Best way to sync Gmail Task App to Outlook and Office 365

Posted on April 27, 2018 by Wayland

I remember well when Google started becoming a Personal Information Manager. In the early days it was a big secret. Around 2006 or so, we got an invitation to a secret meeting on Google campus. I flew down with an engineer and in a room of 60 fellow attendees we learned about Google Calendar.

That was 2006. Google Calendar works great now. Gmail works good. They started a Task App, and then abandon it when it was half formed. Every other PIM tool ever created has priorities and categories for tasks. Not Google. After the second year, Google Tasks seemed relegated to the back burner while still half finished. More recently Google brought out Google Keep (no API) and Google Reminders (no API). Suddenly this week, the focus is back on Google Tasks.

Gmail has acquired a new interface, and as part of that an integrated tasks panel. Just go to Gmail and go to Settings, Use the new interface. As a part of this, you can now drag and drop an email to become a task. Just like Outlook 2002 did (and still does). It’s almost as if Google’s Engineers finally checked out the Windows PC in the locked room.

Google has also brought out a Standalone Android app for Tasks, called Tasks. You can recognize it from all the other Task apps because it’s from Google, LLC (because incorporation costs too much for a tiny operation like Google).

Of course, with Google Tasks you still can’t assign priority, category or color. But at least you can see them on your phone now.

Here’s how to bring Google Tasks into Outlook so you can handle them efficiently:

Download CompanionLink for Google – 14 day free trial
Click on Settings to connect it to Google
Sync

All your Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Tasks will go to Google and to your phone if it sees your Google Account. All your Google Contacts, Calendar and Tasks will come back to Outlook.

After 14 days you can purchase the software for $14.95 per 3-Months, or make a one-time purchase for $49.95. Your one-time purchase can be used for three computers as long as it’s for you, so work, home and laptop. You can use Mac or PC (there’s a separate download for Outlook for Mac). CompanionLink supplies free telephone technical support, and also email support. Here are some resources for all that:

Setup Guide: https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/CompanionLink_for_Google_-_Outlook_to_Google_Sync_Setup_Guide

Advanced Settings: https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/CompanionLink_for_Google_Advanced_Settings

Ask us a question: https://www.companionlink.com/aboutus/howcanwehelp.html

14 Day Trial Download: https://www.companionlink.com/downloads/download.php?product=CLG70

Buy it now – 90 day guarantee: https://auth.companionlink.com/buynow/orderform.php?product=CLG80

How to use Microsoft Office without A Subscription

Posted on April 23, 2018 by Wayland

The easy secret smart businesses use to avoid paying Microsoft a monthly fee for Outlook, Word, Excel and Powerpoint.

Portland, Ore – Kudos for Microsoft in keeping the ability to purchase Microsoft Office outright. Clearly their company focus is on driving subscription revenue. They are not the only company to do this. But it is a double-edged sword. While it may make shareholders happy to see increasing revenue, it also puts the onus on Microsoft to introduce features and services that have value to business people.

Microsoft Office has achieved rare dominance in the professional world. A businessperson’s standing with customers requires presentations in PowerPoint and documents in Word. However, like Comcast, Microsoft products are not dramatically different than ten or twenty years ago. Bold and Underline is the same. Outlook contacts have not gained any more usefulness. Task priorities still do not handle Franklin Covey techniques. So why does Microsoft think you need to pay $12.50 per month for something you can buy outright for $229?

I have owned a business for 31 years, or as I commonly say, “through four of the last three recessions.” I pay hard costs when the economy is good and run lean during the downturns. I buy furniture, equipment and software that lasts, and then milk it when I need. Half the battle of staying in business is to survive the unexpected; the snowstorm that closed our office for two weeks, the 9/11 shutdown of all domestic aviation, the unexpected lawsuit and the IRS audit. Surviving the unexpected means when business veers to idle, our monthly operating cost drops closer to zero. You cannot do that if you are paying a monthly fee to a vendor that is not providing significant ROI.

