Important Licensing Notice for all Act! CRM Customers

Act! Licensing Software Update

We have recently been informed that an embedded third-party software component of Act! that facilitates licensing services (Protexis) is being discontinued by the manufacturer at the end of 2018. As of January 1st, 2019, depending on what version of Act! you are running, there will be necessary steps that need to be taken to ensure uninterrupted access. You can read the statement from Swiftpage, here

This affects all Act! users

All Act! users will need to upgrade.

If you're on an old version, Act! may stop working in January.
If you have v18.2 or newer, YOU WILL NEED A PATCH
To Check Your Version in Act! – Help Menu > About Act!

As of January 1st, 2019, customers who haven’t updated Act! will no longer be able to:

• Install Act! on new machines
• Re-activate Act! on existing machines
• Modify your user count
• Make key modifications to existing machines (eg. Motherboard swap, network card swap)

If you make any of the changes listed above, your Act! product will fail to re-activate and you will lose access to the software completely.

*Note: If you are a NEW Act! customer (I.e. you are not upgrading from a different version), and you have purchased v21 on or after November 19th, 2018, you will NOT be affected by this issue.

Please refer to the obsolescence policy for your region below:

• North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand: Act! Support Obsolescence Policy
• Europe, UK and Rest of the World: Act! Support Obsolescence Policy

See below for the necessary steps for your version and the expected dates for updates.

If you have any questions, or need any help, please contact GL Computing by clicking on this button:

Licensing Software Update: v17 and earlier

Solution:

Because you are on a retired version of Act! you are no longer eligible to receive critical updates and enhancements. In order to ensure uninterrupted access to your product, you must upgrade to latest version of Act! by December 31st, 2018.

More info →

Licensing Software Update: v18.2

Solution:

Version 18 will be unsupported from Nov 30th 2018 as per the obsolescence policy linked above. In order to ensure uninterrupted access to your product, it is strongly recommended that you upgrade to latest version of Act! by December 31, 2018.

Should you elect not to upgrade to Act! v21, we have decided to make available a one-time update for v18.2 products that seeks to address this specific issue in January, 2019. We cannot and do not make any representations as to how long this one-time update will provide the functionality of Act! that you expect. Please note that this decision to provide you with the update in this instance shall not be precedent, or require us to provide, neither now nor in the future, any fixes for additional issues that may or will arise after the date of obsolescence as specified in the Act! Support Obsolescence Policy.

• Update 7 for v18.2 is available here

More info →

Licensing Software Update: v19, v20 and v21

Solution:

In order to ensure uninterrupted access to your product, you must apply the update provided before December 31st, 2018.

• Update 7 for v21.0 is available here
• Update 8 for v20.1 is available here
• Update 9 for v20.0 is available here
• Update 5 for v19.2 is available here

More info →

What’s new and fixed in Act! updates

To see what’s new and what issues have been fixed in updates for your version, click here.

Emailing from #ActCRM via Gmail and SMTP on other ports.

One of the long standing issues in Act! has been the inability for the email clients (Windows Internet Mail and Act! Premium for Web email merges) to use alternate ports. You can record History from email sent via Gmail and you can sync the contacts and activities between act! and Gmail, but you can’t use it directly as your email server as stated in this Act! knowledge base article: What email systems are compatible with Act!?

Recently an Act! Consultant came to me to help find a workaround for an Act! Premium for Web (APFW) User who needed to do emails with Templates. They are using Google’s G-Suit as their corporate mail server.

The user did have Outlook on their users’ machines, but the APFW email merge only works from the server, direct to an SMTP server.

Always up for a challenge, I looked into a few options (both free and paid) and came up with the idea of setting up a simple IIS SMTP server on their server and having it route the emails via the Google servers.

As I thought this might be useful to many of you, I thought I’d describe the process.

Please note: These instructions are of a technical nature and should only be done by those with the appropriate skills and understanding. Should you need assistance with this, please contact your Act! Consultant or send me a message via the GL Computing Contact Form

Google Setup

Note: This section is only necessary for those wanting to email via Google.

First, you need to determine which Google system you’re using and what authentication is necessary to allow the SMTP traffic. There are three supported options to do this:

• G-Suite SMTP relay (recommended) – Only for G-Suite customers
• Gmail SMTP server
• Restricted Gmail SMTP server – Only allows emails to other Gmail or G-Suite users, so probably not suitable for our use and won’t be covered.

