Using Access as CRM system with Outlook - help needed

[mrsethbullock]

To all:

I am trying to set up a basic CRM tool using Access 2003 (I am also
considering purchasing Access 2007).

One of the major stumbling blocks has been how to link the core CRM
database (Access) with emails (from Outlook 2003 and 2007)

Bottom line, I would like to be link Outlook 2003/2007 emails with the
system.

As I see it, I have two alternatives.

1. Program an Add-In. --- the add-in would allow contacts, emails et
cetera to be moved from Outlook into Access (and synch accordingly).
As I am not a programmer, I do not know whether this job is easy or
difficult... and what sort of programmer I would need to find to
create such a program. Any ideas in this regard would be
appreciated.

2. A potential shortcut that would facilitate Outlook-Access syncing.
For example, it occurred to me that if I could get Access to receive
emails, I could simply send any emails I wanted to appear in my CRM
system to a special email address, which used Access as an email
client. Is this possible (or even coherent?)

Can anyone think of any other alternatives? I have looked into
Salesforce.com and other CRM clients, but I find that for a group
package, they are both too expensive (in Salesforce's case, $1,200)
and too limited in scope (again in Salesforce's case, no campaign
management, etc).


Thanks,
SB

 

[Armen Stein]

To all:

I am trying to set up a basic CRM tool using Access 2003 (I am also
considering purchasing Access 2007).

One of the major stumbling blocks has been how to link the core CRM
database (Access) with emails (from Outlook 2003 and 2007)

Bottom line, I would like to be link Outlook 2003/2007 emails with the
system.

As I see it, I have two alternatives.

1. Program an Add-In. --- the add-in would allow contacts, emails et
cetera to be moved from Outlook into Access (and synch accordingly).
As I am not a programmer, I do not know whether this job is easy or
difficult... and what sort of programmer I would need to find to
create such a program. Any ideas in this regard would be
appreciated.

2. A potential shortcut that would facilitate Outlook-Access syncing.
For example, it occurred to me that if I could get Access to receive
emails, I could simply send any emails I wanted to appear in my CRM
system to a special email address, which used Access as an email
client. Is this possible (or even coherent?)

Can anyone think of any other alternatives? I have looked into
Salesforce.com and other CRM clients, but I find that for a group
package, they are both too expensive (in Salesforce's case, $1,200)
and too limited in scope (again in Salesforce's case, no campaign
management, etc).


Thanks,
SB

Access is not an "email client", nor would you want it to be when you
can use Outlook.

However, Access can interact with Outlook using "Office Automation" in
VBA. If you want to learn more about this, you can search for:
access outlook automation vba

The bottom line is that Access VBA can do a lot with Outlook - send
emails, "read" and process received emails, extract attachments,
manipulate contacts, etc. But depending on what you need, it may take
some intermediate-advanced VBA programming to make it all work.

Armen Stein
Microsoft Access MVP
www.JStreetTech.com