Synchronising Contacts

[raro]

Ok, we have three computers and I need to have plenty of contacts in my Outlook database.

Now I am too lazy to key all those namecards I collect into my computer and so the secretary has this honourable duty. Downside: all the contacts are in HER computer, but still not in mine.

Tried OsaSync, which sounds very promising, but is a pain to set up and I never really got it working properly.

Does anybody have a workable solution HOW to synchronize the contact database? Is there an external database available that Outlook can access?

[spacefruit]

My solution is very dirty, but does exactly what you want

I have a windows mobile phone which syncs to my desk top, and then to my laptop using Active Sync. That works fine. (I don't use the phone for any other purpose!)

If you have nothing of value in outlook on your computer then copy the .pst files from her to you.

With any luck someone who knows what they are doing will reply....but these methods work for me.

[Crushdepth]

I think you can just export all the contacts from her computer (effectively 'save' them into a file), copy it to your other computers and then import them in. It will even filter out the duplicates. If you are using different contact software on your other computers, you can usually drag and drop contact vcards.

Vcards are a great way of getting contacts into your phone address book too.

[p_brownstone]

Crushdepth is correct.

In the Outlook "Contacts" Window go to File> Import and Export.

There is another program here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/159413/5_gr...y_dont_use.html which will synchronise Folders accross several Computers when they are connected to the Internet so you can keep all the Computers updated.

Patrick

[raro]

Crushdepth is correct.

In the Outlook "Contacts" Window go to File> Import and Export.

There is another program here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/159413/5_gr...y_dont_use.html which will synchronise Folders accross several Computers when they are connected to the Internet so you can keep all the Computers updated.

Patrick

just tried syncing.net - looks very promising! Will try it for a while and report back. Costs USD 119 per comp for the lifetime commercial license or 159 USD for home use - which is restricted to 3 comps only and just one comp short from our set-up (we will have a fourth comp soon - yeah...thriving business ).

P Brownstone's suggestion is workable, but still you have to export, import again and so on....this is too much of a hassle to be honest. Nevertheless those LIVE tools are well worth a try for other purposes. Will have a look at them later.

[Insight]

I'm not sure if you can take Windows Mobile out this equation, but I'm using Google Contacts and ActiveSync with my Windows Mobile phone. Google run an Exchange Server (or clone) which is reached via ActiveSync and keeps all the contacts on the phone and Outlook sync'd up.

[Crushdepth]

I just had a look at Google Contacts - looks basic but 'good enough'. Is there any way to synchronise it with desktop PCs? My office would like to set up a shared contacts database for the staff, but is too stingy to pay for an Exchange server.