G-Suite SMTP relay (recommended)	Gmail SMTP server
Sending Limits
A registered G Suite user can't relay messages to more than 10,000 recipients per day. For full SMTP relay limits, see Sending limits for the SMTP relay service.	2,000 Messages per day. See Gmail sending limits.
Anti-spam filters
Suspicious emails may be filtered or rejected
Fully qualified domain name of SMTP service
smtp-relay.gmail.com	smtp.gmail.com
Configuration options
Options: Port 25, 465, or 587 Secure Socket Layer (SSL)/Transport Layer Security (TLS) protocols. Dynamic IPs are allowed, but a static IP might be required due to authentication requirements.	Port 465 (SSL required) Port 587 (TLS required) Dynamic IPs allowed
Authentication requirements
Either a static IP address or a valid G Suite user login	Your full Gmail or G Suite email address is required for authentication.

Please Note: I recommend selecting TLS and port 587 for security

Please Note: If selecting Gmail SMTP server or not using a reasonably stable IP, you can only authenticate with a single user account at Gmail and emails will go from that account. However, it is possible to assign multiple IP addresses to your server and configure each account to use a separate one.

Once you’ve decided on your preferred option, you need to enable that function.

• For G-Suite SMTP relay, you need to add the IP address (or address range) for the machine(s) you’ll be setting up with SMTP server. To do that, follow the instructions at:
• Step 1: Route outbound mail using the SMTP relay service
• Use the external IP address of the SMTP server for #7/8
• Note: We’ll do step two when we’ve set-up the IIS SMTP server
  
• To use the Gmail SMTP server, you need to allow less secure apps access.
  The method you need to use will depend on if you are using a G-Suit account or a plain Gmail one. See the appropriate link::
• G-Suite - Allow or disallow less secure apps to access accounts
• Gmail - Allow less secure apps to access your account
  Note: If using two-step authentication, you’ll need to create an app password, as per
  Sign in using App Passwords

Setting up your SMTP server

To workaround the problem with sending to SMTP on different ports, we’re going to setup our own private SMTP server which will then relay the emails to your ISP or Corporate server.

While there are many free or inexpensive SMTP server options available, I’m going to just cover the IIS one as every Act! user would have access to it.

While this can be setup on a Windows Desktop system, I wouldn’t advise doing this because of a number of limitations and reliability factors.

So, I’m going to include instructions for Windows 2008 R2 and Windows 2012.

Install Internet Information Services (IIS)

If you already have IIS installed (eg on your APFW server), you might be able to skip this section and go to “Install SMTP”.

1. In Server Manager, select Add Roles
2. On the Before you begin page in the Add Roles Wizard, select Next.
3. For Windows Server 2008 R2:
1. On the Select Server Roles page, select Web Server (IIS) and select Install.
2. Select Next until you get to the Select Role Services page.
3. In addition to what is already selected, make sure that ODBC Logging, IIS Metabase Compatibility, and IIS 6 Management Console are selected and then select Next.
4. When you’re prompted to install IIS, select Install. You may need to restart the server after the installation is finished.
4. For Windows Server 2012
1. On the Select Installation Type page, select Role-based or Feature-based installation.
2. On the Select destination server page, choose Select a server from the server pool, and select the server that will be running SMTP services. Select Next.
3. On the Select Server Roles page, select Web Server (IIS), and then select Next. If a page that requests additional features is displayed, select Add Features and then select Next.
4. On the Select Role Services page, make sure that Basic Authentication under Security is selected, and then select Next.
5. On the Confirm Installation Steps page, select Install.

Install SMTP

1. Open Server Manager and select Add Roles and Features. On Windows Server 2012, you might also need to select the correct server.
2. On the Select Features screen, choose SMTP Server. You may be prompted to install additional components. If that’s the case, select Add Required Features and select Next.
3. Select Install. After the installation is finished, you may have to start the SMTP service by using the Services snap-in for the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) – Windows Key + R > Services.msc

Setup SMTP

SMTP is an IIS6 feature, so the above steps will have installed that version and we’ll use it for setting up

1. Start IIS 6 Manager – Start > Run > inetmgr6
2. Expand the current server, right-click the SMTP Virtual Server, and then select Properties.
3. We only need to worry about the Access and Delivery Tabs
4. On the Access Tab:
1. Select Authentication and make sure only “Anonymous” is checked. Click OK
   
2. Select Relay. Select “Only the list below” then use the “Add” button to add the IP addresses (or ranges) of all your machines that are allowed to send emails. Click OK.
   
5. Go to the Delivery Tab:
1. Select Outbound Security.
• If using G-Suite SMTP Relay with IP authentication, select Anonymous access and check TLS encryption. Click OK.
• If using G-Suit SMTP with SMTP Authentication, or if using the Gmail SMTP, then select Basic authentication and check TLS encryption. Click OK.
  
