Installing ACT

Table of Contents - use CTRL key when clicking on page numbers or hyperlinks.

General Overview

Common shared folders:

Installation:

Local Access

Remote Access (or Laptop Users):

New install - (laptop in home office possession):

Setting Remote/Laptop preferences

New Laptop - previous installation.

New Laptop Installation (laptop already sent to the field)

Setting up Synchronization

Other Information

Adding a new user to the ACT master database:

Creating a new empty local database:

General Overview

ACT is a contact management software that allows you to have one or multiple "contract address books." It works in conjunction with Outlook (for email) and can help people track business actions by contact, company or group.

The ACT database is actually a series of files (from 15 to 25 depending on what's in the database). The default location for ACT is in the Program Files folder. With Windows 2000 and greater, ACT now sets up the location for the databases in the Documents and Settings folder, under My Documents\ACT\Database. The remaining folders live under Program Files\ACT\.

The following folders can be,and usually are, shared. This allows a Corporate Office to develop custom letters, layouts, queries and layouts and store them in one location, such as a file server. If the individual is attached to the network via the LAN, and is not using a laptop, then they should be set up to point to the server file locations for the common shared folders (see below). If they are on a laptop, the default locations, set up by the ACT install, should be utilized. Any items such as layouts, templates, etc. that have been developed by the Corporate offices should be copied into these folders on the laptops or remote desktops. See more information on this later.

Common shared folders:

  • Document - Letters written using ACT! (using ACT! Word Processor or Microsoft Word)
  • Templates - Templates used for writing letters and performing mail merges
  • E-mail - Attached e-mail messages and Inbox (ACT! 6.0.1 or earlier) - Inbox only (ACT! 6.0.2 or later)
  • Attached E-mail - Attached e-mail messages (ACT! 6.0.2 or later)
  • Layout - The database layouts
  • Macro - Macros
  • Query - Custom Queries
  • Report - Report, label, and envelope templates
  • Spell - Spell check

ACT uses a Preferences file to identify file locations. This preference file needs to be updated to "point" at the correct location of files. The instructions on how to change these settings are noted in the sections below.

Installation:

If this is a new person, the ACT administrator needs to add them to the master database as a new user and set up synchronization if they are a remote user (i.e. not directly attached to the LAN). The new person will need to have an Outlook email address in order to do synchronizations. The ACT administrator will create a new database for the user and store it in a folder with the same name as the user. This folder will live in the server under ACT\Database so it can be copied later to the laptop.

Insert either a CD which should autostart or load the software off of a network server drive. You will need thesingle or multiple user license serial number.

Take the defaults for the entire ACT installation.

After the install is finished, proceed to Local Accessif you are setting up ACT on a desktop that will be attaching directly to the Network database. This will be anyone local or using a Desktop computer and not a laptop.

Proceed to Remote Access if this is a remote user (i.e. not locally attached to the LAN) and or they are a local user who will have a traveling laptop and not a desktop personal computer.

Local Access

After you have finished the install you now need to "point" the ACT application at the correct file locations. For people attached to the shared ACT master database, do the following:

  1. Make sure you are on the LAN and attached to the SI Network servers.
  2. Open ACT.
  3. When you first open ACT it will start a wizard to create a new database. Cancel out of this wizard.
  4. Click on File - Open and locate the Master database on the file server. Mappings may vary - an example of a mapping is "P:\servername\act\database\Master.dbf". The reason you do this is so you can set up file locations and preferences. You can not do this without having a database open. The picture below shows the file open and the actual file is highlighted in the dialog box.
  5. Select EditPreferences from the menu bar. You will see the following box:

  1. On the General tab, set the following file locations with the corresponding file types. For any items not listed on the table keep the default local directory.Note, click here for a screen shot of the actual folders on the V: drive. Folder Contents

Type: / Server/Local Location
Database / p:\servername\act\database
Document Template / p:\servername\act\template
Report, Label, Envelope / p:\servername\act\report
Query / p:\servername\act\query
Layout / p:\servername\act\layout
Macro / p:\servername\act\macro
  1. Click the Apply button.
  2. On the Startup tab, set the following parameters:

Field: / Location
Default Contact Layout / p:\servername\act\layout\master.cly
Default Group Layout / p:\servername\act\layout\master.gly
Startup Database / p:\servername\act\database\Master.dbf
  1. Click on E-Mail and set up the users email to use MS Outlook.
  2. Click Apply and then OK

Remote Access (or Laptop Users):

New install - (laptop in home office possession):

If this is a new person, the ACT administrator needs to add them to the master database as a new user. Follow the same instructions for installation as shown above.Here's a link as a reminder: Installation.

Once the installation is finished, you need to put a database on the laptop since the user will not be pointing at the master database on the file server.

The normal process is the ACT Administrator has created a database for the new user. The database can be found in the p:\servername\act directory. There will be a folder with the name of the new user. Within the folder will be a zipped file containing the new user's database. If that has not been done because this is an emergency, see the step below regarding creating an empty local database.

You need to also load the master layouts and any customized templates and reports on the laptops so they can find them when not attached to the LAN. Our recommendation is to make a copy of these files and place them on the file server in a folder called ACT\load on remote laptops. Within this folder should be three folders (layout, report and template). The contacts of these folders are loaded onto the laptop into the corresponding folders found under c:\program files\act..

