BCM 2007 Q's BorisS 3/20/2007 1:40:28 PM Okay, I'd asked this before 2007 was out and did not get anything that helped me along, so will ask now, half a year later... My main goal/challenge with BCM is that I would like to use the feature set, but am having trouble figuring out how I can us it on a hosted exchange solution which the company has, and which hosted exchange solution then feeds my windows mobile 5.0 phone. So if I can have BCM somehow synch with that, or my OL locally (which then synchs with Exchange), I am happy to use BCM. Otherwise, it seems I have to maintain contacts which synch to the Exchange server, and then also maintain contacts that are in BCM. Am I misunderstanding how it fundamentally works? Can I have something like the following: -main contact details, which currently synch with Exchange (and thus phone) continue to do so -BCM fields which are same as these fields also are somehow linked to this synched version of contacts (so that I don't have to make changes in bot the synched and BCM -fields specific to BCM for opportunity tracking and such are held locally, and then synched via briefcase function between my computers (I use briefcase to synch PST files, so that each computer is always using same file and I'm not losing saved emails). Is there any combination of the above possible? Does what I'm describing make sense as a requirement? Thx. -- Boris

Re: BCM 2007 Q's "Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT]" <mukeshag[ at ]online.microsoft.com> 3/20/2007 5:05:58 PM The BCM data resides in SQL Express database that gets installed as part of BCM installation. Unfortunately, there is no out-of-the-box way to create a shadow copy of Business Contacts in Exchange store and maintain data sync btwn two copies. To your second question on syncing data among multiple computers, it is possible. BCM 2007 database can be shared across multiple computers connected in LAN environment. This is similar to BCM 2003. However, in 2007 version we have added Offline feature that will create an offline copy of the data on the client computer and facilitate sync with master copy. Hope it helps. -- Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT] Visit team blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights "BorisS" <BorisS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:92CDAEF8-0CCE-4535-8EE8-EEB9E2A91AF3[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > Okay, I'd asked this before 2007 was out and did not get anything that > helped > me along, so will ask now, half a year later... > > My main goal/challenge with BCM is that I would like to use the feature > set, > but am having trouble figuring out how I can us it on a hosted exchange > solution which the company has, and which hosted exchange solution then > feeds > my windows mobile 5.0 phone. So if I can have BCM somehow synch with > that, > or my OL locally (which then synchs with Exchange), I am happy to use BCM. > Otherwise, it seems I have to maintain contacts which synch to the > Exchange > server, and then also maintain contacts that are in BCM. Am I > misunderstanding how it fundamentally works? > > Can I have something like the following: > > -main contact details, which currently synch with Exchange (and thus > phone) > continue to do so > -BCM fields which are same as these fields also are somehow linked to this > synched version of contacts (so that I don't have to make changes in bot > the > synched and BCM > -fields specific to BCM for opportunity tracking and such are held > locally, > and then synched via briefcase function between my computers (I use > briefcase > to synch PST files, so that each computer is always using same file and > I'm > not losing saved emails). > > Is there any combination of the above possible? Does what I'm describing > make sense as a requirement? > > Thx. > -- > Boris

Re: BCM 2007 Q's "Lon Orenstein" <Lon[ at ]pinpointtools.com> 3/20/2007 11:08:07 PM And, check out CompanionLink or Pocket Mirror (not released yet for BCM 2007) that will synch to your handheld... Lon ___________________________________________________________ Lon Orenstein pinpointtools, llc Lon[ at ]pinpointtools.com Author of Outlook 2007 Business Contact Manager For Dummies Author of the eBook: Moving from ACT! to Business Contact Manager 800.238.0560 x6104 Toll Free (U.S. only) +1 214.905.0401 x6104 www.pinpointtools.com "Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT]" <mukeshag[ at ]online.