2. Select “Outbound connections” and set the port to 587. Click OK.
   
3. Select “Advanced” and enter:
• Fully-qualified domain name – The correct DNS entry to identify the public IP you’re server is on
• Smart host
• If using G-Suite SMTP Relay - smtp-relay.gmail.com
• If using Gmail SMTP Server – smtp.gmail.com
6. Close the dialog box and the Properties.
7. Right Click on the SMTP Server in IIS6 and select “Start”

Test your setup

You can do a simple test from the command prompt. Windows Key + R > cmd.

1. telnet
2. set localecho
3. o <your smtp server IP or FQDN> 25
4. EHLO <your email domain>
5. MAIL FROM:<sender@gmail.com>
6. RCPT TO:<recipient@gmail.com>
7. DATA
8. <Type some text>
9. Enter, type a period (.) and then Enter again
10. If the server is working properly, you should get a response like this indicating that the message is queued for delivery:
    250 2.6.0 <INET-IMC-01UWr81nn9000fbad8@mail1.glcomputing.com.au.

Finally

Please Note: Make sure you correctly adjust your SPF records if using custom domains. This is essential if you don’t want your messages treated as spam.

Now you’re ready to set up your applications like Act! Internet Mail, Act! Premium for Web Email Merge, and Premium Mobile.

As always, you can let me know if you have any trouble with this or would like to book me to help you.

Fix: Issues when installing .Net Framework 3.5

One error that sometimes occurs when installing/upgrading Act!, and many other products, is during the install/upgrade of MS SQL Server.

For Act! installs/upgrades, the typical error you might receive is as per this knowledgebase article: "Act! pre-requisite has encountered a problem and needs to close." When Installing Act!

This error is not an Act! issue, but an issue installing MS-SQL on Windows operating systems from Windows 8 onwards, when the .Net Framework v3.5 isn’t enabled or has a problem with its setup.

You can also get similar issues updating SQL Server 2014 or adding Roles when the .Net 3.5 install lacks the right service pack.

The first step is to try enabling the Framework manually via the Control Panel.

Installing .Net 3.5 via Control Panel

As per this Microsoft article, you can enable the .NET Framework 3.5 through the Windows Control Panel. This option requires an Internet connection.

1. Press the Windows key Windows on your keyboard, type "Windows Features", and press Enter. The Turn Windows features on or off dialogue box appears.

2. Select the .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0) check box, select OK, and reboot your computer if prompted.

You don't need to select the child items for Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) HTTP Activation and Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) Non-HTTP Activation unless you're a developer or server administrator who requires this functionality.

Troubleshooting .Net 3.5 Installation Failure

During installation, you may encounter one of these errors 0x800f0906, 0x800f0907, 0x800f081f, or 0x800F0922.

Or you might get the error “The following feature couldn’t be installed, The source files could not be found”.

Or, on Server 2012, you might get “Do you want to specify an alternate source path? One or more installation selections are missing source files on the destination server”

Microsoft covers some of the basics in this article. However, as it misses fixes for some of the errors and is, in my opinion, incomplete, I thought I would document my preferred solutions.

Check the System and Security Action Centre

1. Hold the Windows Key and press R
2. In the Run dialogue, type: wscui.cpl
3. If you see any warnings, you should resolve them.

Using DISM and an SFC/DISM Scan

Try installing via DISM to enable the .Net 3.5 Framework:

1. Open a Command or PowerShell Prompt as an Administrator – Press Windows Key + X to open Win + X menu and choose Command Prompt (Admin) or PowerShell (Admin) from the menu.
2. When the Command Prompt starts, changing “X” for the drive of your Windows ISO.
   DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /LimitAccess /Source:X:\sources\sxs
3. The operation will now start. Keep in mind that it can take a while to finish, so don’t interrupt it.

If that fails, perform an SFC scan, by doing the following:

1. From an Administrator Command Prompt
2. sfc /scannow and press Enter.
   
3. SFC scan will now start. Keep in mind that SFC scan can take about 15 minutes to finish, so don’t interrupt it.

Once the SFC scan is finished, try to install .NET Framework 3.5 again.

If it doesn’t work, you might have to perform DISM scan as well.

To do that, just follow these steps:

1. Open Command Prompt as administrator.
2. Now run each of the following commends:
1. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth
2. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth
3. DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

The scans can take more than 15 minutes to complete, so be sure not to interrupt them

Once you complete the DISM scan, reboot and try to install .NET Framework 3.5 again.

