Chicago  ACT! USER GROUP

Meeting Date: February 1998

NEWS YOU CAN USE:

You read the article, now attend the meeting! ACT! User Group meeting notices are now available via E-mail. To receive e-mail notification of meetings, simply send a message to info@etechsys.com. We’ll add you to our e-mailing list.

As reported last month, ACT! 4.0 is on the way. Expect to hear an update in the coming months. Meanwhile, continue to watch this column and attend User Group meetings for the latest information on ACT! 4.0 from Symantec. While you are waiting, here's an tip to help you prepare for ACT! 4:

If you anticipate using both ACT! 3.0 AND 4.0 on the same PC network (or even on the same machine), make sure all ACT! 3.0 users have upgraded to version 3.0.8 if there is any chance they will access an ACT! 4.0 database.

Also, if you are running ACT! 3.0 on a network using the Windows NT operating system and experiencing database "difficulties" (e.g. lockups, system crashes, etc.) the problem could be corruption of database indexes. Symantec technical support has addressed this issue by suggesting a new "setting" for sites running ACT! 3.0 with databases residing on an NT Server. The setting involves a new entry for the NT Server registry. BEFORE updating the server registry entries, make sure that the VREDIR versions and configurations are checked on all PCs (workstations) on the network.

For additional information, see the article titled "Sharing Databases on a Windows NT Server Keeps Corrupting the Indexes" in the ACT! 3.0 Symantec Knowledgebase located at: http://service.symantec.com/knowbase/index.html. The document number is: 1998223162925.

MEETING FEATURE: ACT! SYNCHING

Alan Lee, ACT! Certified Consultant, led a discussion of synching. Synching refers to the transferring of information back and forth between two PCs so as to make the ACT! data identical on both. For example, field salespeople might enter customer information on laptop PCs while a master customer database is maintained at the office. Using ACT!’s synching feature, the master database on the office system can be easily updated with information from the field. Remember, synching is a two-way flow of information. So, during synching, the office system might receive product orders and personnel changes from the field while sales reps might receive contact records of new leads from the office.

Synching only works between two ACT! databases. Plus it’s important that the software revision numbers match. In other words, all users must have the same version of ACT! for synching to work properly. (You can check the revision number of ACT! using the command HELP, ABOUT.) To reduce the likelihood of errors, there should be a one-to-one match of fields between PCs.

Data Transfer Methods

Users have several options available to them when it comes to transferring data (synching). Users may do a direct transfer between two databases located on the same disk drive (or network). This, however, is not recommended. It is also possible to exchange information via direct modem connection between two PCs. The drawback to this option is that both PCs must be manned at the same time. A better option might be to synch via e-mail. This is probably the least secure way of transferring information but it eliminates the problem of needing people at both locations in order to exchange data.

The easiest and arguably the best way to exchange data for the purposes of synching is to use a "shared folder". A shared folder is a specific file folder (on the hard drive) where synch data is stored. Data is transferred, in this case, via floppy disk. Note that for Macintosh users, a shared folder is the ONLY option for transferring synch data.

How It Works

Synching is accomplished through what ACT! calls a "transaction log". The transaction log is basically a record of every change to every field in a database. ACT! bundles this data into "synch packets" which can be sent via modem, e-mail, or stored on a diskette. (The command used is FILE, SYNCHRONIZE, SYNCHRONIZE.)

Synching Tips

· Use ACT! groups to divide the database so that the east coast rep gets just the updates pertaining to his customers and the west coast rep only gets the updates pertaining to him.

· Use ACT!’s Wizard function to help get set up.

· To set up for synching via a shared folder, choose this option from the CONNECT VIA menu. (The other choices include "modem", CompuServe, MS Exchange, and cc:Mail.) You’ll need to specify a directory where the synch packets will be stored.

· Make sure the data on all PCs is "clean". This means eliminating duplicate records and making sure field names and types match across all PCs running ACT!.

· Before implementing a company-wide program, start small, test, and document the outcomes as you go BEFORE rolling out.

Also, you may want to check out Symantec’s fax back information service for more tips on synching. There is some very good information on the topic available which goes above and beyond what is in the manual. Finally, if you are having problems with synching, make sure you have the current version of ACT!. For Windows users, this is 3.0.8. Unless you have version 3.0.7, you will have to upgrade to 3.0.7 before upgrading to 3.0.8.

OPEN FORUM:

Q: Can you recommend a program or backup utility for ACT!?

A: Sure. Windows 95 has a built-in backup utility called MS Backup which will work fine for backing up your ACT! data. Configure MS Backup to back up the complete database directory, all documents, templates, and reports, plus queries. Another alternative is Seagate’s backup application. One user explained that this application will automatically shut down any copy of ACT! running on any network workstation before backing up which, of course, makes for more convenient use.

Q: How do I consolidate several single-user databases into one so I can start synching?

A: The first step is to create a new (empty) master database. Next, clean up all existing databases by deleting ‘dead’ and duplicate contacts. Then execute the command SEND to a shared folder for each database. Finish up by opening the new master database you created and APPLY each existing database to the new one.

OUR NEXT MEETING...

will be Tuesday April 14, 1998. We will update you with the latest ACT! news and information from Symantec and, of course, will answer your ACT!-related questions during our Open Forum Q&A session. The meeting will be held at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts Lecture Hall located at 201 Schaumburg Court (just off Schaumburg Road, between Plum Grove and Roselle Roads).

The ACT! User Group (a SIG of the C.C.S.) holds meetings on the second Tuesday of the month, eight months out of the year. User Group meetings are free and open to all C.C.S. members. Call E Tech Systems at 847-352-4770 to get meeting notices or e-mail us at info@etechsys.com.

E Tech Systems is an ACT! Certified Consulting firm and Symantec Authorized Training Center. E Tech has installed, configured, and customized ACT! for dozens of companies and trained hundreds of ACT! users. Alan Lee can be reached at E Tech at 847-352-4770 or via e-mail to alee@etechsys.com.

© Copyright 1998 by Alan M. Lee. Other nonprofit computer user's groups may reprint this material providing credit is given the author and C.C.S. Future rights for publication reserved by Alan M. Lee. ACT! is a registered trademark of Symantec Corporation.

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