This document provides information on connecting to and importing/exporting data from ACT! software. It discusses the options for exporting ACT! data using the native file export, export to Excel, OLEDB, and ODBC features. It also covers importing data using the native ACT! import options as well as third party tools that can import a variety of file types and link related records. The document concludes with information on using the ACT! SDK to programmatically read, write, and integrate ACT! data with other systems.

1. GL Computing – www.GLComputing.com.au
Copyright (c) 2009

2. Connecting to ACT! By Sage
Reading • ACT! File Export
• ACT! Export to Excel
or • OLEDB
Exporting • ODBC - ActReader
ACT! Data • 3rd Party Export
Importing • ACT! File Import Options
or Writing • 3rd Party Import
• ACT! SDK
ACT! Data

3. ACT!’s File Export – to ACT! db
 Can export a lookup of one record type or All Contacts
if multiple record types selected -
Contacts, Groups, Companies
 Can export all Extended Data - Notes, Histories, Sales
Ops, Activities, Secondary Contacts, Attachments
 Can check for duplicates and merge records in target
database. But only entire records, not on a field basis
 Fields must be matching data types

4. ACT!’s File Export – to Text
 Can only export one record type in an export
(Contacts, Groups or Company)
 No keys to link Contacts to the other records
 Cannot export any extended data
 Supports Comma or Tab delimiter
 Can export field names (recommended)

5. ACT!’s Export to Excel
 Available from various list views: Contacts,
Companies, Groups, Tasks, Opportunities
 Opportunities also creates Pivot Chart and Table tabs
 Icon on bar or via menu - Tools | Export to Excel
 Filtered by what is shown on the List View
 Fields selected by Options | Customise Columns
 Only information shown in the list view is exported –
only one contact per item and no details with
Activities
 No keys to link exported data

6. OLEDB
 Object Linking and Embedding, Database
 Used for reporting via Excel, Crystal Reports, etc
 Views of most ACT! tables
 Started as per this ACT! Knowledge Base article:
http://kb.sagesoftwareonline.com/cgi-bin/sagesoftwareonline.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=14023
 Can be disabled for security or performance as per:
http://kb.sagesoftwareonline.com/cgi-bin/sagesoftwareonline.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=17575

7. ODBC – ActReader
 Open Database Connectivity
 Direct read-only access to all SQL tables
 Works with Premium versions of ACT! 2005 or later
 ActReader is included on ACT! Premium 2009 11.1 CD
or can be downloaded from this ACT! KB: 22989
 ACTDataDictionaryDocument.rtf in ACT! 11.1 folder
more documentation can be found at this KB: 22924
 A visual view of the links between the tables can be
created in Visio (free 60-day trial) as per this article:
http://blog.glcomputing.com.au/2009/04/getting-table-structure-and-links-from.html

8. 3rd Party Export
 itExport
 Easy to use tool to export data from ACT!
 Exports all ACT! records and extended data
Including Custom Tables and Linked Documents
 Includes Unique ID to re-link exported data externally
 Can filter export data based on a date range and types
 Can export in formatted (RTF) or unformatted
 Can run as a service with (optional) itService to enable
automated exports of data to integrate with another
system.

9. Importing in ACT! – ACT! Database
 File | Import | ACT! Database
 Must be same version of ACT!
 Entire set of selected records:
Contacts, Groups Companies
 Field mapping (data types must match)
 Record level duplicates and merging
 Extended data is included (attachments optional)
 Activities only if user names match in both databases

10. Importing in ACT! - Outlook
 File | Import | Outlook
 Contacts – with Activities and Notes
 Outlook or Exchange Contacts
 Appointments/Tasks can import to My Record or
selected Contact as Outlook doesn’t assign then to
specific contacts
 Field mapping and contact Record level duplicate
checking and merging

11. Importing in ACT! – dBase
 File | Import | dBase
 dBase III-IV dbf
 Import to ACT! Contacts only
 dBase memo field to ACT! Memo or notes
 Field mapping and contact Record level duplicate
checking and merging

12. Importing in ACT! – Palm Desktop
 File | Import | Palm Desktop
 Palm Desktop 4.0 and earlier only.
V4.1 and later only via txt
Must have Palm Desktop installed
 ACT! Contacts – some Notes and Activities

13. Importing in ACT! – Text Delimited
 File | Import | Text Delimited
 Comma (CSV) or Tab delimiters
 Contact Group or Company records
 No extended data – Notes, Histories, Activities, Ops
 Field mapping and Record level duplicate checking and
merging.
 No linking Contacts to Companies/Groups

14. 3rd Party Import
 itImport
 Editions include: Basic, Standard, Advanced, Pro
*Basic and Standard only ACT! 2007 (9.0) and later
 Sources from TXT, CSV, XLS, XLSX, MDB, SQL, ODBC
 Editions define Source and ACT! table options (see web for list)
 All ACT! Records – Contacts, Companies, Groups
 All Extended Data – Notes, Histories, Activities, Opportunities,
Secondary Contacts, Custom Tables (10.02 or later), Picture Fields
and Attachments.
 Record AND Field level merges to update new data
 Auto link Contacts to Groups/Companies (create if needed)
 Can run as a service with (optional) itService to enable automated
imports of data to integrate with another system
 Mail to ACT! allows automated import of email forms

15. 3rd Party Import
 MigrateAdmin – Goldmine
 Supports Goldmine versions 5.7-6.7
SQL versions of Goldmine are not supported
 Supports ACT! 2007 (9.0) and later
 Imports – Contacts, Companies, Groups, Custom Fields,
E-mails, Activities, Histories, Notes, Opportunities,
attachments and more

16. ACT! SDK - read, write, events
 Can read and write the ACT! Data
 Can access Events for live transactions
 Used in Customised solutions by Plugins
 Can be used to Sync ACT! data to other systems
 Requires programming in .Net

17. Contact information
 GL Computing:
www.GLComputing.com.au
blog.GLComputing.com.au
twitter.com/GLComputing
 LinkedIN ACT! Fanatics Group:
www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=49896