Installing from a Clean ISO

Sometimes, the Windows files you have can be damaged. In that case, you need to follow these steps

Download the Windows Media Creation Tool

1. For Windows 10 users, download the Windows Media Creation Tool, which is a tool that helps you create a Windows 10 ISO. If running Windows 8.1, download the Windows 8.1 Installer.
2. Use the Windows Media Creation Tool to create a Windows ISO image locally.
3. When the download is complete, mount the ISO by double-clicking on it.

For Windows Server 2012 R2, you can download the appropriate Evaluation ISO

Copy the SXS folder

1. Open the mounted ISO, and go into the Sources folder.
2. There should be a folder named sxs.
3. Copy the folder to another location on your computer.
4. Right click on the copied folder, and choose Properties from the drop-down menu.
5. When the Properties window opens, click on the Security tab.
6. Select your username from the Group or user names box; check if there is a checkmark next to Read and Write in the Permissions for [Your Username] box. You could also add “Everyone” or “Domain Users” if wanting to store and run from a network share.
   
7. If you do not find the check marks, you should click on the Edit button, select your username, and check both the Read and the Write box.

Edit the Group Policy

Press Windows Key + R and enter gpedit.msc. Now press Enter or click OK. Keep in mind that this tool is available only on Pro versions of Windows 10, but there’s a way to run Group Policy Editor on the Home version of Windows.

1. When Group Policy Editor starts, in the left pane go to:
   Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System.
2. In the right pane, double-click on
   Specify settings for optional component installation and component repair.
3. A new window opens.
4. Select Enabled.
5. In the Alternate source file path, enter the address of the sxs.
6. Then click on Apply and OK.
   
   Optional: Check Download repair content and optional features directly from Windows Update instead of Windows Server Update Services.
7. After making these changes, you just need to start Command Prompt as administrator and run gpupdate /force command to apply the changes.

Finally

Now it should install from an Admin Command Prompt with the command:
DISM /Online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:NetFx3 /All /LimitAccess /Source:X:\sources\sxs
Remember to change “X:\sources\sxs” to the correct location of the sxs folder.

It’s also advisable to backup your system and, if you’ve had issues like this, you might also consider:
Repairing your Windows Image

Please post to the comments if these worked for you, or if you’ve encountered this problem and these solutions didn’t help.

CRM Benefits for Your Sales Professionals

For company owners and managers, an effective CRM program works wonders in helping you to measure and improve your business.

What about your sales staff? What benefit does it have for them? That is the question we will explore here. After all, if management fails to “sell” CRM to the staff, you will not get much benefit from using the CRM. To make that “internal sale,” here are the key CRM benefits for sales professionals.

1. More repeat orders and business from past customers

Asking a previous customer to buy again is much easier than attracting a new one. We all know that. However, most of us lack a systematic process to maintain relationships with past customers which means repeat sales are less likely. Adopting a CRM program makes it easier to manage customer relationships by providing you with notes, order activity and reminders to get in touch with past customers.

Tip: Use Act!’s Smart Task feature to remind you to get in touch with customers. Let’s take real estate as a quick example, Set a “time delay” on the Smart Task for 3-6 months after the sale. At that point, you will be reminded to get in contact with your customer. If they are satisfied, this is an excellent time to ask for a referral or surprise them with a gift.

2. Improve sales results on complex deals

Selling to a bank or another large company is often a long and drawn out process. I have seen cases where the buying process can take months or even more than a year. With millions of dollars in revenue at stake, staying involved is well worth the effort. Just think about how complicated the process can become! Each month, you may meet new people at your target company whom all have different interests and concerns. If you fail to keep those concerns straight, you are likely to ruffle feathers and lose the order.

Keep all your data, notes and observations in the CRM makes everything much easier in a complex sale. This same process also applies to high-value professional sales such as investment management, law and accounting. Attempting to keep all of that information clear in your head is asking for failure.

3. Spend more time with customers

Every month, your managers will probably ask you for reports and other data about your sales activities. Compiling these reports is a headache that nobody wants. You may not be able to eliminate reporting entirely, but you can cut it down substantially by using Act! once you have your desired reports in place.

Tip: If you save an hour per week from administration, that time savings will not automatically translate into higher income. To achieve that benefit, use that new time on high-value activities like prospecting for your dream clients.

4. Get better leads from the marketing department

Remember the classic sales movie “Glengarry Glen Ross?”

In the scene with Alec Baldwin’s characters, underperforming salesmen complain that “the leads are weak.” Baldwin’s character tears them apart for complaining about the leads. It may be one of the most iconic depictions of sales in pop culture. Too bad it is misleading!