Moore’s law ensures that technology becomes cheaper, faster, bigger and less expensive. The only rising cost I have is personnel and benefits which rise with the growth of the economy. If the features you need for Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows is inherently the same, then it should be optional for you to pay for Microsoft’s expensive service model, not a requirement.

CompanionLink has published a guide for people who want to “cut the cord” and free themselves from Microsoft’s subscription model. The guide covers how to capture your data locally, how to set up local email, and how to purchase a one-time license to the appropriate Microsoft Office version.

You can read our guide here: https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/How_to_Use_Microsoft_Office_365_without_a_Subscription,

About CompanionLink Software
CompanionLink^® Software, Inc. is a pioneering developer of data synchronization solutions for mobile phones and CRM software and services. They also develop a DejaOffice^® for Outlook^® App which runs on Android^™, iPhone^®, iPad^®, Windows Phone^®, and BlackBerry^® devices. For 30 years, CompanionLink has helped mobilize information across devices, computers, applications, and web-based services. For more information, please visit www.companionlink.com and www.dejaoffice.com.

CompanionLink, DejaOffice and DejaCloud are registered trademarks of CompanionLink Software, Inc. Other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

How to sync Samsung Galaxy S9 to Outlook without using Exchange

Posted on April 17, 2018 by Wayland

Why can’t Outlook App actually work like Outlook?

To sync Outlook to Galaxy S9 without needing an Office 365 subscription.

From Google Play Store, install DejaOffice on your Samsung Galaxy S9 or S9+
On your PC, download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
Configure both for DejaCloud Sync
Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

DejaOffice is Free. CompanionLink runs on a two-week trial.

For more information on running Office without a subscription click here: https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/How_to_Use_Outlook_without_Subscription

Samsung Galaxy S9 is the latest flagship from the world leader of Smartphones. There’s nothing faster or more effective. Here I have an argument with Apple. With iPhone there is no Widgets, and Widgets are so useful, you’ll never catch me using a phone without them.

What is a widget? A widget shows App information on the phone desktop. A widget allows me to quickly see my day view, and my contact list – without opening an app. I can quickly tap on the location and get to my next appointment. No search, no scroll. Just one tap and I’m in maps. One tap and I can call or sms. Automatically updated all day.

Special features of DejaOffice:

Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
Calendar Colors that match Outlook
Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
Optional: Franklin Covey task priorities A1, B2, C99
Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

Check out https://www.dejaoffice.com for more information.

SM-G960 and SM-G965, Outlook, Office 365

How to Fix iPhone X to Sync Outlook Calendar and Contacts without using Exchange, iCloud or Google

Posted on November 16, 2017 by Wayland

With iPhone X, we finally enter the era where phones are REALLY more expensive than computers.

More importantly, we enter an era where every phone vendor is REALLY making money farming your data on the phone. Every service, and every piece of information on the phone, including your location as you move around, and your browser history, is considered free fodder for the vendors to consolidate and sell to the highest bidder.

One thing you can do, is turn off all the public information settings. Set your phoen to private, deny any information gathering by Microsoft, Apple and Google. Go into your account on each of these services and turn on the privacy settings.

Finally, and most importantly, don’t use iCloud, Exchange or Google to transfer your valuable company information to your phone. CompanionLink provides a great alternative. CompanionLink is dedicated to keeping your data private, and also making it easy to sync to your phone. With CompanionLink software, you can use USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and DejaCloud sync to send data directly from your PC to your Phone without hitting any cloud service that farms the data for profit.

On the phone, we feature DejaOffice CRM App. This is an App we wrote, because our perception is that phone calendars are feeble. On the iPhone, the month view doesn’t show you anything about your data except a dot. On the iPhone, to see a week schedule you have to turn the phone sideways. On the iPhone, if your appointment rings and you are away from the phone, there’s nothing further to remind you, until you are way too late for your meeting. With DejaOffice, Day, week and month views have all your data, and are just one tap away. With DejaOffice, persistent alarms make sure you get notified when you get back to your desk, so you don’t miss your meeting. With DejaOffice, when you go on a trip, your calendar doesn’t go haywire the minute you land in a different time zone.

