One of things I would like to have in my office is a centralized database that contains records of all of our clients, transactions, etc. I'm wondering about privacy and confidentiality of the data; however. When Agent A keys a client entry into the DB, my thought is that no other agent in the office other than agents servicing that client and the broker should have access to the client's transactional data, but other agents would be able to pull up the client's customer record with just name and address information and who the customer is currently working with.

Anyone have experience with locking down the database? Or did you make it open for all to view? What was the policy?

Ah... Databases. I love em.

I am a bit of a database guy myself and use Filemaker Pro Advanced to develope my own database solutions for clients and myself.

I even have a "Buyers Assistant" for free download at my website.

Anyway, I have been working on a database for my brokerage that does exactly what you are talking about.

In the system I am working on, the agent that enters the client *OWNS* that entry. That agent can select other agents in the office who can view that clients data. Of course, the broker has access to all the data.

So, lets say that someone enters the data for client A into the system. Then, sometime later, a different agent enters data that conflicts with the client A data. In other words, it looks to the system like two different agents are entering data about the same person. It allows this, but flags both entries and notifies the broker that there has been a client entry conflict. It can also be setup so that different people get these "Admin Alerts" - like the office manager, receptionsist, whoever.

In my system, an agent can do a search on properties and see what the status is. However, each agent can set what level of access others have to info on what they are up to. So if your an agent and you don't want anyone to know anything about what your up to, then when they search on you, all they get is your contact info. If an agent does a search on you and they are on your list of folks allowed to view all your info or you have the system set to allow everyone to see your status, it will list your contact info, what escrows you have active, what listings you have active, your active buyers, etc.

Frankly, I don't think that an agent would use a centralized client system unless they were assured that there were precautions in place to prevent other agents from vulturing the contacts.

I think a system that gives agents control over the level of professional privacy they want is a good thing.

R

Database & Privacy

I would suggest that you may wish to review the numerous "Legal" software programs used by the legal profession that will do everything you want and a great deal more.

We have been using the (The Advanced Edition) of "Amicus Attorney" for a number of years and would be lost without it. You can obtain all the information via their website on the internet.

I use Webexone.com and love it, love it, love it! Our agnets all only have access to their own contacts and files, but administrators have access to everything expect agents contacts which are marked "personal".
You are welcome to log in as a guest and look around. I keep everything on the web office. Contact managementment, e-mail, calendars, forms, checklists, preferred vendors, polls, message boards... the list is endless.
http://cscompany.webexone.com/login.asp?loc=&link=
login- "guest"
password- "visitor"
I find it very affordable for my small office, yet it is the same intranet used by Keller Williams.

There are some states that allow buyer representation and seller representation by the same firm without calling it dual agency by designating one agent the buyer agent and another the sellers agent - but not all.

Isn't it the case that in general a real estate firm (similar to a law firm) is treated as one agent in that the firm and thus the agent represent the client. I have a hard time coming to terms with the idea expressed that you can (or should) try to separate that knowledge each agent has from the knowledge any other agent has about any client the firm is representing. As you know, agents don't represent buyer or sellers. The firm does. The agents , in serving the client , represent the firm. My goal is (in my office) to make all the information any agent has about a client available to all the agents I have. This can be useful when, for example, a buyer client and a seller customer get into a negotiation that never got to contract on a particular house. Then another buyer client working with another agent of the firm enters into negotiation on the same house. The second agent should be able to determine what the last (lowest) price the seller offered his house at was. If he did not, the client the agent was working with as the firms agent might end up in a contract at a price higher than the last counter the seller made.
If I was that buyer and found out that the firm that was representing me was aware that the seller has already expressed a willingness to come down to below my contract price and I wasn't told, I would not be happy about it.

I have created a sample WebOffice customized for real estate on the WebexOne platform at http://realtydemo.webexone.com

The database layouts to create it for your company are available free as a .pdf document with step by step instructions.

I used Jim's info to get my weboffice set up, and it was VERY helpful! Thanks Jim!!!!