In reality, the value of your leads may be weak! By keeping notes on your leads in Act!, you will be able to notice patterns. You may find that inbound leads who download a white paper are much more interested in hearing from you than any other type of lead. Once you understand that point, meet with your marketing colleagues to share your experiences, so they know what to continue.

Why do better leads matter? A higher quality lead is more likely to buy and become a long-term customer. Even better, you will reduce the pain and frustration of rejection dramatically. All of these benefits are possible by thoroughly using a CRM.

5. A full CRM keeps the sales manager away

Let’s face it: nobody likes to be nagged at the office or at home. If you are disciplined in keeping your deals up to date in the CRM, you will never hear another complaint from your manager again. That means less awkward conversations at the office for you. Isn’t that peace of mind alone worth 15 minutes a day to keep your CRM notes up to date?

Tip: If your company uses a “balanced scorecard” approach to performance reviews, check to see if consistent CRM use fits with that process.

6. You can make a better case for a pay increase

How can using your company CRM consistently help you to win a raise? Your manager may want to reward good performance. However, she needs to show a business case for that decision. Revenue numbers alone may be enough in some cases. Your request will be even more compelling if you can demonstrate that you are also keeping reliable records on your customers. Keeping those records demonstrates that you are committed to the CRM program. Showing you have a repeatable process to bring in new business – as documented by your actions in Act! – helps your manager understand that you can continue to develop stellar results.

Keep Growing: Our Two Recommended Sales Books

By the way, you do not have to stop with a CRM when it comes to helping your sales staff to improve. The following two books are industry classics for a reason – you can read them multiple times and profit each time. Each book is available in print, digital or audio format so even your field reps can access the books.

SPIN Selling by Neil Rackham.

Relying on a large scale research study into effective sales practices in B2B sales, this book explains a simple process you can use to make sales over and over again. By navigating the sales conversation through the “SPIN” process, your staff will be able to make more sales. What if your team does not have enough prospects? That is where our next title comes into the picture.

The Ultimate Selling Machine by Chet Holmes.

While much of the book is aimed at company owners and managers, your sales staff can also profit from reading this book. Holmes advocates focus in the prospecting process such as creating a list of your “Dream 20” clients and then pursuing them systematically. Holmes also shows how education based marketing plays a key role in attracting prospects to your organisation.

Sync up to 45K contacts from #ActCRM to your mobile device with @HandheldContact

Introducing HHC+

Sync up to 45 000 contacts from your Act! database to Handheld Contact on your mobile device!

For those Handheld Contact customers that need more than 15,000 contacts on their mobile devices, we finally have a solution for you. Over the last two years HHC listened and increased the normal sync limit from 7000 contacts to the 15,000 limit where it is today, and that has proven sufficient for most of our subscribers.

However, we know some customers still require more, and for those people we're offering "HHC+" starting later in January for both IOS and Android device users. HHC+ will include an upgrade to an additional 15,000 contacts for only US$20 more per year, or an increase of 30,0000 contacts (for a total of 45,000) for only US$35 more. Australian and New Zealand pricing to be available soon.

One of the key changes we had to make to the mobile client was the ability to filter the export of the HHC contacts to the native address book, which you will soon be able to do through our new "Searches" feature. In other words, create a saved Search, do the lookup, and export those contacts (or updates) to your device's address book.

We caution some users with older devices (eg. iPhone 3 and 4) that increasing their sync contacts from 15,0000 to a total of 45,000 can cause some performance issues. Newer devices that we've tested have not demonstrated any degradation in performance.

We’ve recently upgraded Handheld Contact with some new features, if you haven’t checked out the: New versions of Handheld Contact for Act! CRM

Please contact your Act! consultant or GL Computing if you have any questions on obtaining the new versions or on anything else regarding Act! or Handheld Contact 

 

Technorati Tags: Act!,Act! CRM,ActCRM,Act! v19,Handheld Contact,Android,iOS,iPhone,iPad,mobile CRM,tablet

Some Handheld Contact for Act! tips #ActCRM

 

Recently, I’ve been asked a few common questions about Handheld Contact, so I thought I would put them all in this single article.

First, a couple of worthwhile articles to read:

• How it works and ensuring your data is up-to-date
  http://support.handheldcontact.com/knowledgebase/article/View/133/6/syncing-how-it-works-and-ensuring-your-data-is-up-to-date
• Technical and Security Overview:
  http://support.handheldcontact.com/Knowledgebase/Article/View/118/0/technical-and-security-overview

 

How to upgrade to the current version of Handheld Contact?