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:%234klJIxaHHA.4948[ at ]TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... [Quoted Text] > The BCM data resides in SQL Express database that gets installed as part > of BCM installation. Unfortunately, there is no out-of-the-box way to > create a shadow copy of Business Contacts in Exchange store and maintain > data sync btwn two copies. > > To your second question on syncing data among multiple computers, it is > possible. BCM 2007 database can be shared across multiple computers > connected in LAN environment. This is similar to BCM 2003. However, in > 2007 version we have added Offline feature that will create an offline > copy of the data on the client computer and facilitate sync with master > copy. > > Hope it helps. > > -- > Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT] > Visit team blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights > "BorisS" <BorisS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:92CDAEF8-0CCE-4535-8EE8-EEB9E2A91AF3[ at ]microsoft.com... >> Okay, I'd asked this before 2007 was out and did not get anything that >> helped >> me along, so will ask now, half a year later... >> >> My main goal/challenge with BCM is that I would like to use the feature >> set, >> but am having trouble figuring out how I can us it on a hosted exchange >> solution which the company has, and which hosted exchange solution then >> feeds >> my windows mobile 5.0 phone. So if I can have BCM somehow synch with >> that, >> or my OL locally (which then synchs with Exchange), I am happy to use >> BCM. >> Otherwise, it seems I have to maintain contacts which synch to the >> Exchange >> server, and then also maintain contacts that are in BCM. Am I >> misunderstanding how it fundamentally works? >> >> Can I have something like the following: >> >> -main contact details, which currently synch with Exchange (and thus >> phone) >> continue to do so >> -BCM fields which are same as these fields also are somehow linked to >> this >> synched version of contacts (so that I don't have to make changes in bot >> the >> synched and BCM >> -fields specific to BCM for opportunity tracking and such are held >> locally, >> and then synched via briefcase function between my computers (I use >> briefcase >> to synch PST files, so that each computer is always using same file and >> I'm >> not losing saved emails). >> >> Is there any combination of the above possible? Does what I'm describing >> make sense as a requirement? >> >> Thx. >> -- >> Boris >

Re: BCM 2007 Q's BorisS 3/21/2007 4:57:12 PM Mukesh, thanks so much for the expert insight. Just a few follow-ups: I used to use briefcases to keep all my computers in check with each other (always synching before I launched anything like OL, on which I used PST files which were synched). I now have '07 Ultimate, which has Groove, and that seems to offer synching as well. Is the BCM offline file something which I can place where I'd like it, and then point to it from the program, so that I can effectively have the BCM file stay synched across computers that way (either continuing via bcase, or Groove)? Thx again. -- Boris "Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT]" wrote: [Quoted Text] > The BCM data resides in SQL Express database that gets installed as part of > BCM installation. Unfortunately, there is no out-of-the-box way to create a > shadow copy of Business Contacts in Exchange store and maintain data sync > btwn two copies. > > To your second question on syncing data among multiple computers, it is > possible. BCM 2007 database can be shared across multiple computers > connected in LAN environment. This is similar to BCM 2003. However, in 2007 > version we have added Offline feature that will create an offline copy of > the data on the client computer and facilitate sync with master copy. > > Hope it helps. > > -- > Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT] > Visit team blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm > > This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights > "BorisS" <BorisS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message > news:92CDAEF8-0CCE-4535-8EE8-EEB9E2A91AF3[ at ]microsoft.com... > > Okay, I'd asked this before 2007 was out and did not get anything that > > helped > > me along, so will ask now, half a year later... > > > > My main goal/challenge with BCM is that I would like to use the feature > > set, > > but am having trouble figuring out how I can us it on a hosted exchange > > solution which the company has, and which hosted exchange solution then > > feeds > > my windows mobile 5.0 phone. So if I can have BCM somehow synch with > > that, > > or my OL locally (which then synchs with Exchange), I am happy to use BCM. > > Otherwise, it seems I have to maintain contacts which synch to the > > Exchange > > server, and then also maintain contacts that are in BCM. Am I > > misunderstanding how it fundamentally works? > > > > Can I have something like the following: > > > > -main contact details, which currently synch with Exchange (and thus > > phone) > > continue to do so > > -BCM fields which are same as these fields also are somehow linked to this > > synched version of contacts (so that I don't have to make changes in bot > > the > > synched and BCM > > -fields specific to BCM for opportunity tracking and such are held > > locally, > > and then synched via briefcase function between my computers (I use > > briefcase > > to synch PST files, so that each computer is always using same file and > > I'm > > not losing saved emails). > > > > Is there any combination of the above possible? Does what I'm describing > > make sense as a requirement? > > > > Thx. > > -- > > Boris > >

