Misleading 2003 advertising! How make all contacts into bus. conta

[Guest]

Hello,

I previously used ACT for my communication management with contacts (3 years
ago, been with Outlook for 3 years due to graduate school server being
Exchange), and I have been waiting on Microsoft to get their act together and
add/integratge history tracking and future tasks with Contacts in Outlook so
that all you do is click on name and then in bottom of window there should be
a history stating phone calls, emails, etc. and future to do's (that appear
in Calendar) with ability to click and make notes, reschedule, etc. for this
contact.

A few weeks ago, I came across the Outlook 2003 website and read about
"Business Contact Manager" which seems to be what I am describing above, i.e.
an integrated CRM for small businesses and consumers, similar to ACT
software. Well, turns out that you must buy Office Professional 2003 to get
this simple CRM feature. I went ahead and dished out the money and also spent
my entire Saturday afternoon installing and updating only to find out that it
doesn't work. The dang program is thast Microsoft structured the software to
only allow CRM features with a new kind of contact called "business contacts"
and doesn't work with previous Outlook contacts. Who was the genius that
thought to screw this one up and make it more complicated?

Anyway, I went to change all contacts into business contacts so the new
feature would work, and it turns out that I cannot do this. Can someone
please help? I checked Microsoft's website but there are no instructions for
changing contacts into business contacts? How do I enable CRM features for
Outlook contacts (and dont't tell me to use the Journal, which is horrible)?
In other words, how do I change all Outlook contacts into Business Manager
Contacts, especially without opening each contact as I have almost 2000? And
also, does this screw-up syncing with phones or Yahoo?

IMPORTANT: I am not a business and do not want a full-blown CRM system. I
use the system to track and communicate with classmates on projects,
potential employers, etc. I just want the simple ACT features (i.e. "common
sense" history and future tracking features) for my contacts.

I am really P.O.'ed right now as I just spent money and day off on the
software only to find out that it appears useless and does not integrate
Outlook Contacts from previous versions.

Please help.

 

[outlook_rox]

Big D,
The only way to do this would be to drag and drop the contacts in the
business contacts folder. The "Outlook" contacts are stored in a pst file,
where as the BCM contacts are stored in a database for CRM reasons.

Cheers

 

[Guest]

Thanks.

So does this mean that I cannot export to other software: mobile phones, My
Yahoo, etc.?

If the answer is yes, how do I work around, i.e. use BCM and still sync with
phone and My Yahoo? Is there a feature to check that will then save and edit
all BCM contacts as plain PST contact too? Seems like a waste, but hopefully
they thought this feature through and set-up so will not be a step bacl to
1996. If you have no answer, do you recommend that I sell software on eBay
and buy ACt? I think ACT now offers email component plus syncing with
phones/palms/etc.

Thanks again, and I appreciate any additional info.

Best,
Bid D

Best,
Dave

 

[Guest]

Big D,
Not to add to your problem in any way, but just a tad bit of research on BCM
as an application you would have discovered this shortcoming in the first
version. There have been several surveys on BCM with q/a that (if included)
in the next version will be more of what you and I expected.
For a better resonse to your question / gripes / complaints with BCM, you
could repost here
http://www.microsoft.com/office/com...dg=microsoft.public.outlook.bcm&lang=en&cr=US

Chris Schatte

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