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RDHarrisRDHarris 

Vista and Outlook Edition v3 will not Sync New Contacts

I am running Vista with Outlook 2007, and Outlook Edition 3.2.  When I create a new contact in Outlook and then try to mark for sync with sforce, I get the following message.   This record cannot be marked for sync because the association is invalid.  If I try to associate the contact, I get an opportunity to "quick create" the contact and then am prompted to re-enter the data.  Not good!

I went back to an XP computer with Outlook 2003 and Outlook Edition 2.  I created a new contact, marked it for sync.  Upon sync, a new contact was correctly created in Sforce with no questions, issues or additional data entry.  This is perfect.

Version 3 is just not getting it.  Does anyone have any ideas about this??  Anyone??

Well, it's official.  I reported this issue to tech support.  They told me that it should work.  I then got elevated up to Tier II support.  Here is their response: 

Unfortunately, with Outlook Edition 3 it is required to quick create and associate contacts before syncing them with Salesforce. This function was changed from Outlook Edition 2 to avoid duplicate records in Salesforce. If you would like to report this as a feature request, I encourage you to visit the IdeaExchange where you can submit your ideas for product enhancements to our produce managers and developers. The IdeaExchange can be found at http://ideas.salesforce.com.


I think this is a huge issue and a flaw in the way Outlook Edition 3 is designed.  I never had an issue with duplicate contacts.  Is there a 3rd party app that provides this remaining piece of the integration puzzle?  Is that the goal here...to sell me something else?

Apparently when someone makes a truly dumb decision in product design, it takes a popularity contest to get the issue addressed. Please go here and click promote.  Be sure to add your comments: Please click here and promote my idea that true integration is needed for this to return to a functional product.

At some point, more people will be converting to Outlook 2007 and Outlook Edition 3 and they will be pissed that this hasn't been addressed.



Message Edited by RDHarris on 09-26-200705:46 AM

ShaunbhShaunbh
Hi Sorry for bothering you how did you get your access to Outlook 3
ShaunbhShaunbh

Thanks I have it now.

S.
Harry JamesHarry James
I also just noticed the same problem (Outlook 2003).  I only have a few Contacts that I sync and, therefore, only sync irregularly.  There is a V 3.2 out there.  I downloaded it, but have not installed.  Figured I might as well wait for the GA version to be available.
JSChaffinJSChaffin
So let me get this straight.  In order to sync an Outlook contact, I have to create it in Salesforce first?  That means I can't create a contact in my Treo while on the go, and I can't use CardScan to create a contact from a stack of business cards after a (week of) meeting(s). 

Nice work.  You folks just broke an 8 year-old, very streamlined workflow.  Now I have to hire an executive assistant. 
HansDHansD
Hello Harry,
 
I have a similar problem but I get a specific error msg I can't resolve.
When synching contacts towards SF from outlook (V3.2 and outlook 2003), I get an 'Invalid Field Index' error on (non used) fields like e.g. AssistantName, resulting the contacts not to be added.
 
Field mapping looks ok - deleting the fields in question in the synch application so that they're not mapped or editing the XML dictionary doesn't help as well. When deleting the AssistantName mapping for example, it only gives a similar error on the next field in the list...
 
Did anyone get the same err msg / found a solution for this ? Is would indeed be quite frustrating if you'd have to quick create in SF first - al the real usefulness of having a sync feature down the drain ...
 
rgds
HansD
SDabbsSDabbs

Has anyone found a solution to syncing new Outlook contacts, without having to associate them one at a time first or create them in saleforce? 

We have 2 new users that need to sync their Outlook contact lists, over 1,000 records.  We get the same error message when we try to mark for sync, This record cannot be marked for sync because the association is invalid.  It worked so well in the previous version.
RDHarrisRDHarris
I suggest that you complain...loudly.  Ask any other SF user to do the same. 

You know that after Vista SP1 hits the streets early next year, many companies will go ahead and migrate to Vista, Office 2007 and ultimately the Outlook Edition 3.  At that point there is bound to be a furor over this program change.  And this was a deliberate change on their part to correct a problem (perceived) that didn't exist.  So, I predict that they will be forced to fix this next year.  We just shouldn't have to wait that long. Nor should we have to go to another SF suggestion board and submit this to a popularity contest (feature request) to get a feature returned to the program that shouldn't have been removed in the first place.

My impression of SF as a responsive company is not very good.
Andy B.ax322Andy B.ax322
This is an absolutely ridiculous decision.  I just upgraded to a Vista computer, and can't Synch contacts with Outlook, which means I can't synch them with my phone, which means that I can't voice dial any new contact when I'm on the road unless I DUPLICATE RECORDS in Outlook that I have already entered in Salesforce.  I refuse to re-enter over 500 contacts to work around this problem.  Oh, and I've spent at least a day trying everything I could think of to make it work before I found this thread.  Thanks, Salesforce.

Salesforce, fix it. please.  today.  make it work like it used to.  please.
BCPAdminBCPAdmin
Has there been any resolve to this? I notice the last comment made was in October of 2007... that doesn't bode well for me considering I'm having the same problems still in March of 08. :(
Steve K.ax374Steve K.ax374
It is now July 08. Did we get a fix for this problem? I need to sync to a treo via outlook? SFDC are you listening?
RDHarrisRDHarris
July 08 and no solution to what seems like a simple problem.  We aren't asking for new development...just put this back like it used to be and do it before you give us the "some great news to share about an awesome feature being delivered in the Summer '08 release - Enhanced Lists!"  While enhanced lists may be great...simple things like adding contacts and syncing with Outlook are common tasks. 

Everyone who reads this thread should take just a minute to complain loudly.  
philseemanphilseeman
That is indeed an absurd decision: to change a design that largely worked but had a small downside - creation of duplicate SF records - in favor of a design that is so utterly cumbersome as to be unusable.  They obviously didn't consider those of us who have over 1000 Outlook records to sync.  Unbelievable.

Some good news, though - I'm an Outlook developer and am writing an add-in that does the "Mark for Sync" the right way - by finding a matching Account in SF.  I'll post it once it's done so others here can use it as well.  It's silly that I have to spend time doing this when v2 used to work right, but I can't manually Associate over 1000 Contacts.
waylonatcimwaylonatcim

Have you had any luck developing this plugin?  I'm still running into the same issue and my users are not too happy about it.

Thanks!
philseemanphilseeman
No, sorry, I never finished it - we ended up switching to using InvisibleCRM instead.  While it costs extra, it's well worth it - it works great and provides much cleaner synchronization than the internal Salesforce Outlook sync.