Act! 2005
ACT! 2005 will help you manage your business contacts and relationships (not just with customers, but also with prospects, vendors, and suppliers) more efficiently and effectively. But there is a catch—you have to ACTivate it. ACT! 2005 for Dummies helps you get your ACT together with basic information about fields, records, files, and navigation, and step-by-step guidelines for:\ \ Setting up and customizing databases\ Using the calendar to plan your schedule\ Using the alarm to alert you to...
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ACT! 2005 will help you manage your business contacts and relationships (not just with customers, but also with prospects, vendors, and suppliers) more efficiently and effectively. But there is a catch—you have to ACTivate it. ACT! 2005 for Dummies helps you get your ACT together with basic information about fields, records, files, and navigation, and step-by-step guidelines for: Setting up and customizing databases Using the calendar to plan your schedule Using the alarm to alert you to things to ACT on, whether it’s checking on a huge order or remembering a customer’s birthday (so you’ll get another huge order) Protecting your database by assigning specific security levels to users or password-protecting it Creating reports and broadcast e-mails Written by Karen S. Fredricks, an ACT! Certified Consultant, ACT! Premier Trainer, and self-professed ACT! FanACTic, ACT! 2005 For Dummies covers both ACT! Standard Edition 2005 and ACT! Premium Edition 2005. It shows and tells you how to: Use ACT! Notes and ACT! Histories to maintain records of all communications and activities Tag contacts (to designate whether they are interested in a new product, whether they like golf, whether they rate a glorious gift basket at Christmas or get the automatic fruit cake, or whatever) Integrate with Excel, Outlook, and other programs Use ACT! reporting and forecasting tools to manage and track sales Contacts and relationships are the key to any successful business. With ACT! 2005 helping you manage them, you can focus on building your business. Wouldn’t it be nice to have alot of new customers to add to ACT! 2005?
Introduction1About This Book1Conventions Used in This Book2What You Should Read2What You Don't Have to Read3Foolish Assumptions3How This Book Is Organized3Icons Used in This Book6Where to Go from Here6Part IThe Opening ACT!7Chapter 1An Overview of ACT!9What Does ACT! Do?10The Typical ACT! User11Terms You Need to Know12The Basic ACT! Ground Rules13The Two ACT! Flavors13Chapter 2The Various Faces of ACT!15Locating the Correct Database15The ACT! Login Screen17The Importance of Being My Record18Finding Your Way Around in ACT!19Getting Help When You Need It25Chapter 3Getting Your ACT! Together29Creating a New ACT! Database29Copying an Existing Database31Adding Multiple Users to a Database34Deleting Login Users37Working with Passwords39Giving ACT! the Preferential Treatment41Customizing the Navigation Bar45Modifying Menus and Toolbars45Part IIPutting the ACT! Database to Work49Chapter 4Making Contact(s)51Adding New Contacts51Duplicating Your Contacts59Deleting Contact Records59The Contacts, They Are A'Changin'61Chapter 5A Few Good Tabs and Lists63Meeting the Lists and Tabs63Corralling Your Secondary Contacts67Documenting Your Documents71Chapter 6Working with Your Data75Contacting the Contact List75Importing New Information into ACT!80Chapter 7The ACT! Lookup: Searching for Your Contacts87ACT! Is Looking Up87Performing Basic Lookups88Searching Your Groups, Companies, and Opportunities91Performing Special ACT! Lookups94Creating Advanced Queries100Chapter 8Stamping Out the Sticky Note103Getting to Know ACT! Notes103Discovering ACT! Histories106Working with Your Notes and Histories110Chapter 9Playing the Dating Game113Scheduling Your Activities113Working with the ACT! Calendar117Using the Task List121Exploring Activities123Part IIISharing Your Information with Others127Chapter 10Advanced Dating 101129Creating an Activity Series129Using Annual Events136Chapter 11Using the Basic ACT! Reports139Knowing the Basic ACT! Reports139Running an ACT! Report143Printing Address Books146Creating Mailing Labels and Envelopes149Modifying Labels and Envelopes151Working with Quick Report152Chapter 12Designing Your Own Reports155Understanding the Report Designer155Naming Your ACT! Report156Changing the Report Content160Filtering Data in a Report Template163Sectioning Your ACT! Report164Chapter 13Merging Your Information into a Document169Mail Merge Isn't Just about Mailing169Picking Your Word Processor170Converting Existing Document Templates172Reaching an Audience of One173Creating a Document Template175We're Off to See the Mail Merge Wizard179Chapter 14ACT! E-Mail183Getting Started with ACT! E-Mail183E-Mailing Your Contacts188Working with Incoming E-Mail194Part IVAdvanced ACT!ing197Chapter 15Creating Contact Fields199Understanding the Concept of Fields200Do Your Homework!201Adding a New Field to Your Database202Working with Lists207Chapter 16Customizing Layouts215Modifying an Existing ACT! Layout216Beautifying Your Layout224Adding the Finishing Touches227Chapter 17Zen and the Art of Database Maintenance233Understanding the Need to Check and Repair234Performing Routine Maintenance235Backing Up the ACT! Database237Performing Spring Housecleaning241Chapter 18ACT!ing with Synchronizations251What in the World Is Synchronization?251Performing a Synchronization in Three ACT!s253Maintaining the Synchronization263Part VCommonly Overlooked ACT! Features267Chapter 19Integrating ACT! with Microsoft269Changing Your Outlook on Life269Exploring the Internet278Excelling in Excel279What's in a Word?283Chapter 20ACT!ing on Your Opportunities285Creating Opportunities285You Can Quote Me on That293Viewing the Opportunity List295Viewing Opportunity History298Tracking Opportunities299Chapter 21Grouping Your Contacts307A Few Good Reasons to Create a Group307What All Groups Have in Common309Creating a Group310Setting Up a Group Query Definition313Working with Groups315Chapter 22Joining a Company321The 411 on Companies321Hey Dude, Where's My Company?322Company Housekeeping326Joining the Company Association331Working with a Company333Getting the Company Reports337Part VIThe Part of Tens339Chapter 23Ten Differences between ACT! 2005 and ACT! 2005 Premium341Sharing Databases between the Two Versions341SQL Versions342System Requirements343Scalability343Number of Users344Limited Access Contacts and Teams344Group Invitations and Scheduling344Scheduling Resources345Synchronization345Pricing and Availability345Chapter 24Ten Cool New Features in ACT! 2005347Sequel347Opportunities348New and Very Much Improved E-Mail349Cool New Field Types349The All New Documents Tab350Consistency of Templates351All the News That's Fit to Print351Improved Activity Series352Grouping by Company353Cool New Look and Feel!353Chapter 25Ten Tips to Make ACT! Work Better355Refreshing Your Data355Linking Your PDA356Linking Your Accounting Software356Sharing Your Database over the Web357ACT! Add-Ons and Enhancements358Reporting Software360E-Blast Software360Tips from the ACT! Guru361Hiring an Expert362Joining a Users Group363Index365
