Databases get easily bloated (and even corrupted) over time. Use these 6 tips to keep your ACT 2009 or ACT 2010 database running smoothly.
De-Duplication by merging contacts. The three top tools for de-duplicating ACT are (a) Duplinator [works only in ACT 5/6 (b) Fuzzy Logic Deduper by E-Grabber (c) Deduplication Wizard by PEC. These provide 3 fantastic features:
Deduping multiple contacts all at once
Fuzzy Logic comparison. The user is thus able to combine John Smith, John H. Smith and Dr. John Smith into a single contact.
No Data Loss: If three contacts are combined into one, then 2 notes are created to capture the data from the 2 combined and deleted contacts.
Clear old tasks as “Not Completed”. Often hundreds (or even thousands) of old activities are left uncleared. These bloat the database and should be removed. The user can either highlight these multiple activities and (a) erase them or (b) clear them as “not completed”. Although erasing them is clearer, it removes all traces of the activity and is thus not recommended. Instead, clearing them as “not completed” clears them, but differentiates them from all other activities (which are normally cleared as “completed”. Please note that when multiple activities are cleared at the same time, the history date is “today” rather than the date that the activity was scheduled for.
Remove Old Data. Under Tools|Database Maintenance|Remove Old Data, the administrator is able to remove unnecessary data. We recommend backing up the database before performing any data removal. That said, the only type of data that we can generally recommend is the removal of cleared activities (because these have already been turned into histories).
Managing old Users. We do not recommend deleting old users from the database. The reason for this is that you will lose all the data associated with that user – including activities, histories and notes. Instead of deleting old users, we recommend (a) making these users Inactive and (b) changing the User Name as well as the Contact Name from “First Last” to “xFirst Last”. This sorts all of the previous users to the bottom of the list when selecting the record manager of any type of record.
Clean up old, unused Groups. Here’s how: Create a group called Z_Archive. Then make all groups to be sub-groups of this new group. This will clean up your groups and allow your users to know which groups are important/relevant. After 30 days, these sub-groups can be permanently deleted.
Delete all non-used Sync Databases. Your database may be bloated by all the sync data that is being prepared for syncing with expired/unused databases. This can be done under Tools|Synchronization Panel|Manage Databases
Accent Gold is excited to announce our new Advanced Training Webinar Series for ACT! 2009 and 2010. Online ACT! training classes are the perfect software training solution for remote sales forces, as well as those who are constantly “on the go.”
You’ll be happy to know that these classes are taught by our consultants, not simply by a trainer reading out of a handbook. These topics are real life, and this knowledge is not easily found in any “Dummies” book.
Take your ACT! 2010 database to the next level with our 60 minute online trainings.
Importing and Exporting Basics – Weds June 30 @ 10am PT. Learn how to prepare your data for easy import into your database. Also, learn the quickest way to export your data out of ACT!
Getting Started with Custom Tables - Weds July 7 @ 10am PT. A brief beginner’s lesson on custom tables, including how to create tables relationships, and views with Topline Designer.
Database Design Strategies - Weds July 14 @ 10am PT. Login with us to learn strategies and tips on database design, including our recommended fields to take your database to the next level.
Data Cleanup Techniques - Weds July 21 @ 10am PT. Tips to avoid the data entry pitfalls before the data gets bad. Learn how to cleanup existing data en masse for a clean beginning.
Pricing* for our classes:
1 Class $99
2 Classes $149
3 Classes $179
4 Classes $199 *Not able to attend all the classes?Enrollment includes recordings of the trainings.
ACT! by Sage sure has come a long way! I still remember the wonderful and simple days of ACT 2000 (ACT 5). It was sleek and easy. And best of all, it was free. Well, it wasn’t really free – it’s just that many users “faked” their registration.
Since its conversion to the world of SQL, Sage ACT! has become a solid, stable, mature and feature-rich product.
If you are on version 2009 or before, here are the top reasons for upgrading to ACT! by Sage 2011:
Custom Tables. Woo Hoo! This means you can track just about anything in ACT!
