"Contact" vs. "Contact person"

Question

Hello,Does the collocation "contact person" exist in English, or is it enough to use "contact"? If they both exist, is there a difference between them?Many thanks for your comments in advance!P.Example:he basic building block of the [software component name], which brings together all the events, whether towards your partners, or individual contact{ person}s.P.S.: Any other mistakes you see in the sentence? I'll be grateful for any corrections!

Clive · Accepted Answer

Hi,
Does the collocation "contact person" exist in English, or is it enough to use "contact"? If they both exist, is there a difference between them?
Both are fine. 'Contact person' is a little more explicit, and a little less casual.

Many thanks for your comments in advance!

P.

Example:

he basic building block of the [software component name], which brings together all the events, whether towards your partners, or individual contact{ person}s.

P.S.: Any other mistakes you see in the sentence? I'll be grateful for any corrections!

I assume this is just part of a sentence, as you have no main verb. I don't understand the last part, particularly .
. . . bring events . .. together . . . towards . . . Try to say it another way.

Clive

Petusek · Answer

Oops, you're right, Clive. Thank you. I seem to have deleted the verb by accident.

"...
The basic building block of the module is the Book of Activities, which brings together all the events, whether towards your partners, or individual contact persons.
..."

I'm having problems understanding the non-English original too.

Perhaps, we could replace bring together with combine or connect or or associate or something like that. By events, the author probably means actions or operations (if those are the right words) that a company directs either at its partners or at its contact persons.

Would the following make more sense?

"...
The basic building block of the module is the Book of Activities, which associates all the events, whether they are directed at your partners or your contact persons.
..."

Clive · Answer

Hi,

The meaning here of 'associates' seems a bit vague to me. Can you say it more clearly? Perhaps 'connects'?.

It also seems very unclear to speak of an event directed at someone. What does this mean? What would be an example of such an event?

To speak of a building block like this suggests to me that more than one such block is used to build the module. How about just saying this?

eg The basis of the module is the Book of Activities . . .

Clive

Petusek · Answer

CliveHi,The meaning here of 'associates' seems a bit vague to me. Can you say it more clearly? Perhaps 'connects'?.It also seems very unclear to speak of an event directed at someone. What does this mean? What would be an example of such an event?To speak of a building block like this suggests to me that more than one such block is used to build the module. How about just saying this?eg The basis of the module is the Book of Activities . . . Clive

Thanks Clive, I should have included more context from the start. I'm stupid. Sorry for that.

Here it is (with a few changes and ideas I've just come up with):

"...
The basic building block of the module is the Book of Activities, which summarizes/connects/lists all events/operations/actions, whether they are aimed at your partners, or individual contact persons. Activities are further categorized according to their type into items or modes of operation (telephone calls, e-mails, appointments, bids, contracts, faxes, etc.). Each activity also includes an evaluation of a given business opportunity to which it relates. Another possible criterion for sorting activities is their inclusion in campaigns, offerings, partners, contact persons, periods or the folders created by the user. The Activities give(s???) the user immense scope for the evaluation/assessment their own analyses such as the bid success rate, event participation frequency, business event duration, the success rate by type of activity, and many others.
..."

I visualize the component as having a (more or less) tabular layout that gives you an overview of what's going on in the company as regards the activities.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

'Aimed' still doesn't sound right to me. How about saying 'whether they involve. . . '?

A lot of other things are said unclearly.
eg How can an activity be included in a partner? Do you cut him open and stick it inside him somehow?

Do you want all this to be clear to any reader,. or just to people who already have a very detailed knowledge of what you are talking about?

Clive

Petusek · Answer

CliveHi,'Aimed' still doesn't sound right to me. How about saying 'whether they involve. . . '?A lot of other things are said unclearly.eg How can an activity be included in a partner? Do you cut him open and stick it inside him somehow? Do you want all this to be clear to any reader,. or just to people who already have a very detailed knowledge of what you are talking about?Clive

That's a good point. As I see it, a 'partner' here is used metonymically to refer to one of the datasets or databases. You know, the system seems to involve several different sources of data that are interlinked so as to 'communicate' with the individual 'modules' and 'components' of the software. This means that people who have worked with the system will probably understand those things. I have no idea, however, who the readers of the text are supposed to be...so I shouldn't rely on anybody's prior experience with the system.

That said, I realize that inclusion in is indeed wrong. Perhaps, association with or relation to could work better. The point is that, most probably, if a person or a partner is somehow associated with a campaign, having taken part in it, for instance, you can use this piece of information as a sorting criterion, listing only those activities that are somehow connected to that very person AND the particular campaign you specify at the same time. So, it appears now that I'm looking for an all-embracing noun capable of linking all those disparate items together...if that's possible at all.

I can't emphasize enough how much I appreaciate your help, Clive! I'm really very, very grateful!

Clive · Answer

Hi,

When I worked in database design year ago, we sometimes spoke of 'entities'.

Clive

Petusek · Answer

OK. I've made some changes:

"...
The basic building block of the module is the Book of Activities, which summarizes all events, whether they involve your partners, or individual contact persons. Activities are further categorized according to their type into items or modes of operation (telephone calls, e-mails, appointments, bids, contracts, faxes, etc.). Each activity also includes an evaluation of a given business opportunity to which it relates. Another possible criterion for sorting activities is their employment in campaigns, offerings, partners, contact persons, periods or folders created by the user. The Activities give(s???) the user immense scope for the evaluation/assessment of their own analyses such as the bid success rate, event participation frequency, business event duration, the success rate by type of activity, and many others.
..."

P.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

The basic building block I'd prefer to say just 'the basis' of the module is the Book of Activities, which summarizes all events, whether they involve your partners no comma or individual contact persons. Activities are further categorized according to their type into items or modes of operation (telephone calls, e-mails, appointments, bids, contracts, faxes, etc.). Each activity also includes an evaluation of a given business opportunity to which it relates. Another possible criterion for sorting activities is their employment in campaigns, offerings, partners, contact persons, periods or folders created by the user. The Book of Activities gives the user immense scope for the evaluation/assessment of their own analyses such as the bid success rate, event participation frequency, business event duration, no 'the' success rate by type of activity, and many others.

Clive

Petusek · Answer

Perfect, Clive. Many thanks! Erm...one question though, only to be sure, The Book of Activities gives (=3sg), right? P.

"Contact" vs. "Contact person"

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