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View Full Version : Microsoft Releases Business Contact Manager Sync Tool for Pocket PC


Janak Parekh
06-16-2005, 03:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=f3bc2918-c310-4599-81d1-558cf385ed88&displaylang=en' target='_blank'>http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...&displaylang=en</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Business Contacts for Pocket PC is a program that allows you to synchronize your business contacts and a subset of your communication history to your Microsoft Windows Mobile Pocket PC device."</i><br /><br />If you're using Outlook 2003 with the Business Contact Manager add-in, you'll probably want to check this out. I have no idea how well it works, so for those of you who play with it, report back and let us know. :)

brianchris
06-16-2005, 03:54 PM
Hmmmm, although I heard of it, I don't know much about the business contact manager, BUT that's because as I was investigating it (back when Office 2003 launched) I learned the business contact data wouldn't sync with my PocketPC, making it practically useless (as I'm not often by my desk).

Now though, I will take another look at it. Honestly, I had no idea they were working on this. I don't think I'll be able to use it though becuase I use an Exchange Server, and I don't believe it works on Exchange.....that's their next "to-do."

kiwi
06-16-2005, 05:49 PM
not sure if its from the original slideshow, but the demo of the Outlook Addin product on the MS website shows business people interacting with PocketPCs... abeit it looks a like Compaq ipaq 3630 though.. :wink:

paris
06-16-2005, 05:51 PM
will try this out and report back. did not use BCM as well back when i research it coz it did not sync with the pocket pc

John C
06-16-2005, 06:28 PM
It syncs (via ActiveSync) only the Business Contacts out of BCM, not Accounts or Opportunities (although, like the default contacts app, you can group by last name or account). It also syncs up to the last 10 history items for each contact (emails, notes, phone logs, tasks, etc.). You can edit the contacts and/or create new contacts on the PPC. History items are read-only, and you can't create new linked history items.

Overall, I think that it is a good first step from the nothing we had before. I wish it did more, but I'm assuming that we'll have to wait for Office12 to get additional features. If you use BCM and a PPC, though, this is a no-brainer.

BTW, BCM will work in a profile that has Exchange in it - so don't let that stop you from using BCM...

John

brianchris
06-16-2005, 07:31 PM
BCM will work in a profile that has Exchange in it - so don't let that stop you from using BCM...

OK, a couple things here: Becuase of your post, I have researched learned that there has been an update the *desktop* Business Contact Manager software, enabling a number of new features, two of which are Pocket PC sync and *Exchange* compatability. The Exchange compatability did not exist before (and niether did the PPC sync), so it looks like they took care of everything in one fell swope. Thanks for letting me know John, as I wouldn't of researched further....however I was starting to think I was crazy as your post implied Exchange compatability had always been there :wink: Looks like I will have to try it now. For those interested, this webpage has a great summary of the new features http://www.microsoft.com/office/outlook/contactmanager/prodinfo/overview.mspx#EJAA Thanks again!

szamot
06-17-2005, 06:20 AM
BCM is great for us. So far we are doing nothing but uninstalling if for everyone, so far 3 calls today. I guess BCM selectively decides which email will actually go out and which will not and as such makes this a very unuseful tool....what gives MS? The mail shows up in the send items but actually does not leave the server....... We uninstall BCM all mail goes out, clients are happy. Go figure. BCM it might be but CRM it is not.