DejaOffice is free to try. Just download from the Apple App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dejaoffice-crm-with-pc-sync/id364736446?mt=8

CompanionLink has a free trial for 14 days: https://www.companionlink.com/iphone/

If you have any questions, give us a call. Unlike ANY of our competitors, we are happy to pick up the phone: (503)243-3400.

2017 Best Software to sync Android with Outlook, sync iPhone with Outlook

Posted on October 3, 2017 by Wayland

Outlook on your PC is primarily an Email too. You want to quickly intake, process and reply to emails.

Your phone, however, is a mobility tool. You want to be reminded of your appointments, get directions, and quickly call or text people to smooth your schedule.

What would have made a lot of sense, is if Android and Apple had gone to Microsoft and said “Hey you have a lot of people using Outlook, so let’s work together to make a mobile version of it.” They didn’t, however. In fact, nether Android or Apple development teams ever used Outlook. Google (developer of Android) is primarily a linux shop, and Apple is; well Apple.

So it was a great relief when Microsoft decided to create the Outlook App. Finally, we can have Outlook on Android and iPhone. Then, before it was even out, they decided that changing your Email Flow was the primary role of Outlook on the phone, and so they started futzing with that. I have a big message for Microsoft:

MY PHONE IS NOT MY PRIMARY EMAIL DEVICE!

In fact, I find email on the phone very awkward. And I don’t care how much you change the flow and focus, I really don’t do much more on my phone than just read my email until I can get to the office to process it.

What I do on the phone is carry it, answer it, have it remind me of stuff. For these tasks, the Outlook App is really basic. That’s why it’s great that there is DejaOffice!

DejaOffice does all the things that Outlook on the PC, but it does it in a mobile way. For instance, appointment reminders are persistent, just like on the PC. They ring quietly every few minutes, until I dismiss them. My DejaOffice Calendar has all my colors. My DejaOffice appointments all have locations. And My tasks are easy to add and check off. Finally, everything I do, including text messages, are put into Journal so I have a record.

On the PC I use CompanionLink Express with Real-time Sync through DejaCloud. This instantly transfers my Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes from Outlook to my DejaOffice on Android. If I make a new appointment in DejaOffice, it goes to Outlook through DejaCloud within five seconds. No waiting, no duplicates. Definitely a boost to my mobile productivity.

DejaOffice is available for Android and iPhone. It’s a free download. Check it out.

How to put Google Calendar on your Windows Wallpaper

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Wayland

We’ve all done it. Come in on Monday with a fresh attitude, get busy working, and finally open our Calendar, only to see that we missed an important event an hour ago. How about having your online calendar displayed fresh on your computer first thing every day? DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper can do that. It is a PC and Mac app that can move Google’s Calendar and Contact to your Windows and Mac screen backdrop. Every day, when you first look at your PC, you will see your updated Agenda.

Download DejaDesktop
Set it to sync your PC or Google Calendar
Automatically updates every day.

“Desktop blotters were a thing for a reason,” says Wayland Bruns, designer of DejaDesktop. “With Google Calendar, you cannot see your schedule until you open your browser. My phone is supposed to buzz, but sometimes I miss that. It is easier for me to have a constant view of my week, so I can see important events coming up. I also plan events in advance, so the look ahead year view makes it easy to see when dates fall in coming months.”

DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper is free if you just need the month view with the look ahead months. There is a two-week trial for the Outlook and Google data feeds. The software works by keeping your current schedule on your local PC, and burning today’s calendar into your screen backdrop picture. It will automatically update whenever you change your Calendar.

DejaDesktop can also show key contacts, and your task list. This is handy to have a bit of information that you are constantly search for, always available on your wallpaper. “I have one person I call weekly,” says Bruns. “I have him bookmarked on my cell phone, but I need to dial from my desk phone because it is a business call. It takes three screen taps to bring it up. Having it on my wallpaper means I know right where it is when I dial.”

