |
Physicians | Ongoing Cases | Patient Care Devices |
X-Rays | | Patient Follow-up Process |
| | Patient Relations |
| | Prescription Drugs |
| | Referrals and Escalations |
| | Scheduling |
Medical Device | Pharmaceuticals | |
Active Medical Devices | Branded Drugs | |
Computerized Tomography (CT) | Clinical Trials | |
Custom-Made Medical Devices | Drug Regulations | |
Dialysis | Experimental Drugs | |
Echocardiography | Generic Drugs | |
Electrocardiographs (EKG) | Laboratories | |
Implantable Medical Devices | Over-The-Counter (OTC) Drugs | |
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) | Pharmacies | |
Medical Devices Accessories | Prescription Drugs | |
Sterile Medical Devices | Research and Development | |
Subject trees for the entertainment industry
The following subject trees can be used for businesses in the entertainment industry.
Entertainment | Media and Entertainment |
Box Office | Box Office |
Broadcasts | Broadcasts |
Competitors | Competitors |
Consumers | Consumers |
Finances | Finances |
Internet | Internet |
Movies | Movies |
Music | Music |
Partners | Partners |
Piracy | Piracy |
Print | Print |
Security | Security |
Technologies and Emerging Technologies | Technologies and Emerging Technologies |
Trends and Demographics | |
Subject trees for miscellaneous businesses
The following subject trees can be used for businesses that do not fit into any of the previous categories
Banking | Education | Government |
Checking and Savings | Board Development | Accountability |
Credit Services | Budgets | Accounting Policies |
Debt Consolidation Services | Business Ethics and Processional Standards | Budgets |
Electronic Banking | Curriculum | Data Security |
Financial Planning | Distance Learning | Funds, Commitments, and Expenditures |
Insurance | Families | Initiatives |
Loan Services | Grants and Fundraising | Partnerships |
| Higher Education | Projects |
| K-12 Schools | Regulations |
| Operational Procedures | Reporting |
| Staff Recruitment and Retention | Requests for Proposals (RFPs) |
| Staff Training | Taxes |
| Students | |
Life Sciences | Non-Profit | |
Biochemistry | Administration | |
Biology | Advertising Materials | |
Biotechnology | Annual Reports | |
Ecology | Educational and Training Programs | |
Genetics | Employees | |
Laboratories | Event Planning | |
Medical Device | Fundraising, Events, and Conferences | |
Pharmaceuticals | Giving, Donations, and Private Contributions | |
Research and Development | Policy | |
| Volunteer Programs | |