Fantastic Dashboards. Graphic content and list views that are blow-away.
Customizable Opportunities. You can now add as much customization to Opportunities as you can to contacts or groups. In fact, Opportunities now have their own histories, notes, activities – and even custom sub-tables.
Improved User Interface. In fact, now the Network interface and the Web interface look almost identical. Perfect for mixed environments.
Sync that works and works and works. It’s just about impossible to break sync now. And if you do, it’s a breeze to fix.
Outlook Synchronization – both Contacts and Activities can be synchronized between ACT 2011 and Outlook. This can be configured for one-way or two-way, and it can also be set up for automatic, timed syncing.
Outlook Invitations. ACT now allows you to send Outlook Invitations directly out of ACT Premium as well as receive Outlook Invitations that will now appear on your ACT calendar.
Smart Tasks. If you want to be automatically alerted via activity or email when a condition has taken place in the database, then this is for you. Popular Smart Tasks will be “Send out a birthday email” and “Let me know when I have a new lead”. No worries – just let ACT do the tedious work for you.
Hoovers Integration. If you’d like to directly import Hoovers leads into your database, this is just one many new web services that you will love!
I love my Sprint EVO 4G! And I love to view my CRM on my Samsung Tab as well as on my EVO. My colleagues like to do the same on their iPhone and iPad (as well as their Macs).
Microsoft CRM Mobile as well as SugarCRM Mobile 1.0 work VERY nicely with these devices – as well as with the Blackberry. ACT can even be accessed – but this is best done through ACT Premium for Windows on a Microsoft Tablet with the Internet Explorer – or via RDP.
Mobile Sales Force Automation
Below are about a dozen Android apps that we have found very useful.
Microsoft CRM Mobile - Mobile Sales Force Automation. Works just like you’d expect. Create a separate mobile layout for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 database. Configuration is a breeze. And it works. And it really works fast.
SugarCRM 6 – Mobile Sales Fore Automation. I can view SugarCRM from my Android as well as from my iPhone or iPad. So if you are asking for iPad CRM or iPhone CRM or Android CRM, the answer is a resounding ”Yes”!
CompanionLink. This does not run on your device. Instead, this tool syncs your CRM with Google Contacts. And if you have your Android configured with Google Contacts, then you can now easily piggyback that syncing technology! I do it and I love it. I have my contacts syncing on all my devices.
Google Docs that I can open anywhere! Including Google Spreadsheets that I can open anywhere! anywhere!
Google’s Dolphin Browser - allows for “Pinch” zooming. Among other cool features is the ability to remember sites and passwords. Goes beyond the built features. I use dolphin on my Samsung Tab, as my EVO doesn’t need this.
Bible Gateway. Recently I have switched to YouVersion, which even gives me audio readings for numerous versions including NIV and ESV. Message version not available yet in audio.
TweetCaster for Twitter. Tweetcaster is the best tool out there for the Android. In order to view my various accounts separately, I have tested several apps. For the blackberry, the best I have found is UeberTwitter.
If you are interested in Microsoft Dynamics CRM on your Mobile devide, please ==join us<== for our Webinar Series, where we evaluateMicrosoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
We compare Microsoft side by side with Salesforce. We show you both interfaces and how the same tasks are accomplished in each interface. This is a must for those evaluating both systems.
The ACT! by Sage 2011 Premium Roadshow was a huge success. Tim Priestley presented a fantastic overview of Accent Gold Solutions. Also three other Accent Gold consultants were able to share real life client solutions.
Over 100 participants were able to view the new features in ACT! 2011. Here are some of my favorite features in the next version:
Synchronization of ACT! contacts with Outlook contacts
Smart Tasks – This is ACT’s new Workflow module for automating tasks and emails! Simply amazing!
Import directly from Excel (rather than requiring TXT or CSV)
Direct Integration with Hoovers for downloading and importing leads
Databases get easily bloated (and even corrupted) over time. Use these 6 tips to keep your ACT 2009 or ACT 2010 database running smoothly.
