If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below. |
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Misleading 2003 advertising! How make all contacts into bus. conta
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. |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
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 "Big D" wrote in message ... 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. |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks.
So does this mean that I cannot export to other softwa 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 "outlook_rox" wrote: 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 "Big D" wrote in message ... 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. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
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 he http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...ang= en&cr=US Chris Schatte use the Office Online web based newsreader he http://www.microsoft.com/office/comm...s/default.mspx In Office System 2003 applications: Help/Assistance Pane/open Communities "outlook_rox" wrote: 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 "Big D" wrote in message ... 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. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Thread Starter | Forum | Replies | Last Post |
Outlook 2003 email groups and contacts | rechlin magma ca> | Installation & Setup | 0 | July 27th, 2004 05:29 PM |
activesync contacts subfolders from outlook 2003 | nick199 | Contacts | 3 | July 13th, 2004 12:10 PM |
Contacts missing after upgrading to Outlook 2003 | KimMarie | Contacts | 0 | July 12th, 2004 11:03 PM |
Is Outlook 2003 losing some of my Contacts? | Contacts | 3 | July 9th, 2004 08:16 PM | |
Productkey problem when installing office 2003 on network | Stefan Schreurs | Setup, Installing & Configuration | 1 | June 1st, 2004 11:16 PM |