The data feed for Google is a one-time purchase. You can buy it for one computer for $29.95. For three computers, you get a discount for $49.95. This is a lifetime license with no subscription or renewal fees. DejaDesktop is created by CompanionLink Software, a leader in synchronization tools. CompanionLink is based in the US and offers free technical support for its products. For more information see https://www.dejadesktop.com.

How to sync Outlook to Galaxy Note 8 – Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes

Posted on September 29, 2017 by Wayland

What we all want, is something that works like Outlook on the phone. Not for email, but for scheduling, task management and mapping.

Try this:

Download DejaOffice on your Galaxy Note 8
Download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
Configure them for DejaCloud Sync
Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

DejaOffice is Free. CompanionLink runs on a two-week trial.

I’m all up and running on Galaxy Note 8 now. Transition is as smooth as can be using Samsung Smart Sync and DejaCloud Sync.

Install SmartSync and sync all my apps.
1. This works great, but in every app, all the settings are lost.
2. So I make a list, and set them back up one-by-one
Set my DejaCloud login and password
1. DejaOffice synchronizes automatically.

I like the larger screen on the phone. In fact, my main complaint with Galaxy Note 8 is that I’d like the screen to be a bit wider. I do a lot of reading on the phone, and a little more space would be nice. As it is, it is slightly larger than Galaxy S8-Plus and this will work for now.

Special features of DejaOffice:

Time zone management, so when you land your Calendar doesn’t go wonky
Calendar Colors that match Outlook
Templates that save time entering new Appointments and Tasks
Persistent alarms to be sure I don’t miss anything.
Recurring tasks compatible with Outlook
Optional: Franklin Covey task priorities A1, B2, C99
Works same on Android and iPhone, Phones and Tablets.

Check out https://www.dejaoffice.com for more information.

Introducing DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper

Posted on August 22, 2017 by Wayland

Announcing a new product from CompanionLink:

DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper for Outlook
DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper for Google
DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper for Act!
DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper for Mac

The Windows version shows calendar for Outlook, Google, Act!, DejaCloud and more. The Mac OSX version shows Mac iCalendar (Native Mac), Outlook for Mac, Google and DejaCloud.

You can see the following information on your desktop:

Today’s schedule
Month view
Look ahead months
Task List (up to 15 items)
Special contacts (use a category to choose up to 15 contacts)
Special notes

Your calendar is overlayed on your current wallpaper picture. You can use any desktop picture for the backdrop. DejaDesktop merges your calendar on top of it.

Free Monthly Calendar – without Data Feed: If you wish to have a Monthly calendar on your wallpaper without your personal data, download the program here and use for free!

DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper – Data Feed If you wish to see your personal schedule on you desktop wallpaper, purchase a data feed. The cost is $29.95 for one computer, or $49.95 for three computers.

Click here to order DejaDesktop Calendar Wallpaper.

Two-week trial: Click here to try it free for two weeks.

Free Tech Support : CompanionLink is proud to provide free technical support with US based technicians.

DejaOffice Contact Widget – All your Contacts on your Android Home Screen

Posted on July 9, 2017 by Wayland

I was talking to my developer about the limits of Android Widgets. A widget uses Android memory to store stock data. Since Android 3.0 we’ve been able to scroll widgets. This allows us to store more data than shows on the screen, allowing you to scroll to see it all.

I asked him what the limit was.

My developer didn’t know.

So I said “Let’s try making a contacts widget.”

“For what contacts?” he asks.

“All of them”, I answer.

So he does!

DejaOffice for Android now gives you an Android Desktop widget that shows All of your DejaOffice contacts. Whether that is 300, or 3000 or 30,000, they are all there.

From the Desktop Widget, you can dial the phone, email or text any contact on your list. All without opening any apps. Give it a try!

From Android Desktop, Long Press to get the menu for Widgets. Select DejaOffice. Select Contacts View 4×4. Place it on your desktop. On most phones you can resize this to be any size you find convenient.

