Outlook Data Sync
You can use Rolladesktop to sync you Outlook® data with another computer. The process requires one MASTER and multiple SLAVES.
The MASTER can upload your outlook data in a formatted Access® mdb file to an FTP site. The SLAVE will download the file, delete its Outlook Data and then import the new data. Unfortunately this is a one-way sync. This process assumes that all computers are operating in the same time zone.
The MASTER can upload (export) its data manually, on a specified interval or at a specified time each day. Use an interval sync time of zero to sync manually. Filters can be set to alter which data should sync. Contact and Calendar data (Notes and Tasks coming soon) can be synchronized. An FTP site must be set in order to use this feature. Most ISPs provide sufficient FTP space for free.
The MASTER will upload its data according to the filters and selected items to the FTP site. If the last modified date of your Outlook® is less than the last modified date of the mdb file on the FTP then no upload will occur (not needed). You can always force an upload by choosing Sync form the tools menu. All data uploaded will be given a Category of RADSync (in addition to any other categories). This will ID the data for the SLAVE.
The SLAVE will download the mdb file from the FTP and will import the data based on filters and selected items. All data with a category of RADSync will be deleted (since this is obviously going to be updated) regardless of any filters. Therefore any data you add to the SLAVE’s Outlook® will NOT be deleted by a sync (unless you give it a category of RADSync). You can use filters define what data to delete in outlook and what data to import from the mdb file. For instance, you might only want contacts categorized as friends on the slave. You could use
[Categories] = ‘Friends’
This will delete all contacts with a category as friends (these would be deleted anyway since they should have a category as RADSync) and it will only import friends from the mdb. This way you don’t have all of your work contacts hogging up your home computer.
Only one computer can be the MASTER and it will NEVER delete data. Several other features can set to occur during a sync (such as searching for a RAD Day and Coloring Appointments). Only one instance of RAD can use the FTP at a time. Therefore a file “FTP_in_use” will be added to the FTP while in use. If time sync is used and FTP is in use, then time sync will be moved up 15 minutes (this will not be saved to preferences).
A date range (in months) must be set on the Calendar. This will only since appoints from ‘now’ and x months from ‘now’.
See Outlook® data fields for a list of the available fields.
Some fields will not be synchronized if Outlook Redemption is not installed.