Author Archives: Wayland Bruns

About Wayland Bruns

Wayland founded CompanionLink in 1987 as The Jorf Company, a maker of shareware 4gl products. As a leading maker of CRM Add-On products, the company started with Sync Products in 1996 for the PalmPilot. As CEO of CompanionLink, Wayland strives to balance quality customer service, products with good value, low prices, and a positive workplace..

Case Study: Migrate from Microsoft BCM to DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Recently we were approached by a customer who used to use BCM, and wanted a solution that worked with Office 365.

The customer had used Microsoft Business Contact Manager from 2013 to 2018. They had Contacts, Accounts and Communication History. This customer had tried a migration tool to move BCM contacts to Office 365 contacts. This tool was not successful. (CompanionLink Professional can move BCM Contacts to Outlook contacts using a folder-to-folder sync.)

At the time the customer contacted us, they had not used BCM for many months. So the BCM database was out of date.

Our new product DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook adds certain CRM functions to Office 365 Outlook (Outlook 2019). Among these functions are History Also, DejaOffice can import from older CRM systems like Microsoft BCM which was discontinued in 2016.

The customer also purchased Premium Support, which is a service where our technician could log into his computer and set everything up.

What we did was Sync the old BCM database to DejaCloud. We moved the Accounts, Contacts and Communication History. Then on the new computer, the customer installed DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook. In addition, the customer uses a Mobile Phone and DejaOffice has the complete database there also.

The entire operation of moving the old database to DejaCloud, and sync to the new PC took our technician about 30 minutes. Most of this time was checking the data each step of the way. The actual sync time was about five minutes for both sync phases.

Now, the customer can make a new contact from an Outlook email. When they look up a Contacts, they an see the communications history imported from the old PC. And they have Caller ID and History on their Phone.

Here is a link to order this same service – DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook along with Premium installation and one year of support. Give us a call at (503)243-3400 to schedule an installation or talk about your needs.

DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.84 out of 5 based on 650 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $69.95



DejaOffice responds to Google Disruption

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

The high tech keyword for our century is Disruption.  Investors seek disruptive partners.

Disruption means an innovative company enters a stable market environment, generally with a low cost service, and knocks the current players out of the market by providing lower prices and better service. In this sense, Google has been disruptive to the Search Engine industry by providing a fast effective tool without visible advertising.  They have also disrupted the Cell Phone OS market, the Internet Browser market, and the Online News market. They have captured a firm lead in all these areas.

There is a second aspect to disruption that investors seek.  Once a company gains ascendancy over the competition, the disruptive company raises their prices to consumers so that the disruptive company becomes highly profitable. Consumers end up being worse off than they were before.

With Google, the profit motive appears to increasingly be made by isolated Silicon Valley based executives, with little feel for how they play out in the real world.  It is a sad truth that where Google once stood for innovation and low cost development tools, now they are nearly a constant headache to fend off their mistaken motivations and increasing prices.

Google Calendar API – Batch Endpoints Change

In March 2018, Google Announced that their Batch Endpoint for many API commands was changing.  The current API URL is to be deprecated March 25th 2019.  Somehow, Google figures that every customer with an API dependent software tool created before March 2018 will update their tool within this year grace period.  Clearly Google Management has no idea how long software cycles are.  We still have customers using Windows XP!  No one likes to change software versions.  More information is available here: https://www.companionlink.com/support/google-batch-endpoint-advisory.html

Google Geocoding API – Whopping Price Increase

In June 2018, Google announced that their website Geocode API was going to increase their pricing.  Geocoding is what is used when we look up an address, and replace it with a Logitude/Latitude value for map purposes.  Google Geocoding also includes location pictures and mini-map.  We use this in DejaOffice for iPhone, DejaOffice for Android and DejaOffice on the PC.

