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MS Office Forum / Outlook / Business Contact Manager / August 2007Outlook should take contacts and convert them to Business Contact.
When Outlook 2003 users get Outlook with Business Contact edition they should be able to convert the contacts with some type of automation wizard. Why add a wizard, when all the user has to do is Ctrl+drag the contacts they want to turn into business contacts.  SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > When Outlook 2003 users get Outlook with Business Contact edition they > should > be able to convert the contacts with some type of automation wizard. NO, NO, NO Sue, you work for Microsoft correct? The issue is that BCM should be using the same contacts that are in the default Contact database. We should only have to Categorize our existing (and new contacts) as "Business". That's all very simple. Then they should show up in BCM. What is this Drag and drop stuff. Then you have to maintain them in both databases. Why do you ask? Because ActiveSync can only Sync to the default contact database. So now if I have two databases I cant get them all on my phone. Please stop giving bad workarounds and have someone from Microsoft address the real issue. You are mistaken about how these forums work. Like all the other MVPs, I do not work for Microsoft and volunteer my time in these forums to try to help people use the products as they exist. You will see some Microsoft staffers in this forum answering a few questions, largely on troubleshooting issues, but that's not the norm. They are generally support people, not employees involved in product design. If you have suggestions, you can send them to mswish@microsoft.com or use the other feedback mechanisms on Microsoft's web site. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > NO, NO, NO > Sue, you work for Microsoft correct? The issue is that BCM should be [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > Please stop giving bad workarounds and have someone from Microsoft > address the real issue. Sue, Sorry I thought you worked for MS. I have tried to find a way to voice my issues/enhancements on the MS site but can not find one. You have to agree though that this design is really poor. What do you think? > What is this Drag and drop stuff. Then you have to maintain them in > both databases. You can drag and _move_ your business Contacts to Business Contacts, and use Outlook Contacts for your friends and family Contacts. Luther, I need all my contacts on one portable device (my smartphone). ActiveSync (a Microsoft SW product) can only sync to the main contact folder in OutLook. The correct design of BCM should have taken advantage of the categories in Outlook Contacts to use the contacts as marked as "Business". Do you understand what I am saying? Thanks for your reply. The correct design for Microsoft is to satisfy as many users as possible and not design a product for BigDog. Merely using categories to mark business contacts would have made popular features impossible in BCM. ActiveSync support didn't meet the bar for BCM v1. I expect it'll show up in later versions as BCM supports more user requests. Oh really. You mean to say that Microsoft did not see the value in creating an integrated solution? That is just tipicle BS product planning and design. You should not have to maintain two databases. What are the features that could not be supported if using the same contacts in Outlook marked as "Business"? Your first statement in your reply says volumns about where Micrsoft stands about their customer base. I would have expected a reply like.... MS is awhere of this issue and is working to fix it. In the mean time you can copy or move your etc........ not the reply you posted. > Your first statement in your reply says volumns about where Micrsoft > stands about their customer base. > > I would have expected a reply like.... MS is awhere of this issue and > is working to fix it. Only someone who works for Microsoft would be able to say what Microsoft is or is not working on. I don't believe Luther does. You still seem to be laboring under the misimpression that these forums provide a dialog with the Microsoft development teams. They don't, although I'm sure the BCM team lurks here. If you want your comments to go directly to Microsoft, see http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=114491 for details on feedback mechanisms. However, I imagine nothing you have said will be news to anyone there. The limitations of BCM are quite apparent. In the meantime, the rest of us will go back to trying to help people get the most out of the product as it exists today. If you find any good shortcuts or workarounds, I'm sure folks would appreciate your sharing them. SignatureSue Mosher, Outlook MVP Author of Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for Administrators, Power Users, and Developers http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx > Oh really. > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > is working to fix it. In the mean time you can copy or move your > etc........ not the reply you posted. Sue, You are correct and I apologies for my behavior. It's just that I consult on the design of software for large fortune 500 companies for a living. I would never create software without regard to integration and reusability the way the BCM was designed and developed. When I first heard