Syncing 2008 Entourage to Handhelds

[Mike_Heath]

The Microsoft plug-in, Handheld Sync Installer, does not work on Entourage 2008. Therefore, I can't sync my Entourage data with my handheld.

Is there a new installer and if not, how does Microsoft propose we sync our Entourage data to our handhelds? I happen to have a Treo 650 Smartphone running a Palm OS.

I realize there is a jerry-rigged solution that costs money - purchase the Missing Sync, sync Entourage to your Apple programs, and sync our handheld to the Apple Programs using Missing Sync. I purchased that product and it isn't working perfectly, very buggy, it can't even sync my phone to the Apple programs, let alone get over to Entourage (new calendar items - phone to iCal).

I'm looking for a solution from Microsoft given my expectation that they won't retreat on solutions where demand is growing, i.e. increased use of smartphones.

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

The Microsoft plug-in, Handheld Sync Installer, does not work on
Entourage 2008. Therefore, I can't sync my Entourage data with my
handheld.

This is one of the most discussed topic in this group lately.
The Pam conduit for Office 2004 does not work with 2008 because 2008 is
supposed to exclusively use SyncServices.

The problem is that SyncServices appear to be pretty broken right now,
so a lot of people are simply waiting for an update to come and correct
these issues.

Corentin

 

[Corentin Cras-Méneur]

Get in line.

:->

Corentin

 

[Kerry]

:->

Corentin

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You're right about this being one the most discussed issues - over at
Missing sync and other forums. And unlike the conduit in 2004 which
was reliable and fast sync services breaks easily. Fortunately after
much effort I now know exactly what to do, step by step, to get it
going again. But there are steps, unlike the conduit, where if a
problem occurred you just went in and did an overwrite of the modules
and you were going again for a good period of time before problems
errupted (not so with sync services)

 

[Steve Barry]

There is an app called iPDA which will supposedly sync all of your contacts,email, tasks, notes and more with an iPOD. it works directly with E2008, no sync services, no conduit needed. why cant an app do this for a smartphone like the Treo or BB or something else?

on a side note, which smartphone would be the best choice for E2008? Would one be better at syncing with regards to the integrity of the data and the organization structure of E2008 (ie: categories)?

 

[Kerry]

If so, you should document those steps meticulously and make them
accessible on the web!

But even with those steps, there are still pieces of data that do not
get synchronized when compared to the handheld sync conduit, right?

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JR

You're right. I still find that even if you get it working again after
it breaks the connection between Entourage and sync services it is
only a matter of time before it will break again. I talked to an
Entourage tech rep Friday and she said that she agreed it was a mess.
She alone has had 20 calls on the issue and all reps keep forwarding
emails over to the product team but they've heard nothing. She gave me
the number for the refunds department as she agreed its not reasonable
to expect to put in hours to keep it running, clean up dups etc. I did
say to her I have used Microsoft from the mid 80's, through the 90's
on the Mac and the Outlook/Office on the PC from 1997 to 2003 when I
switched back to the Mac and then on the Mac Office consistently. I've
never had an issue till now but this is too much. On the other hand, I
am so used to working with Entourage to manage and massage my info
(categories, links, projects etc) that I'm not sure, if I give this up
what to do. It is really impacting my work, not only from having to
spend this time to keep it sync'g properly but also in the way I
operate vis-a-vis my clients. I'm never sure that if enter something
on my Palm at a clients that it will end up in Entourage (I've had
this happen and have had to use cut and paste over to Entourage and
well .....you know.

It would not matter which device you choose. All devices have to use
sync services now with Entourage and it is the way the Entourage
client is interacting with sync services plus some issues in sync
services that has created this mess. Plus Microsoft only supports the
Palm so if you had a Blackberry or an iPhone they would not even open
a case. I have an ongoing, unresolved case # since I use a Palm.

I can't understand how their quality control would have missed this so
in your face issue. If I had been a beta tester for them, this would
have been one of the first things I would have looked into, as when
they added sync services to 2004 I tried it to see what it was like,
and it didn't work. It would always mess up or break so I went
straight back to the conduit. Too bad as I'm sure Microsoft put a lot
of work into 2008 rewriting it from scratch.

 

[Diane Ross]

I can't understand how their quality control would have missed this so
in your face issue. If I had been a beta tester for them, this would
have been one of the first things I would have looked into, as when
they added sync services to 2004 I tried it to see what it was like,
and it didn't work. It would always mess up or break so I went
straight back to the conduit. Too bad as I'm sure Microsoft put a lot
of work into 2008 rewriting it from scratch.

There is a lot of assumption in your statements. You do know what assume
means?

Why not switch back to Office 2004 until this issue gets resolved? I would
suspect that syncing will be fixed sooner rather than later because it is so
important.

 

[Kerry]

There is a lot of assumption in your statements. You do know what assume
means?

Why not switch back to Office 2004 until this issue gets resolved? I would
suspect that syncing will be fixed sooner rather than later because it is so
important.

I would agree with the second part of you statement in para 2 that it
is important but I'm not sure why you "suspect" this will be fixed
sooner than later as I'm not getting that impression from Microsoft.
I'm processing a return claim now.

In terms of your first paragraph I'm not sure what you mean or are
implying (facts please).