The price for a basic lookup changed from $0.005 per lookup to $0.02 per lookup.  What this means for DejaOffice is that our service in map lookups changed from being under $100, to suddenly becoming a $2000 per month bill.  This is for a free APP on the App store!  We quickly changed our Android and IPhone map lookups to the new Mobile Maps API, which was suggested by Google as an alternative. Customers saw this change go into place in November, and it seems to be a good drop-in replacement.

Google Geocoding API – Whopping Price Increase – Redux

So in February, Google announces that they “improved” the Mobile Maps API.  We have a six month window to switch to the improved version.  The improved version will change $0.02 per lookup.  Just Wow!

First we have a required App change, and second, we get our $2000 bill back.

So in DejaOffice you can count on mapping changes again in the next four months.  It is likely we will add an in-app tool to add funds for people who use a lot of mapping features.  Also we will be adding more location info to our sync, so once you map a contact or calendar event, you do not have to look it up again, thus avoiding a chargeable item.  Isn’t Disruption fun!

Google READ_SMS and READ_CALL_LOG Permissions

In November 2018, Google informed us that they would be removing all apps that used READ_SMS permission on Android.  In DejaOffice, we use these to add SMS text to Contact History.  We also use READ_CALL_LOG to add call followup information, and DejaOffice Caller ID.

Google’s handling of this issue is largely machine based, and heavy handed.  We have requested an exception.  However, DejaOffice does not fit into their set list of apps that are allowed these permissions.  They will remove DejaOffice from the App store if we do not remove these capabilities from the App.  We have applied twice, but can’t get by their machine blocker (probably named HAL – Open the Bay Door, Hal!)

So in February 2019, we have been forced to remove a number of DejaOffice features from our Android product:

  1. Read SMS Text to Contact History
  2. Identify incoming calls using DejaOffice Contact list
  3. Follow up on inbound calls to add a Contact History item

We are seeking another external tool, maybe Whatsapp, which may allow us to restore this functionality through that tool.  But obviously, Google Android is wanting to limit our access, and cannot be flexible because an innovative product does not fit their rigid expectations.

Google is a great technology partner.  But these moves show they clearly are going the path of IBM, then Microsoft, then Apple, then Google.  An innovative Disruptor, upon market dominance, becomes an intractable barrier to innovation.

An Ode to Ecco Pro

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

As we begin the rollout of DejaOffice PC CRM, some of the pioneers of small business Contact managers are on my mind.

A caller this week mentioned Ecco Pro, which was a very popular program back in the mid 1990s.

Ecco Pro as I recall was built on a foundation of an outline manager. Originally it was only an outliner. As it grew, there was a Contacts, Calendar, Task and Notes application. Originally published by Arabesque software, the company got purchased by NetManage in Seattle.

I don’t recall that it was very expensive at the time. Maybe $99 or $59 or something like that. I never used it. At the time we were working primarily with TeleMagic (DOS) and GoldMine (DOS). Both TeleMagic and GoldMine used dBase II format files, an so it was easy to make add-on products. Ecco had a proprietary file format.

By 1997 Ecco Pro had about a million users. Inexplicably, NetManage closed down the entire program. There were rumors for years that someone would buy it, but no on ever did. Ecco died a corporate death; sold to a company that did not know what they had.

Douglas P. Rice has a great writeup about being hired by NetManage just before the big fccollapse.  We don’t often think about how software was sold before the internet was commonly used, and it’s funny to read that they did not ship product updates online.

More resources:

James Kendrick – Memory Lane – Ecco Pro

Wikipedia – Ecco Pro

EccoMAGIC – EccoMagic Forums

A decade after Ecco went off the market, the Ecco User’s Group approached CompanionLink to write a sync to Phones at that time (BlackBerry, Pocket PC).  I was staunchly against it. First, there is no API. Second, the user base could not grow; only shrink. The CompanionLink Meme is to provide free telephone technical support to our customers. Some call this foolish, but I feel that many people need the help from time to time. But I don’t want to get caught getting unlimited phone calls for an unsupported product.

