Improving synchronization of Outlook with ... everything else

Status
Not open for further replies.

Starbuck

Member
Outlook version
Outlook 2010 32 bit
Email Account
POP3
Look for a way to sync Outlook with Google docs, devices, or other services you'll undoubtedly find some utility or service claiming to do the job. Anyone who has tried one of these will find immediately that some things simply don't work properly. Let's assume that we're not missing or duplicated data. A basic issue is that the set of details (the schema) is different from one product to the next. A data field with a specific purpose in one platform may not find an equivalent somewhere else. So the data gets merged into some freeform note field in another product, and on return your well structured data is now a freeform note (plus you now have old data in the original field).
Recovery from sync issues like this is a time consuming effort when we just want these blasted tools to "save time" which supposedly is the goal of all of this technology. It's for these reasons that I simply never use sync tools - and I pay the price when I eventually manually sync and have to work out the disparities on my own anyway.

So what are some best practices or acceptable solutions where data flows properly between products with the least amount of pain? Is it unreasonable not to trust software that does this?

For my purposes:

- I have an Android so I want to sync Contacts and the Calendar.

- I wouldn't mind doing a sync with Google Docs from there, and then to Outlook 2010 from there. At least then I can see the Docs data to see if anything got messed up before I pull that data back into Outlook.

- I'd love to use Android Sync Manager or similar to direct sync from Outlook to phone, but other SaaS apps (web sites that provide various services) tend to use Google data as a source, so getting the data there correct is probably a reasonable goal.

As a developer, I'm prepared to write my own solutions if there is nothing really compelling out there. But I'm sure people need similar security for iPhone, BlackBerry, and other devices, so I'm opening this up for a broader discussion.

Am I missing something obvious in all of this?

Thanks!
 
sync in outlook sucks. It's actually pretty good if you use exchange server and exchange active sync but trying to sync with 3rd party tools is generally bad. Even the google calendar sync is not so hot - although the sync tool used by the paid google accounts seems to work ok.. which means, for best results you need to pay $50-70+ a year for either google or office 365 or other hosted exchange.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Similar threads
Thread starter Title Forum Replies Date
C Synchronization and taking forever to send Using Outlook 2
M Synchronization and backup of Outlook from local to server. Using Outlook 11
G Automatically delete messages in the synchronization folder Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 1
R Outlook 2010 Contact Synchronization - Outlook to Outlook.com Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 1
B Exchange 2010 / Outlook 20070 "client error in synchronization log" Exchange Server Administration 1
Paul Van Cotthem Is calendar synchronization between Office 2013 and Outlook.com capped by spam or bandwidth limits? Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 12
A Synchronization of IMAP folders Using Outlook 0
P Encoding problems after synchronization with Outlook Connector Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 6
J Synchronization of some deletions failed [0-130] Exchange Server Administration 6
M Synchronization of some deletions failed [0-130] Using Outlook 3
A Synchronization Error of contacts and calender using Outlook connector Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 12
D BCM and remote synchronization BCM (Business Contact Manager) 1
T Synchronization error event Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 4
C Outlook 365 send/receive takes FOREVER - as in 40 minutes Using Outlook 7
I Outlook 2024 LTSC syncing with iCloud calendar - can only make appt. in iCloud Using Outlook 2
Kika Melo Outlook ribbon customisations do not 'stick' Using Outlook 12
J IMAP Folders Confusion in Windows Classic Outlook Using Outlook 1
A Missing Sent Emails in New Outlook Using Outlook 17
S Missing categories in Outlook calendar Using Outlook 10
P Windows 11 tries to open New Outlook when the user clicks on the mail icon on a news article Using Outlook 2
C I don't understand Outlook or Microsoft, anymore Using Outlook 12
P My Feedback to Microsoft and their response; also New Outlook roadmap Using Outlook 0
A New Outlook - Cannot drag IMAP emails to Task List in MyDay Using Outlook 1
L Android Outlook Doesn't Update PC Notification Changes Using Outlook 0
A How to open Excel file saved in Outlook folder? Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 4
D.Moore Outlook desktop client suggested searches question Using Outlook 23
Y Outlook 2016 (64-bit) Copy Local Cal. Events to Another Cal. with Modified Reminder time Using Outlook 2
T Outlook 2019 While connecting an IMAP account in "classic" Outlook 2024 I caused a massive duplication of emails on the server (death loop) Using Outlook 5
D Cannot logon to Outlook.com, or outlook on Mac, outlook not updating on ipad, iphone Using Outlook 1
J unable to get my new install of Outlook to display mailboxes in the single-line format. Using Outlook 1
D Legacy Microsoft Outlook for Mac Support will end in Oct 2025 Using Outlook 8
C Nasty Bug Lurking In Outlook For Years. The Trigger. Any Fix Or Workaround? Using Outlook 12
R Auto clicking Hyperlink in outlook Outlook VBA and Custom Forms 7
ughlook Open multiple contacts in NEW Outlook? Using Outlook 3
G Outlook translation feature is off Using Outlook 2
J Outlook 2010 does not let me put any account Using Outlook.com accounts in Outlook 3
P 3 of 5 PST files don't install from d:\outlook but only from D:\ Using Outlook 7
HarvMan January Windows 10 preview update force installs new Outlook Using Outlook 1
L Outlook 2010 - new installation on Windows 11 - aplzod32.dll is not a valid Add-in Using Outlook 12
J Outlook troubleshooting/logging - option grayed out Using Outlook 2
B Arrows missing from Outlook emails vertical scrollbar Using Outlook 0
G Outlook 2021 (New) doesn't respect default browser Using Outlook 9
B Outlook or iPhone turning tabs into spaces in Outlook Notes Using Outlook 1
P newly installed Office 365 includes OLD Outlook Using Outlook 6
R Outlook ribbon menu default? Using Outlook 7
H Spam email in Gmail not visible in Outlook Using Outlook 3
J How to transfer Win 10 Outlook to new Windows 11 pc? Using Outlook 16
J Renegade spam URL line displayed in old local Outlook 365 email title Using Outlook 3
G Reduce whitespace in Outlook desktop Contact Cards display Using Outlook 3
C Outlook classic via 365 Using Outlook 2

Similar threads

Back
Top