 

Updating the HHC console on the PC/Server

If there is a later version, here are the steps needed to update the PC/Server HHC console:

If you are unable to access Handheld Contact on the PC or server, go directly to http://www.handheldcontact.com/downloads.php to obtain the latest installer for your version of Act!

1. Open Handheld Contact on your computer or server.
2. Once you are in Handheld Contact click on Help-->Check for Updates
   A pop-up should be displayed on the bottom right of the screen.
   If it says:  "Download available click here to download" click on it.
   If the pop-up does not appear, see above to obtain upgrade install file.
3. You will be taken to the Handheld Contact Downloads page (mentioned above).
4. On the downloads page click on the Act! version that matches your installed database.  If you do not know this, open Act! first and click on 'Help' and choose 'About Act!'.
5. Download file "HHC-3_x_x_x.exe" (for Act! 12.0/2010 to Act! 14.0/2012) or "HHC-4_x_x_x.exe" (for Act! 15.0/2013 and higher) and save it to the desktop.
6. Once the file has been downloaded close the Handheld Contact application on the Desktop/Server (if it is still open).  It cannot be running while the upgrade is started.
7. Find the HHC-3_x_x_x.exe (or HHC-4_x_x_x.exe) file and run it.  When prompted, choose yes to update 3.x.x.x (or 4.x.x.x) to this version.
8. Once the install has completed, click Finish and Handheld Contact should open automatically.
9. Then click Maintenance-->Synchronize Users, select the checkbox beside all users accounts and then hit Sync Now. This will take some time to send the current Act! data to each of the devices.

Updating HHC on the mobile device

Apple iOS - Includes iPhone and iPad

In order to upgrade the software on this device, you must do it through the 'App Store'.

1. Open Safari.
2. Go to: www.handheldcontact.com/ota 
   This will redirect you to the Handheld Contact app on the Apple App Store.
3. You can also go directly to App Store and click on 'Updates'.
   Click on Handheld Contact Professional, then click on 'Update'.
4. Enter the Apple ID and then the download/upgrade will begin.
5. No reboot is required.

Android

Upgrading Handheld Contact will be performed through Google Play.

1. Go to www.handheldcontact.com/ota on your device's default Internet browser
   This will re-direct you to Handheld Contact on Google Play.
2. If not, go directly to the Google Play Store and search for 'Handheld Contact'. 
   From there you can press 'Upgrade'.
3. You may be required to enter your username/password for Google Play.
4. No reboot is required.

Note: For Android users there is an option for 'Allow automatic updating'.  This is found within the Google Play Store when viewing Handheld Contact (after installation).  If this option is selected, then the upgrade will take place automatically.

BlackBerry 10

1. On the BlackBerry 10 device, open the Browser icon.
2. Go to: www.handheldcontact.com/ota 
   This will re-direct you to the Handheld Contact app on BlackBerry World.
3. Select Download/Upgrade button in the top right to begin the process of upgrading.
   This will overwrite the previous version installed.No reboot is required.

What are the default fields that sync with Handheld Contact?

Below is a listing of all the default fields that sync with Handheld Contact Professional.  You have the ability to add up to 42 more custom fields.  The total number of fields that will sync are 73.

Company First Name Last Name Title Department E-Mail Personal Email Phone Extension Fax Phone Home Phone Mobile Phone Pager Alternate Phone Alternate Extension

Address 1 Address 2 Address 3 City State ZIP Code Country Spouse Home Address 1 Home City Home State Home Zip Code Home Country

Web Site ID/Status Last Results

How many characters can sync in a field between  Act! and a handheld device?

When making changes in Act! and syncing to the device (or back to Act!), Handheld Contact has some character limitations (including spaces) that must be met.  Please see below.

Syncing from ACT! to device:

• Activity Regarding Field - 256 characters.
• Activity Details Field - 985 characters before truncation - HHC will show "(Truncated)(RO)" - 'RO' meaning Read Only.
• Notes - 1500 characters.
• History Regarding - 256 characters.
• History Details - 985 Plus HHC will show "(Truncated)(RO)" - 'RO' meaning Read Only.
• Contact Character Field - 450 character MAX due to Act! limit.  Go to Tools - Define Fields to determine field max limit.
• Contact Memo Field - 236 characters before truncation - HHC will show "(Truncated)(RO)" - 'RO' meaning Read Only.
• Contact Location Field - 128 characters.