For those that wanted Ecco Pro to be a Contact Manager, we finally have a new product for you. DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone will handle Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes, and synchronize them easily to Android and iPhone. At $49.95 we hope it can be a worthy successor to this industry pioneer.

DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.84 out of 5 based on 650 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $69.95

Google Sync for Outlook – Competitive Upgrade for Batch Endpoint Move March 2019

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

A year ago, Google announced a change to their Batch Endpoint URL  Batch enpoints are used by any application that wants to update a number of records in a Google API.  One can hardly have an efficient Google Sync if you do not use the batch endpoints.

The announcement states that the old endpoints will cease working on March 25, 2019.

Free update for CompanionLink Customers:  CompanionLink Customers with software purchased after January 1, 2014 (a five year period) will get a free update for their software.  Purchases from 2014 through 2016 can update CompanionLink 7.  Purchases from 2016 through 2018 are current with CompanionLink 8.  Please download your update from our updates page.

$29.95 update for customers using Competing Products:  CompanionLink extends our upgrade pricing to competitive products.  Upgrade to CompanionLink 8 like you are one of our family.  The upgrade price for CompanionLink for Google is $39.95 and we offer a $10 discount.  Click here to purchase it for $29.95.  You can also purchase CompanionLink for Outlook for the same price, which offers direct support for sync from Outlook to Android/iPhone using USB, Wi-Fi or DejaCloud sync.

DejaOffice PC CRM – Beta Released!

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Having spent nearly 6 months developing this, it is a great moment for us.  The first time we can show what we have been working on!

Download to try it out yourself:  https://www.companionlink.com/downloads/download-dpc.php

Setup guide:  https://www.companionlink.com/support/kb/DejaOffice_PC_CRM_Sync_Setup_Guide

This is a 14 day demo but we are happy to extend the demo.  We are looking for feedback and ideas.

Tech Support:  (503)243-5200 hours – 7am-3:30pm
or Email:  support@companionlink.com

Sales (503)243-3400 – sales@companionlink.com

Forums:  https://www.dejaoffice.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?36-DejaOffice-PC-CRM-(DPC)-for-Windows

Video:

 

Thank you all for your support!

 

DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.84 out of 5 based on 650 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $69.95

DejaOffice PC CRM – Dec 2 Update

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Here is a new video we made.

We are now feature complete.  As you can see from the video, moving from screen to screen is working well.  Pinned windows are awesome. Most features are working well.

What is not working currently is that auto-sync is brand new, and still a bit bumpy.  Sometimes the app stops while sync is in background.  There are still some crashing behavior for advanced operations  like Add task, then add category within the add task view.

We are going to have a first-launch wizard for settings and I don’t think that is done yet.  That’s at least a day’s worth of work.

We will be doing advanced inhouse testing December 3-8.  We will know in a week whether we are on schedule for the beta test December 15th.

Other Schedule Changes:

Act! Assistant is moved up due to changes in the Act! community.  We finished some Act! Specific features like History and Opportunities so they will be available in the December beta release.

Outlook Plugin – moved the date out a bit so our Programmer can have a Christmas break.

Hoping to get to beta Dec 15th.

If you have not opted in already – do it here.

DejaOffice PC CRM – Nov 9 Update

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Welcome to everyone who is interested in this product.

When we first started this in July, I had hoped to have a beta released by October. Our dates have obviously slipped a bit. We are still going to deliver this product. It will be GREAT!

Pictured here is DPC today.  The main screen you see shows a contact list and contact view.  In the background you can see “Pinned” windows for Month View, Day View, Tasks and Contacts.

The pinned windows can stay on your desktop.  This has become the main feature of DPC.  The reason is that they are so darn handy. You can size them small but when you need to add a new record, or look up a contact, just one click and you are “live”.

Click on a contact list, type a name “bob” and all records matching that name are shown.  Hit down arrow and hit enter, and you see all the details.  Hit enter again to edit the record.  All popups show in under one second, and you can fully navigate without a mouse.