about BCM I was really excited about its capabilities but when I tried to use it I was surprised (disappointed) in its usability. I truly thought it was an extension to Outlook and would make me (my company) more productive. I was wrong. I like the concept but the implementation is weak. I will investigate the link that you posted. Thanks Mark Hi and I hope someone can advise me on a performance question? BCM seems really slow in the accounts area, (searching, saving etc). I have under 500 accounts and under700 contacts. My machine is well spec'd and I get the same issue on a laptop as the desktop, so the spec makes no difference. Also I have no other applications open that could be eating the memory. I have de-fragged the disk with only a tiny improvement. I have tried installing 'look out' to speed up searches etc and whilst this works well for email and contact folders, it doesn't appear to work with accounts etc. Please let me know of any answers or experiences? Thanks. Ian > Sue, > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Mark BCM installs and uses SQL Server for its database. It was using over 28 meg of mem on my PC where I have a total of 1 gig of mem. This slowed down my performance of Outlook as well so I uninstalled BCM becuase of this issue and other issues. look for sqlmanager.exe (something like that) in task manger window under processes. Good Luck. Hi, Yep, same issue, although outlook is working fine and quickly. It would be good to know if this is an aknowledged performance 'bug' or if there is a configuration change in the machine I can make to improve it. Any ideas or thoughts appreciated. Thanks. Ian > BCM installs and uses SQL Server for its database. It was using over 28 > meg of mem on my PC where I have a total of 1 gig of mem. This slowed [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > Good Luck. If you have have enough memory to keep Outlook and SQL Server in RAM and you still have performance problems (with those numbers of Contacts and Accounts), then I would look for anti-virus software that intercepts all disk accesses. SQL Server uses the disk more aggressively than regular Outlook PST files to record transactions and such. If you have anti-virus software, trying turning it off and see if your performance improves. I have installed Outlook and BCM out of the box onto a clean machine, no anti virus software, no network connections i.e. single user and no other apps open. I backed up the data from the desktop and loaded to the laptop via the restore feature in BCM. The laptop spec is: Pentium (1.6GHz) processor 512MB RAM, 60GB Hard Drive Running: XP Pro The performance is equally bad. It has only been this bad since I imported data from Excel to the desktop originally. Could it be that it is the way in which the data is stored and referenced that slows it down so much? > If you have have enough memory to keep Outlook and SQL Server in RAM > and you still have performance problems (with those numbers of Contacts [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > such. If you have anti-virus software, trying turning it off and see if > your performance improves. Hello Bob, BigDog, others and of course Sue: I talked with one of the PMs over in BCM and he's read this thread. Believe me, they are "aware of the issue and looking at options." In the meantime, he sent me these steps: Select the contacts they want to place into BCM Use of the Ctrl key is the best method (Ctrl-a, holding down the Ctrl key and select multiples with the mouse) After selecting, Click on Edit: Copy to Folder or Move to Folder Select Business Contacts Folder, hit ok Note: Contacts with attachments will yield errors and only the contact information will be moved / copied to the BCM folder. Hope this helps, -Steve Anderson PM, Office This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. When Outlook 2003 users get Outlook with Business Contact edition they should be able to convert the contacts with some type of automation wizard. Steve, You say that PMs over in BCM are reading this thread is a real good sign. What we need is an integrated solution. As I stated in other threads, I have removed BCM from my computer because I refuse to use a badly designed and therefore inefficient software application. I will reevaluate the SW once it is redesigned to embrace a fully integrated solution. Mark Hi BigDog, I agree with you on this problem. I dont want to maintain two database on my smartphone :( Any updates so far from microsoft people? > Steve, > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > Mark BCM is a crap product -- would expect MS to be issuing fixes daily -- see no point im paying for such a crap product > Hi BigDog, > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > > > Mark Interesting to see that this thread started over 2 years ago and right on through to the current v.3 the same old issues linger ..... -THP >BCM is a crap product -- would expect MS to be issuing fixes daily -- see no >point im paying for such a crap product [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >> > >> > Mark It works simpply by drag 'n drop (from mail to businesscontact SignatureMit freundlichen Grüssen aus München, Carsten Dürksen-Schwarzer > BCM is a crap product -- would expect MS to be issuing fixes daily -- see > no [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >> > >> > Mark |
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