Syncing from device to Act!:

• Activity Regarding Field - 256 characters.
• Activity Details Field - 1000 characters.
• Notes - 1000 characters for iOS devices, 1500 for Android/BlackBerry devices.
• History Regarding - 256 characters.
• History Details - 1000 characters for iOS devices, 1500 for Android/BlackBerry devices.
• Contact Character Field - 450 character MAX due to ACT! limit.  Go to Tools - Define Fields to determine field max limit.
• Contact Memo Field - 236 characters.  Handheld Contact on device does not limit what can be entered into the field but if you exceed the max, the contact changes do not sync into Act! and no errors are produced.

Most Common Issues with Handheld Contact

 

Desktop/Server (console) application:

1. Error message when syncing: "Communication with sync engine failed! The syncing process has been aborted! HHC Service is not running or doesn’t have the required permissions". Click here for solution.
2. Message Queuing Service is not installed.  The error message is "Unhandled Exception occurred: Message Queuing is not installed or running on this PC".  Click here for solution.
3. Logon Error when attempting to sync.  Error is "The user: {ACT NAME} failed to log on to the ACT! database: {DATABASE NAME}".  Click here for solution. 
4. Cannot get beyond "Act! Administrator" screen on set up. Click here for solution. 
5. Upgrading the desktop software.  Click here for solution.

iPhone/iPad:

1. Getting caller ID on device by exporting Contacts. Click here for solution.
2. Handheld Contact on the iPhone/iPad unexpectedly closes.  Click here for solution. 
3. Close Handheld Contact and restart it properly.  Click here for solution.
4. The Contacts, Task List and Calendar icons are not available on the device.  Click here for solution.
5. Syncing with both iPhone and iPad.  Click here for solution.
6. Upgrading the device software.  Click here for solution.

Technorati Tags: Act!,CRM,iOS,iPad,iPhone,Android,Blackberry,Handheld Contact,HHC

What’s New in Act! v18.2

 

Web API and Integrations

Act! Connect Link

A new service that unlocks the power of the Web API for Act! Premium desktop/on-premise users. Provides meaningful integrations with no complicated setup, just install and go!

• Doesn’t require Act! Premium for Web, a dedicated web server, or special configuration, removing any setup barriers to using the Web API
• A link to install the Act! Connect Link is included on the Act! Premium CD Browser
• A prompt to install the Act! Connect Link will also appear on completion of the Act! Premium installation process
• The in-product Act! connect page shows the service URL which can be used to set up new integrations

Subscription Entitlement for the Web API

New entitlement check ensures that the Web API is a benefit exclusively available to Act! subscribers

• Access to the Web API is disabled if an active subscription or Business Care contract is not found

Subscription Entitlement for the Act! Connect View

New entitlement check ensures that connections using the Web API are a benefit exclusively to Act! subscribers

• A different Act! Connect page view is provided if an active subscription or Business Care contract is not found

New User Permission for Web API

New user permission provides Act! administrators with control over how the Web API and integrations are used in their business

• A new database permission is available for Act! Web API
• Can be added/removed on Standard and Manager level users
• Users without this permission will be unable to connect to the API, great news for businesses wishing to manage their integrations centrally

Windows/Web Parity Improvements

Manage Opportunity Process list

Greatly improves the usability of opportunities for users of the web client, by allowing them to manage opportunity processes.

• A new option for Manage Processes is available within Tools > Define Fields for web users.

Manage Opportunity Product list

Extends the usability of opportunities for users of the web client, by allowing them to manage opportunity products

• A new option for Manage Products is available within Tools > Define fields for web users

Copy/Move Contact Data

Provides web users with the tools they need to manage the integrity of their data, and more effectively deal with duplicate records.

• A new option for Copy/Move Contact Data is available from the Tools menu

Act! emarketing Enhancements

New user permission for Emarketing send
Provides Act! administrators with control over who can send an Act! emarketing campaign

• A new database permission is available for Emarketing Send
• Can be added/removed on Standard and Manager level users
• Removing the permission makes all Send Campaign options unavailable

Configure who can use Sender Profiles
Provides Act! administrators with control over who can use each sender profile they create.

• A new area appears under Tools > Manage Sender Profiles to specify which users are allowed to send using the selected profile.

 

Localized Releases

French, German, and French-Canadian
We are pleased to announce that these localized releases of Act! will also be available at the same time as our International English release!