Using your mouse you can click on the calendar, move the month forward to see next months schedule, click for a day view and schedule an appointment.  All popups under one second.  Schedule and save is under one second.

Our toolkit is built on Microsoft’s Fluent Design framework.  In addition to being very fast, it allows some very nice transparent effects.  We use the transparency and some nice pictures to make a pleasant workspace  This is an app that really shows how Windows 10 is supposed to make life better.

DejaOffice PC runs on Windows 7 and Windows 8 also.  However, the transparent effects are not available on those platforms.  We can’t support Windows XP.

Q. If I switch from Palm Desktop and don’t like it, can I go back?
– We call this a migration, and the migration App is INCLUDED in DPC, not superseded by it.  So setting up DPC will connect Palm Desktop/Outlook/IBM Notes to the DejaOffice App, and keep it fully up to date.  This is real-time sync.

Q. How does this work with DejaOffice on my Phone.
– In addition to migration, DPC has built in sync to DejaOffice on Android and iPhone.  You can use Wi-Fi, USB or DejaCloud sync.

Q. Does this replace CompanionLink for me?
– If you use CompanionLink for Outlook, Palm Desktop or Google then DPC effectively replaces the product.  That is; you will not need to use CompanionLink any more. You can always go back though.  This product does not remove CompanionLink settings or modify them in any way (except to turn them off).

Q. Will there be an Outlook Add-In?
– DPC Standalone will sync with Outlook.  In addition, DPC for Outlook will have an add-in for Outlook that allows you to launch, view, and modify DPC from inside of Outlook.  Using the Add-in is optional, but it will extend the features of Outlook.  For instance, in Outlook 2019, with IMAP folders, Color categories are not available.  DPC will allow you to set categories for calendar events, tasks and contacts.  Outlook will show the colors.

Q. What about Act! and GoldMine
– DPC from the start will be able to show data from Act! and GoldMine.  But we anticipate adding more specific features in those products in 1qtr 2019.

Right now, development is centered on the myriad of small features we built into DejaOffice for Android.  Address lookup, selecting multiple categories for a record, We are allocating about three more work days for our current sprint.

Our in-house alpha test will start Mid-November.  If this goes well, the DejaOffice PC CRM should be in open beta by December 1st.  Development on the Outlook Plugin will start then, and we are hoping to release that to beta by the end of December.  So we are looking at a January 2019 release date for the full product.

Right now, December 1 for release to beta testers.  Thank you for your interest.

If you have received an email from us, you are signed up for our beta.  If you have not signed up for the beta please do it here:

https://www.companionlink.com/dpcx-opt-in.php

 

How to synchronize Outlook to Nokia 7.1 without using Exchange

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Nokia has announced the Nokia 7.1 with Android Pie. At $350 this is a strong mid-range phone with a good feature set. This price point is ideal for people who mean business, but can’t afford the $1000 flagships offered by Samsung and Apple.

This phone has a dual SIM capability.  One of the SIM card takes up the Micros SD slot, so you cannot have both SD and a second SIM card.

Exchange is great if you want to pay for it.  But many people use Outlook IMAP folders, and also older version like Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2007.  CompanionLink provides the ideal solution by providing sync without using Exchange.  When you sync using CompanionLink’s system you get many features that Exchange Sync lacks; Color Categories, Task sync, Notes Sync, and Calendar Events linked to a Contact.

To sync Outlook to Nokia 7.1 without Exchange

  1. From Google Play Store, install DejaOffice on your Nokia 7.1 phone
  2. On your PC, download CompanionLink for Outlook on your PC.
  3. Configure both for DejaCloud Sync
  4. Watch your Outlook Contacts and Calendar appear on your phone.

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

Click here for more information on Using Microsoft Office without a Subscription.

The most Powerful part of the CompanionLink system is having Widgets on the Android Desktop.

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.

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.84 out of 5 based on 650 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

Maximize your Productivity with DejaOffice CRM App on iPhone XS Max

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

Our iPhone XS Max arrived today.

