ENEWS > SPRING 2007 > QUESTIONS ABOUT ACT!

QUESTIONS ABOUT ACT!?
ACT! CERTIFIED CONSULTANT FIELDS YOUR QUESTIONS

Q: We just upgraded from ACT! 6.0 to ACT! 2007.  With ACT! 6.0, we used e-mail synchronization to share contacts with the users in our remote offices, but the new version requires a direct connection for synchronization.  We don’t have a VPN (virtual private network) and can’t really afford to set one up at this point.  There are only six users in our office.  Is there another option?

A: The good news is that synchronization is really robust in ACT! 2007, and the new sync model is dramatically easier to set up in the newer version.

If you don’t have a budget to create a formal VPN, you have a couple of cheaper software-based options that will create network connectivity between your remote users and your main office.  Most recent Windows Servers come with a built-in software firewall.  You’ll need to know how to configure it and set up your firewall to accept it, but it can be done on a low budget. 

There is also a program called Hamachi that lets you create a software-based VPN.  Install Hamachi on all of your computers, and use the wizard-driven software to create a network and link all computers to that network.  Installing Hamachi is easy, requires no advanced knowledge, and best of all – it’s free.  There are also some paid services like blueroam.com that accomplish pretty much the same thing.

Before discounting the idea of implementing a VPN, though, it might be worth getting a quote from an IT company in your area.  The price of VPNs has decreased in recent years, and it might not be as expensive as you think.  Beyond the benefits you’ll see with ACT! synchronization, a VPN will offer you an easier method for sharing files and performing other workgroup functions.

Whatever option you select, read all of the documentation and make sure the synchronization you set up is secure.

For more information, please review the ACT! Synchronization Architecture whitepaper.

Q: I often perform lookups on a custom field that I’ve added to my database.  It’s tedious to click Lookup | Other Fields and select the custom field each time I have to perform the lookup.  Is there an easier way to do a lookup on a specific custom field?

A: There are a couple of things you can do to speed up this search.  The easiest is probably to just perform a right-click lookup.  On the layout, locate your custom field.  Right click in the white space of the custom field, and choose the Lookup ~fieldname~ option.  This will take you right to the Lookup dialog box for the custom field.  This works on most fields.  (It doesn’t work on memo, picture, or yes/no fields.) 

Another option is to click inside the field and then click Lookup | Other Fields.  Lookup | Other Fields will always default to perform a lookup on the field that currently houses your cursor.

Q: I set ACT! to work with Microsoft® Outlook®, but when I go to write an e-mail message, the e-mail pops up in the ACT! E-mail interface – not in Outlook.  How can I get the e-mail to open in Outlook?

A: This is fixed with a quick setting change.  Click Tools | Preferences.  Go to the E-mail tab.  Click the E-mail System Setup button.  Make sure Microsoft Outlook is selected and click Next.  In the next step of the wizard, make sure that the Use the Outlook e-mail program option is selected. 

Go through the rest of the wizard, and click OK to leave the Preferences area.  Once back in ACT!, try sending an e-mail message by clicking Write | E-mail Message.  The e-mail should appear in the Outlook e-mail interface.

Q:  I am a real estate broker, and it’s really helpful for me to be able to click Contacts | Display Map to bring up a MapQuest map of my contacts.  Because I’m often driving to these sites, I’d like to be able to get this same functionality with driving directions.  Could you recommend an add-on to do this?

A:  This functionality is available in ACT!. When viewing a contact, navigate to the third toolbar icon from the right labeled "Display Map." Clicking on this icon will automatically map the main address using MapQuest. Once the MapQuest page is rendered, you can easily attach it back into ACT! for future reference. To do this, find the toolbar icon on Internet Explorer for "Attach Web page to ACT! contact" and select the contact you want to attach to. Now each time you visit that contact, you'll have a history item with the appropriate attachment.

Q: Is there any way to make ACT! faster to load?

A:  If you’ve used previous versions of ACT!, you probably noticed that ACT! 2007 loads significantly faster than the last couple of versions. 

Even with the improved startup speed in ACT! 2007, you can shave a few extra seconds off the load time by setting the program to load the Contact List view by default.  Click Tools | Preferences.  In the Startup tab, choose Contact list view from the Startup view drop-down.  Then, close ACT!.  Wait a few seconds, and start the program up again.  You should see a few seconds shaved off your program loading time.  You’ll have to do this once at each workstation.

Timothy Kachinske
Innovative Solutions
ACT! Certified Consultant

Do you have questions about ACT!? Ask us at act-guru@howdoyouact.net