Defects closed in Act! v18.2

• D-04544 ActDiag - Clear Out Licenses not working
• D-04592 APC - Trial mode web.config entries contain unsecure references to buy now
• D-04518 APFW/APC - Returned to login screen when switching between companies.
• D-04533 APFW/Chrome - Custom date range option is missing from web task list/history list when using Chrome.
• D-04532 APFW - Export to Excel in Opportunities not exporting correct list.
• D-04562 APFW - Cannot multi select on history list.
• D-04413 Groups - Lead capture Tab - Rename "Lead Capture" Tab to " Web forms" in Windows and web for Int Eng, FRE, CFR, DE
• D-04297 Opportunities slow to save after upgrade to v18.
• D-04515 APFW - Opportunity Lookup icon is disabled
• D-04530 APFW/Chrome - Selecting custom date range just shows today.
• D-04531 APFW - Attempting to set a custom date range causes APFW to hang in IE.
• D-04542 APFW/Chrome - Second opportunity being created when adding product to an opportunity in Chrome if done from the drop down menu.
• D-04541 LC - Applying changes made in Preferences gives Object Reference error
• D-04513 APFW - After selecting a Favorite Report, the lower grid blanks out.
• D-04523 APC - Non-Secure content prompt for IE11 when navigating to APC Logon page
• D-04524 APC - Non-Secure content prompt for IE11 when navigating to Opportunity List View
• D-04525 APC - Non-Secure content prompt for IE11 when navigating to Group List View
• D-04527 APFW - Default Web Info links need to be secure.

Note: For additional defects that have been closed in additional updates, refer to the following knowledgebase article:
What issues have been fixed in Act! updates?
Answer ID 36573

Tips for converting ACT! 6.0 (or earlier) data to Act! v19

The most common problem with converting the older versions of ACT! to ACT! by Sage is if there is some damage in the database. Unfortunately, the older versions could become corrupt but not be noticed if you didn’t access that part of the data. As everything needs to be read for a conversion or sync, these functions can show up issues that might have been there for some time.

First, no-matter which version you have, make sure you have a backup of the data before you start.

You should also make sure you have the User Name and Password for someone with Administrator access to the database.

Because the repair tools were improved could fix more types of damage as the versions progressed, I recommend always upgrading earlier databases to ACT! 6.0 and cleaning them there before converting to ACT! by Sage.

If you don’t have ACT! 6.0, you can download the ACT! 6.0 30-day Trial – this will give you the time to convert, clean and repair your database to ready it for converting to the later versions.

Convert Earlier Versions to ACT! 6.0

Always perform a database compress and reindex in the version you have before going to ACT! 6.0. The steps for that conversion depends on how old your version is:

• From ACT! for DOS, see:
  Converting an ACT! for DOS Database to ACT! 3.0 or Later Format
• From ACT! for Windows/MAC 1.x/2.x, see:
  How to Convert an Old ACT! for Windows 1.0/1.1b Database to ACT! 6.0/5.0/2000 Format
• From ACT! 3.0 – 5.0 (2000), see:
  How Do I Convert a Database Created in a Previous Version of ACT! to a Later Version?

Repair and Clean the ACT! 6.0 Database

Next you should do a repair with ACTDIAG as per:
How To Use The ACT! Data Diagnostic Tool (ACTDIAG) to Scan and Repair a Database

If you already have a later version installed, you’ll need to start ACTDIAG as per:
How to Use the ACT! 6.0 Diagnostic Tool When a Later Edition of ACT! is also Installed

Please note: If you got any red check marks, keep running it till they show all green
But if you’re still getting red checks after 3-4 runs, you’ll need to use additional tools to repair it
or have it professionally repaired

If getting an ACT! Consultant to help you with the conversion (recommended)
I also recommend that they run ABC_Scan on the database

If you are having problems are want to be really sure about your data, I recommend:
Red Flags from Cornerstone Solutions

If it still won’t clean or the conversion below still fails, please contact GL Computing

Centralising Attached Files

If you have attached files, especially if they are stored in different locations or on local workstations on a LAN, you should move these to one folder. You will then need to adjust the links in the database to show the new location. There are a number of tools to do this, I personally use Oak!Check! – Validate Attachments. You can also use it to do any other data cleaning you might need.

Converting to Act! 7.0 – 19.1

You are now ready to install the new Act! as per: Sharing ACT! – Network or Sync (Part 1)

Which ever version of Act! you are converting to, make sure you have the latest build and Hotfix.
See the Act! Download Centre – you might need BOTH a Service Pack and a Hotfix, depending on your install.

Then you should just be able to open the database from ACT! 2010 and it will convert. See:
How to convert an ACT! 3.x, 4.x, 5.x (2000) or 6.x (2004) database to versions 2005 (v7) through v19.1

If you have any questions, please post a comment here or in the LinkedIn Act! Fanatics Group