Entourage compatibility w/Outlook and BlackBerry

[markbishopuk]

Version: 2008 Operating System: Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) Processor: Intel Email Client: pop I currently use a Windows PC and Office 2007 for business. I spend a lot of time in Outlook, with many different folders to store emails and an archive for old ones, and I organise my life using tasks, the calendar, contacts and memos, which I then synchronise with a BlackBerry.

I'm now thinking of moving across to a MacBook Pro which will have Office for Mac, including Entourage 2008, having the data from the PC transferred at the Apple Store under their One to One program.

Can anyone here assure me that I will have no problems with Entourage's ability to import data, retaining all of my folders, my archive and my tasks, calendar, contacts and memo without losing or changing any of the data, and that it will synchronise successfully with my BlackBerry (using Desktop Manager for the Mac)? Is there an ability to custom map the fields, especially for the contacts, without losing any data or creating any false data?

 

[John Wolf]

Yes you will have issues. I have issues with dates & times in Entourage. I
create a appointment on my BB Curve and the time does not sync to Entourage
correctly. If I were you I'd get Parrells or something and keep syncing with
Windows. Also not to mention how pathetic the BB desktop is for the Mac.

 

[markbishopuk]

Thanks. I'd be interested to know what issues you've had, and whether others have experienced the same. The ability to organise my life via the BlackBerry and Outlook/Entourage is critical to me, and if there's any doubt about the ability of a Mac and Entourage to do this then I will stick with a PC.

 

[Conrad]

I really hate to say this, but: stick to Windows. I have never
successfully been able to sync, due to Entourage/conduit-related
problems. My identity constantly became corrupted, even after I set up
an entirely new identity, exporting all my data from the old into the
new (and boy was that painful in and of itself - not an easy
process). Unfortunately DM does not access the Entourage conduits
directly, but requires Entourage sync with OS X-native Sync Services,
which loads data into Address Book/iCal, *then* transfers that data
into the BB. The extra step obviously does not create a simpler data
path.

Since you're just starting out on OS X, there's actually no harm in
trying it - maybe you'll get lucky. If you're going to see issues,
they'll crop up quickly - within a week certainly. But do be sure to
backups, with multiple revisions to which you can go back - essential.

 

[Diane Ross]

but requires Entourage sync with OS X-native Sync Services,
which loads data into Address Book/iCal, *then* transfers that data
into the BB. The extra step obviously does not create a simpler data
path.

This not completely accurate. Entourage syncs to a database called the
truth.

Basics of how Sync Services Works

<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/syncservices/basics.html>

Everything you wanted to know about syncing. The Truth, The Whole Truth, and
Nothing But The Truth.

³Why does syncing play Gossip with my contacts?³

<http://tinyurl.com/34qkrv>


--
Diane Ross, Microsoft Mac MVP
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