Setting Remote/Laptop preferences

To set preferences, keep all the defaults for file locations. ACT assumes the database will reside on the local desktop.

  1. Open ACT.
  2. When you first open ACT it will start a wizard to create a new database. Cancel out of this wizard.
  3. Click on File - Open and locate the local database in Documents and Settings\My Documents\ACT\Database.
  4. Once the file is open, click on Edit - Preferences.
  5. On the Startup tab, change the following:

Field: / Location
Default Contact Layout / master.cly
Default Group Layout / master.gly
Startup Database / My Documents\ACT\Database\.username-Master.dbf (where user = user name)
  1. Click on Email and set up the user to use MS Outlook as their email client.
  2. Click Apply and then OK

New Laptop - previous installation.

Make sure to copy the user’s local database on the old laptop to a holding area on a server. There are anywhere from 15-20 files associated with an ACT database. Either copy all the files from the Database directory, or open ACT on the laptop, and click on Backup. This creates a zipped file which can then be used to restore to the new laptop. All their personal files created while using ACT are copied into the backup.

Copy over the master layout files from the C:\Program Files\ACT\Layout folder.

Set up the preferences as noted above and load the database from the old laptop onto the database folder on the laptop.

New Laptop Installation (laptop already sent to the field)

If this is a new user, the ACT administrator is sent an email with the new user’s name. They will set up the user in the ACT database and create a new database for the user. This database will be stored on the server.

A CD containing the ACT software needs to be created by the IT department and mailed to the user in the field. In addition, a CD containing the new users database (created by the ACT Administrator) and the "Load on remote Laptops" files (as noted above in the New Laptop section) need to be sent along with the ACT software.

The ACT administrator will call the user in the field once they are notified that the CD has been received. The Administrator will step the user through the ACT installation. They will then step them through connecting to the VPN and picking up their new database. If there is no way for the user to connect to the server remotely, then a copy of their empty database must be sent to them to be included with the installation.

Setting up Synchronization

The ACT Administrator will set up a sync to go to the new user. If this is an existing user, the Administrator has already set up the sync process for sending to the user.

Other Information

Adding a new user to the ACT master database:

To add users to a database:

  1. Open ACT!, then open the shared database you want to add users to.
  2. Add the users first as a Contact record. This ensures you type in all the information the way you want it to appear.
  3. Click the File menu, point to Administration, then click Define Users. The Define Users dialog appears:
  4. Click the Add User button, then enter a User nameandPassword for the user. The Password field can be left blank if desired.
    Note: Each user should have a unique user name and password. Make a note of the name and password, so that you can tell the user their password. If users lose their passwords, they will not be able to open the database. However, a database Administrator will be able to reset their forgotten password.
  5. Select a Security level for the new user:
  6. Browse: These users can see the records in the database, but cannot add, modify, or delete records.
  7. Standard: These users can see the records in the database; they can add, delete, or modify records; also synchronize with another database or user. However, they cannot add users to the database, perform maintenance on the database, or modify database fields.
  8. Administrator: Administrators can perform all the functions as a user with Standard security level. In addition, they can add users to the database, perform database maintenance, and modify the database fields.
  9. (Optional) Check the Enable logon option. In most cases, you will enable this option. However, if you are setting up a user for synchronization only, you may not want this user to be able to log into the database.
  10. Do NOT check the Enable synchronization checkbox at this time.
  11. Repeat steps 3 through 5 for additional users. Click OK when you finish addingusers. The Assign My Records dialog appears:
  12. You must create a 'My Record' for each user who will be logging into your database, or synchronizing with it. To assign a My Record to a user, follow the steps below:
  13. Select the desired user from the list, then click Assign Now. The Enter "My Record" Information dialog appears:
  14. If you have previously created a contact record for this user in your ACT! database, click Select, then locate the appropriate contact record.
    - OR -
    If you have not previously created a contact, do so now by entering the requested information. Click OK when Complete.
  15. Repeat the preceding two steps for any other users.
  1. Should you choose not to assign My Records, you will receive a warning dialog:

    The first time any user who does not already have a My Record assigned attempts to log in, ACT! will prompt them to create their My Record. The database will always open to the My Record of the user that is logging in.

Creating a new empty local database:

To create a new empty database, open the Master.dbf (ACT master database) that can be found in the p:\servernameact\database folder.

Make sure the user has been added to the master database. Add them first as a contact. Then click on FILE – ADMINISTRATION – DEFINE USER. Add their name and when you click OK, click the SELECT button on the My Record setup menu. Find the contact name you created for the new user and then click OK.

Click on File Save As and create an Empty Copy. This can be stored on whatever machine you are currently using. Ideally, it would be better to perform this action while you are on the user's laptop. If you are on the laptop, store this file into the Documents and Settings\My Documents\ACT\Database folder.

Give the database the name of the user plus Master. For example, for John Smith, the database would be john_smith_Master.dbf.

  1. The next box that opens is a blank My Record. Click the SELECT button and find the new user record you created earlier.
  2. The following graphic shows the My Record box:

  1. Click OK - a new database will be created. Note - wait until the process has completed - you will NOT see any messages telling you the process is still working.
  2. If you have built the empty database on a machine other than the laptop, copy the database to a folder called Document and Settings\My Documents\ACT\Database.