While Samsung has explored the phablet space, many phones with 6″ or more screen size, Apple has only recently realized how productive you can be with a larger display.

There are plenty of articles to cover the may features of the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. There are plenty of articles to explore that.  One of the concerns is that few iPhone Apps take advantage of the larger real estate. 

When we first created DejaOffice, our goal was to make a PC-like experience for the iPhone.  Part of this experience is to allow a smaller font size which maximizes the display.  You can really see that benefit by comparing to the Outlook App:

DejaOffice App on the left.

Outlook App on the right.

Same phone, same database, actual screen shots September 2018.

The difference is as clear as a Dynamo Display! DejaOffice is a must-have for people who need to communicate with customers on the road.  You can access more data with fewer taps, use colors to show customer types, easily call or text while you are moving, and synchronize everything back to your PC in less time than it takes to open Outlook.

DejaOffice uses our proprietary sync technology to synchronize using USB, Wi-Fi and DejaCloud.  These are secure methods that handle more fields and data types than Microsoft Exchange sync.

On the PC side we feature CompanionLink for Outlook, or CompanionLink Express for Act!, or IBM Notes and CompanionLink Professional for GoldMine.  For Contacts Calendar, Tasks and Notes, DejaOffice is clearly more productive with the large screen devices.

Handy Links:

CompanionLink for Outlook – $49.95

For Act! sync to iPhone XS Max

Compare Outlook App to DejaOffice, Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes on iPhone

DejaOffice Classroom

CompanionLink for Outlook
Average User Rating:
Average rating: 4.84 out of 5 based on 650 reviews.
Free 14 day trial. Price $14.95 3-Mo Subs - $69.95 One-time License.

New Product: DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook

Posted on by Wayland Bruns

We have been proud to pioneer the mobile CRM space with DejaOffice for Android and DejaOffice for iPhone.  We think it compares very favorably with the Outlook App, and provides better CRM capability than any other mobile platform.  Most important, we provide sync to the leading PC databases like Outlook, Act!, Palm Desktop, and GoldMine.

What holds us back from making DejaOffice Mobile CRM a better CRM, is that it is closely tied to PC Outlook which is not a CRM.  In Outlook, the Calendar and Task lists are disconnected from the Contact and Email lists.  In Outlook, when you look at a contact, you can’t see any of the history for that contact.  There is no opportunity management.

We have decided to make a new Add-In for Outlook.  The purpose is to add the additional views needed to make Outlook into a better CRM tool.  Doing this will allow us to add fields and capabilities to our DejaOffice Mobile apps. We also want to maintain a secure PC based tool, that is lighting fast on the desktop and resistant to database import scanning by Cloud service providers.

We haven’t yet decided on a name.  Here are the leading candidates:

DejaOffice PC CRM
DejaDesktop CRM
DejaOffice CRM

We will be making four “flavors” of the program:

DPCS – $79.95, $49.95 – DejaOffice PC CRM Standalone – Synchronizes from Palm Desktop, Time and Chaos, Google (2 profiles) – Beta Sept 10, Release Oct 1

DPCO – $99.95, $79.95 – DejaOffice PC CRM for Outlook (2 profiles plus Outlook Add-In) – Beta Oct – Release Oct 31

DPCX – $149.95 $99.95 – DejaOffice PC CRM Express (Act!, GM) (3 profiles, OL), Deals, Histories, Reports – Beta Oct 31 – Release Dec 1

DJCP – $249.95 $199.95 – DejaOffice PC CRM Pro – Multiuser – 5 user license $50 per user – Accounts – Edit reports. – Beta Oct 31 – Release Dec 1

*The two prices are; Final Price (2019); Introductory Price (2018).
**Profiles are 1) for the named PIM, 2) for Mobile and 3) for Outlook.  So 3 Profiles for Act! means when you enter a contact into DejaOffice PC it syncs simultaneously to Act!, