Business Contact Manager Team Blog

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I was hunting for an answer to a questions someone asked me and I came across this the BCM Team Blog

Re: installing BCM mobile on a PocketPC Mini SD, I was asked during installation where I wanted to install it.  I said SD Card and it's working just fine.  Am I missing something?

I am running Outlook 2003 with BCM update using a POP3 server. I am looking to get a smartphone that will sync with my outlook business contact manager. I am considering Moto Q Global with ATT smartphone, windows mobile 6. The official microsoft bcm sync download for smartphone specifies MS Outlook 2007 (not '03) and mentions nothing about pop3 servers.  Can I sync BCM to a smartphone with Outlook 2003 and a Pop3 server or do I need Vista (or something else)? thx

My T-Mobile Dash (WM6) loads Business Contacts extremely slowly. I thought I would not sync some of the BCM data and see if that helps. Unfortunately, your stated solution for "3.Is there a way to omit synching few of the history items that I may not need (for performance sake)?" does not work for me. The application freezes whenever I click "History Items".

On a completely unrelated note: one of the items that is missing from BCM is the ability to mount a capaign for individual contact. In other words, I would like to setup each contact on a campaign so that they get  several emails/articles over a period of time. The campaign could also include reminders for me to call or take other actions.I could apply this campaign to each of the contacts.

This type of setup allows for a lot more customized campaigns than sending a mass market email campaign.

Is there a plan to add such a feature anytime in the near future? Any estimates?

Thanks.

I just tried to sync BCM (Outlook 2007) (activesync 4.5) to my Tilt pocket pc and was able to get the business contacts, but they are sync'd to "company" not "account".  Any way to get it to sync and show "Accounts"?  

Vinit,

About the T-Mobile Dash issue:

I have about 1200 contacts the last time checked.

As far as using Projects goes, i will try it and see if it works for me.

Thanks.

Vinit,

I looked at the "projects" suggestion you made. I found that to be completely unsuitable to what I need and what I was referring to. Projects have nothing to do with the individual Campaigns that I am referring to. What I am referring to is an automated lead specific campaign where a lead gets a set series of emails over a period of time.

For example:

Campaign named "short term lead"  could have the following items.

1. Campaign start date (variable)

2. Send intro email  on day "a" ("x" is customizable"

3. Send "article 1" Word document by email on day "b"

4. Set appointment reminder on calander on day "c" to see if client has any questions.

5. Send follow up email with "how is business" html document on day "d".

6. Send email with "power pitch" PowerPoint file on day "e"

7. Set appointment reminder on calander for closing call on day "f".

End campaign

Whenever I get a new short term lead, I assign the "short term lead" campaign to that lead and the lead automatically gets emails per the schedule in the campaign and I get reminders if there are any reminder items.

The campaign itself is not tied to any particular lead and can by assigned to any many number of leads. I may have different campaigns associated with different leads based on what campaign is appropriate for each lead. Right now we use a proprietary system and we use about 6 campaigns for couple of hundred leads (the only pain is it is not compatible with BCM so we are duplicating some effort and the integration with Outlook is not seamless). The campaign durations range anywhere from 1 month to 2 years depending on when we believe the particular client is ready for the service we offer. So, for me all client interactions are automated and when I need to make a call it will show up as an appointment on my calander (not on Outlook unfortunately). Based on the results of the call, I may decide to switch the campaign and get the client on a new campaign if the original campaign is no longer appropriate.

Does that make it clear?

If this is not clear, let me know what your email is and we can take this discussion offline.

Thanks.

1-How can i sync. Project Tasks on my mobile 6?

2-How can I sync. Project Tasks with Outlook tasks?

I cannot get into the Sync Settings in the MD sync in Vista 32 bit SP1. Also would be nice too to have accounts sync as your clients are supposed to be in there, I guess I can just change them around. Also CID would be great too. BlackJack II WM6

I recently installed Outlook 2003 BCM & Pocket BCM Version 2.0 for my Pocket PC Mobile Device running Windows Mobile 6.0Pro.  All updates are current.  Other then an occasional failure to recognize the device altogether, I have no problem syncing the device and Business Contacts to the device.  How do I get my WM6.0Pro device programs to recoginze the Business Contacts as a default.   For example the Picture Program and Phone Program automatically look to "Save to Contacts" and not "Save to Business Contacts?"

For the last two years I have been  using Outlook 2003 and my regular  "contacts" syncs wirelessly with my TREO 700 (Palm version) perfectly fine.  

But, it will not  sync/download my  contacts in "Business Contacts" or "Accounts in Business" contacts from  Business Contact Manager for Outlook to the TREO.  

Do I need to upgrade to  2007 Business Contact Manager for Outlook?

I assume I have to also upgrade to a new Treo (or similar device).  I'm flexible with what device I should switch to ---in fact I was even considering the IPhone-- if there's any capability of adding BCM to it.

Any help would be greatly appreciated  

thanks, John

I'm trying to sync a Palm Treo 750 that's running Mobile 6.  I was able to sync BCM to the Treo 750 on Mobile 5 (prior to a warranty replacement of the device).  It obviously isn't running the Palm OS.  

Can I expect to use a Palm Treo 750 device running Mobile 6 and the BCM client?  I need to know whether I'm wasting my time with this.  See below.

Please advise. Thanks.

The article titled: Take your Business Contacts with you on your smartphone or Pocket PC at

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/HP011209791033.aspx?pid=CH101207721033

says:

Begin Text:

After you have installed Business Contact Manager for Outlook on your computer, you can take your Business Contacts with you by synchronizing them with a smartphone or Pocket PC mobile device.

Note BlackBerry and Palm devices are not supported.

Install Business Contacts on mobile devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 or Windows Mobile 6.0

End Text

Hi bcmteam,

I have a few questions/concerns :)

1)  I saw a post from you some time ago regarding an issue with call display not working with the BCM on PPC's - it was stated that this issue will be fixed in an upcoming release.  Is this issue fixed with the current download for PPC's?  If I want to call someone from my BCM list in the PPC, I am assuming I have to open the BCM application, then find the user - as opposed to simply opening the 'contacts' on the smartphone - seems cumbersome.  This leads to my next issue...

2)  Trying to keep my contact db properly sync'd has been a thorn in my side for years.  I have used ACT! and Outlook - then sync'ing to my smart phone.  I really hoped that BCM was going to remove the ACT! portion of my issues - however, the BCM does not sync with Outlook?  ...or does it?  I saw a post that this was a planned future feature.  Currently, to keep everything sync'd properly, I have to export from BCM, import to Outlook contacts, then sync?  This just does not make sense to me? No different from using ACT!.  

With the Outlook Contacts still being the 'master' to sync 'properly' on a PPC it is in my opinion, that the BCM should simply replace the Outlook Contacts - then, all these sync issues would be eliminated. I don't want two separate contact databases?...Especially in one application? (outlook contacts and bcm contacts)?

A third party software co. has developed a sync tool that does this sync properly (BCM to PPC Contacts) - is that the answer to my issues?  I sure hope not!!!

Any input/insight would be greatly appreciated!

Hello!

I installed the plugin for my smart phone (no touch screen) and synced everything successfully. Unfortunately I had to learn that I can only scroll trough my 400 contacts. hitting the first letter of the last name doesn't do anything. Is it true, that you cannot navigate via text input?

Thanks a lot for helping.

Hello,

thanks for your answer. I use the Qtek 8500.

I just synced my 5,000 contacts to an HTC Diamond. Sometimes the BCM module does not open, if it opens a search is terribly slow. Palm handles the same amount of date for 5-10 years now on their platform, is it possible that Windows 6.1 with a high-end HTC cannot do the same today?

What is best BCM Smartphone Platform?  Windows Mobile 6.1 or Chupra Sync on Palm OS?

With Pocket Contacts it works perfectly.

Another issue: "Security Update for SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2 (KB948109)" won't install. How can I help my machine to be successfull with this update?

Is this the one...?

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Service Pack 2

www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d07219b2-1e23-49c8-8f0c-63fa18f26d3a&DisplayLang=en

I run Windows in English and Office 2007 in German. Which language to select?

All of the following quotes are translated from German ;-)

A dialogue called "Existing Components - Components were found on your computer. Select one of the options below" appears.

Telling me "The following components you plan to install, are installed already. Click on 'details' for viewing a report for available options and alternatives." The greyed-out component it lists is "SQL server database services 9.2.3042.00".

When I click "Continue", a new window opens up telling me "None of the selected options can be updated or installed." No wonder I could not select that only option - it was greyed-out.

I ticked "show updates" in "Add and Remove Software", but no SP2....

I am using BCM 2007 and a Moto Q. Synch works fine, except for when I want to go to a contact by typing the first letter of their name. What's odd is that it does work fine for when I'm in Contacts, but when I'm in BCM, it's different. It works for all the letters of the alphabet, except for those keys that have numbers above them. They have a little blue bar across the top. This would be the equivalent of the numeric keypad. I've tried hitting the function key, then caps, but they still don't work.

I have a htc Shadow with WM6.0.  BCM load all 4000 contacts but ONLY scrolls through all the names.  I can copy all hte names into contacts before syncing and the contact application does fine allowing me to type characters and narrow my search.

Contacts also goes very fast were BCM si very slow and hangs much of hte time.

Anyone with Chapura experience?

I am trying chapura for WM and BCM.

I am told my BCM should list contacts under the tree under my folders.  It does not unless I select the toolbar command "Go" and "Folder List"  and contacts is there.

Chapura does not list the folders so I cannot add them.  Is bcm the problem or chapura.

I always wonder if we just stump the developers, demonstrate their lack of responsibility in the products they develop or their desire to childishly avoid confrontation when they have failed.

I still ahve not received a very simple answer concerning the problem with your BCM for Windows Mobile product.  If I could t-y-p-e  s-l-o-w-e-r I w-o-u-l-d.  So here is an example for you to understant (or not).

I open my BCM Contacts list  (Contacts do the same)

I create new appointment

Using a macro the contacts on bottom of form is listed "John Doe"

Subject:  Pick up to deliver heart transplant  for security persons name is

password.

Location:  Lady of Mercy Hospital

I print out my calendar as I make deliveries

I look at the Calender it says:

"Pick up to deliver heart transplant  for security persons name is password."

THERE IS NOT NAME.

I can't pick up heart.

Do I have to retype a person or persons names everytime I create an

appointment?

But without digging down into the taks

I just drove through Dallas trying to find a contact number.  I am already in Arkansas and just now getting to that number via scrolling through them all.

Just got a new laptop with Vista on it, 64 bit version. I downloaded Windows Mobile 6.1 to my phone, but it hangs when trying to synch to my BCM contacts. After calling various tech support lines, the lady at Motorola told me BCM isn't supported with 6.1? Can this be true?

Hi,

I've just got an HTC Diamond Touch smartphone and it's running WM6.1. Have been using BCM with outlook 2007 from my PC and now want to use my smartphone along side it. I've tried to install BCM on the smartphone only to be advised that the device type is unsupported?? The PC is XP, activesync is 4.5 and it's all part of exchange 2003. I'm stuck, any help would be gratefully appreciated!

How do I get the project tasks of BCM 2007 to my Pocket PC? I can see the task in the To-Do-Bar, but not in the task list, which only is synchronized with my Pocket PC. It makes no sense to have all the task out of my office, but not the project tasks, or?

Do you have plans for the next release that OneNote and BCM should working together in a better way?

The next release of BCM für PC and PPC comes with Office 14 next year?

1. If I create a Project Task for myself I can see this task in my normal Outlook 2007, but if I delete the Project Task in BCM 2007 I can still see the task in my Outlook. Is there no further connection? What is the concept?

2. If I make a link from OneNote to a project, project task or an opportunity and open these links from OneNote, there is only the normal Outlook-task form not the BCM-form with the right task subject, but no further dates. Is this normal?

Long have me to wait, but now there is a german version of BCM für PPC. After installation you have an icon under programs which is called

"Geschfts-

kontakte".

In german is must be

"Geschäfts-

kontakte".

There is missing an "ä".

I can´t understand, why there is no direct synchronization between BCM for Outlook 2007 (offline) and BCM in Office Live Small Business (online)? You only can go the way over the normal Outlook? Will that be two different products now and in the future?

It would be a really good thing, if there would be the same structur of contacts (accounts and persons) from Pocket Outlook to normal Outlook to BCM to Office Live to CRM.

This is where I get frustrated.  NO you cannot type the first letter to get your conact.  I can do this with the Outlook and BCM but not BCM contacts in my smart phone.  I did buy Chupra only to have them refund my money as they do not have a solution either.  They cannot even work with the BCM database.

I wonder if the programmers even kow their product.  Very very poorly dold with invalid and deseptive invormation in MS advertisements.

to 1. I tried it again to delete a project task, in the BCM-Project or in the To-Do-Bar. No problem. Sorry!

To sync project tasks to Pocket PC, it should work a syncronization of the To-Do-Bar between PC and PPC. So it is no problem of BCM, or? What should I do in practice to see my project tasks on the road, on the PPC? To copy manuell to the task list and then back in the office to complete the "real" project tasks? The very good project funktionality of BCM is useless. I´m wondering, that there is no solution, because Office 2007 is so long available. An integration in the PPC-version of BCM makes no sense, because I need all tasks in one list.

What to do????

Ideas for OneNote-integration:

+ create account and contact from ON

+ ...

Hello Vinit,

as you wrote:

As we are currently working on our next release, it would be nice to know your scenarios for having integration between OneNote and BCM.

my integration szenarios:

(I work with the German version so I do not know the exact phrase used in the English one!)

1. Add an OneNote entry to the dropdown where new objects for history could be created (Neues Historienelement).

A new history entry should be created.

Then a new note in OneNote should be created with a link from and back to BCM object.

This will help to make navigation between BCM and OneNote seamless.

This will help BCM to use OneNote as a fully featured note taking tool. (BCM is pretty simple now...)

2. It would be fine if the path, where to create OneNote notes, could be selected under options.

Thats it. A simple but powerful integration to make working with contactinformation faster and smarter.

I hope this was helpful to improve BCM and OneNote integration. I would be great to get some feedback on this.

Thanks

Matthias Fetsch

My question was: ...2. If I make a link from OneNote to a project, project task or an opportunity and open these links from OneNote, there is only the normal Outlook-task form not the BCM-form with the right task subject, but no further dates. Is this normal?

Your answer was: ...2. That appears to be a bug from our side. Thanks for pointing that out. Will let you know when it will be fixed.

Now I have installed SP2 for BCM. The link to a project task now works, but not the link to a project. Why is this not fixed? Do I have now to wait up to Office 2010 for fixing?

Now there are the first infos about Office 2010 int e web. Will be the new BCM part of the beta of Office 2010 which we can download further on the year? Or when do we get time to test?