DejaOffice also provides widgets for Month View, Today, Tasks, and Memos.

Sync Galaxy S8 to Outlook without using Exchange

How to Sync Galaxy J3, J5 and J7 (2017) to Outlook

Posted on June 12, 2017 by Wayland

If you need Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes on your Galaxy J3, J5 or J7 (2017) phone, you can easily and securely sync using the DejaOffice App (free) by CompanionLink Software.

DejaOffice and CompanionLink for Galaxy J3, J5 and J7 (2017)

CompanionLink offers several secure sync methods; USB Sync (most secure), Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and DejaCloud sync. You do not need an Office 365 Account to use DejaOffice and CompanionLink. All you need is Outlook and your Phone.

Why you need a Smart Switch alternative

Samsung has a generic utility called Smart Switch, and in the past offered Samsung Kies to sync with Galaxy S5. These are very basic programs that do not work well. You can read about these problems here, here, and here. You can also read about one USATODAY.com editor’s experience using Kies.

If you value your Outlook data, sanity, or just need a solution that works out of the box with the new Galaxy phone, try CompanionLink. It’s been downloaded more than 1.2 million times and is the #1 independent PC suite for Android sync with Outlook.

Why you need an Outlook App alternative

Microsoft now sells the Outlook App. To use it requires a Business license to Office 365. The App is still in it’s early phase. Microsoft just added the ability to Edit a Contact record. With DejaOffice you can add and edit contacts, select categories with colors, and synchronize tasks including recurring tasks.

DejaOffice includes Widgets . A widget is an active screen that sits on your Android desktop. The most poweful widget is the DejaOffice Contact Widget which shows all of your contacts. Now you can scroll and dial without opening any App. The DejaToday widget shows today’s schedule, Agenda and Tasks, so you can quickly see your schedule.

To create a widget for DejaToday on your Android desktop, find an empty space on the desktop, press and hold for about 1-2 seconds.

Tap the ‘Widgets’, select “DejaOffice”, then select between the DejaToday, DejaCalendar, DejaContacts, DejaTasks, or DejaMemos Widgets.

Your options for Galaxy J3, J5 and J7 (2017) Outlook sync

CompanionLink’s configuration lets you choose which Outlook data to sync. Toggle Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Notes, and Journal. Advanced data such as Categories will also sync so you have the same data sets and view options on your Galaxy as you do in Outlook. Choose from two-way sync or limit it to just one-way transfer. You can even select the sync direction (Outlook > S5, or S5 > Outlook).

If you have multiple Outlook PST files and folders, you can select which to sync. Let’s say you have an iPad and use iCloud to keep it synchronized with Outlook. Your Outlook client will have your default Outlook Contacts/Calendar folder (PST file) as well as a separate iCloud Contacts/Calendar folder (PST file). The iCloud folder is installed by default when you install the iCloud software from Apple. It’s important that you are able to choose the right Outlook folders to sync with Galaxy S5 so you do not accidentally mix data (such as personal data with business data).

You can choose which specific Outlook Categories to sync with S5. Many professionals store leads and clients in the same Outlook Contacts file under different categories. Or, they store Personal and Business data under two categories. It’s important to use a PC sync suite with the flexibility to select which Categories to synchronize with your Galaxy S5.

You can pick how you want to synchronize. CompanionLink allows sync to Galaxy S5 over USB, WiFi, DejaCloud, and using a Gmail account. Each sync method has its merits; click here for a complete discussion on this. No other Android Outlook app offers this breadth of sync options to fit the needs for security and convenience.

Someone to call in case you need help

CompanionLink extends free phone support and email support to Galaxy S5 owners. Visit this page for help if you need to speak with us.

CompanionLink also has step-by-step guides to configure each type of synchronization:

You can also purchase a $49 RunStart package that schedules time with a CompanionLink technician who will log into your PC and set up the synchronization. This guarantees a correctly configured Galaxy S5 to PC sync and the peace of mind knowing your Outlook database isn’t being accidentally corrupted.