Re: BCM 2007 Q's "Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT]" <mukeshag[ at ]online.microsoft.com> 3/23/2007 1:55:20 AM BorisS, BCM data store is not simple as file system. It uses SQL database. So you can't sync through groove like you can sync simple files. (PST are simple file) Under the hood, SQL database is stored in files but they are attached to SQL server as a database. Furthermore, when SQL server is running, it might put locks and stuff on the files. So it is not recommended to sync these files directly. -- Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT] Visit team blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights "BorisS" <BorisS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message news:319FCF1C-3B60-4029-9753-2105026FEE2B[ at ]microsoft.com... [Quoted Text] > Mukesh, thanks so much for the expert insight. Just a few follow-ups: > > I used to use briefcases to keep all my computers in check with each other > (always synching before I launched anything like OL, on which I used PST > files which were synched). I now have '07 Ultimate, which has Groove, and > that seems to offer synching as well. > > Is the BCM offline file something which I can place where I'd like it, and > then point to it from the program, so that I can effectively have the BCM > file stay synched across computers that way (either continuing via bcase, > or > Groove)? > > Thx again. > -- > Boris > > > "Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT]" wrote: > >> The BCM data resides in SQL Express database that gets installed as part >> of >> BCM installation. Unfortunately, there is no out-of-the-box way to create >> a >> shadow copy of Business Contacts in Exchange store and maintain data sync >> btwn two copies. >> >> To your second question on syncing data among multiple computers, it is >> possible. BCM 2007 database can be shared across multiple computers >> connected in LAN environment. This is similar to BCM 2003. However, in >> 2007 >> version we have added Offline feature that will create an offline copy of >> the data on the client computer and facilitate sync with master copy. >> >> Hope it helps. >> >> -- >> Mukesh Agarwal [MSFT] >> Visit team blog at http://blogs.msdn.com/bcm >> >> This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no >> rights >> "BorisS" <BorisS[ at ]discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message >> news:92CDAEF8-0CCE-4535-8EE8-EEB9E2A91AF3[ at ]microsoft.com... >> > Okay, I'd asked this before 2007 was out and did not get anything that >> > helped >> > me along, so will ask now, half a year later... >> > >> > My main goal/challenge with BCM is that I would like to use the feature >> > set, >> > but am having trouble figuring out how I can us it on a hosted exchange >> > solution which the company has, and which hosted exchange solution then >> > feeds >> > my windows mobile 5.0 phone. So if I can have BCM somehow synch with >> > that, >> > or my OL locally (which then synchs with Exchange), I am happy to use >> > BCM. >> > Otherwise, it seems I have to maintain contacts which synch to the >> > Exchange >> > server, and then also maintain contacts that are in BCM. Am I >> > misunderstanding how it fundamentally works? >> > >> > Can I have something like the following: >> > >> > -main contact details, which currently synch with Exchange (and thus >> > phone) >> > continue to do so >> > -BCM fields which are same as these fields also are somehow linked to >> > this >> > synched version of contacts (so that I don't have to make changes in >> > bot >> > the >> > synched and BCM >> > -fields specific to BCM for opportunity tracking and such are held >> > locally, >> > and then synched via briefcase function between my computers (I use >> > briefcase >> > to synch PST files, so that each computer is always using same file and >> > I'm >> > not losing saved emails). >> > >> > Is there any combination of the above possible? Does what I'm >> > describing >> > make sense as a requirement? >> > >> > Thx. >> > -- >> > Boris >> >>