Utility for Synching contacts between two folders/accounts?

[boe]

Hello,

We are testing out Business Contact Manager and it seems to have a big
weekness (will try it on an exchange client today) -- apparently from what
we've read (and seen on a standalone client) it creates a seperate account
(kind of like if you have a pop and hotmail account under the same profile)
just for business contacts. Those contacts are slightly different in that
you have an activity "field" with all transactions for that account so you
can have time dated notes, e-mail tracking, etc. If we had a program that
syched the data so that at least the contact general info would be available
through OWA and would work with ActiveSynch for the WM5 devices it would
help a lot. We'd of course love to see the activity info on each but we can
live without those if we can just get that part working.

BCM seems to have a TREMENDOUS amount of potential but they seemed to have
missed some critical functions or they have those functions but the
documentation is so limited no one knows about them.

Thanks

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

BCM uses a separate information store, not a separate account.

The latest update adds some degree of sync support.

FYI, there is a separate newsgroup for BCM issues -- microsoft.public.outlook.bcm
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boe]

Thank you Sue!

I tried the BCM group but since they named it BCM, I don't think anyone has
found the group or the product just isn't used that much.

Can you tell me more about the sync support? I can't find much
documentation on the BCM page - it looks like it was written by marketing
since it has no tangible technical information.

BCM uses a separate information store, not a separate account.

The latest update adds some degree of sync support.

FYI, there is a separate newsgroup for BCM issues --
microsoft.public.outlook.bcm
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I don't use either BCM or a PDA, so I have no experience with it. I'd suggest that you install the latest update, though, since it fixes earlier problems.

You can access any microsoft newsgroup through Outlook Express by setting up a news account for the msnews.microsoft.com server.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boe]

Dooh! Won't MS send you a PDA so that you could help out those of us
suffering with BCM?

Seriously though thanks.

You should try out BCM - I think if you did you'd be able to help MS make
the fixes that it really really needs to make it a great product instead of
a frustrating one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for bells and
whistles - just tighter integration with Exchange and Outlook 2k3 would make
it a 400lb gorilla vs a 5lb spider monkey. I leave the bells and whistles
to additional CRM products but they just missed out on a couple of basic
features that would make it fantastic for small businesses that can't afford
expensive CRM products and really only need to track their basic activities
with their sales clients -e.g. mail activity (already included), dated notes
(already included) - if it could be accessable with OWA or sync basic info
minus the activites it would also take care of the basic PDA sync issue and
OWA issue.

I don't use either BCM or a PDA, so I have no experience with it. I'd
suggest that you install the latest update, though, since it fixes earlier
problems.

You can access any microsoft newsgroup through Outlook Express by setting up
a news account for the msnews.microsoft.com server.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I have tried BCM and found that its Outlook integration wasn't enough for me. The email tracking feature is very good, though.

It isn't accessible via OWA, since it uses a database and not Outlook or Exchange folders to store the data. I can't imagine that changing unless it morphs it a very different product.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boe]

I agree the e-mail tracker is nice and being able to create dated notes is
essential.

If they just made a sync utility for the BCM contacts to regular outlook
contacts minus the activities - it would really work well - they could then
hide regular contacts and set BCM contacts as your default. OWA would have
most of the information you need minus activities since that is all BCM
really adds and it would also sync with WM5. I can't imagine it would take
a MS programmer more than 5 hours to create a solid, well tested synch
utility.


I have tried BCM and found that its Outlook integration wasn't enough for
me. The email tracking feature is very good, though.

It isn't accessible via OWA, since it uses a database and not Outlook or
Exchange folders to store the data. I can't imagine that changing unless it
morphs it a very different product.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

As a matter of fact, Microsoft has offered such a tool for several years -- the Personal Contacts Synchronizer or PCS, which is available on the http://office.microsoft.com site. I have heard of people getting it to install on Outlook 2003, but don't remember the details. If you try it and have problems, you'll want to start a new discussion thread on that topic.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boe]

Thank you very much. I just did a search and couldn't find it though - I
wonder if they removed it?

As a matter of fact, Microsoft has offered such a tool for several years --
the Personal Contacts Synchronizer or PCS, which is available on the
http://office.microsoft.com site. I have heard of people getting it to
install on Outlook 2003, but don't remember the details. If you try it and
have problems, you'll want to start a new discussion thread on that topic.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[boe]

I found Outlook Pocket Contact Sync but I'm guessing that isn't what you
were referring to since it is for the old PPC and Outlook - I'll report if I
find PCS.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I found Outlook Pocket Contact Sync but I'm guessing that isn't what
you were referring to since it is for the old PPC and Outlook - I'll
report if I find PCS.

That's the one Sue was talking about and she knows it's for an older version
of Outlook, since she said:

"I have heard of people getting it to install on Outlook 2003, but don't
remember the details."

 

[boe]

OK - I didn't bother to read the Pocket Contact Sync- it sounds close to
what I'd like - a two way sync between folders would probably be necessary
though since updating info on their WM5 device would then sync with their
regular contacts. So this utility is VERY close to doing exactly what we
need to overcome the biggest weakness of BCM

Thank you both!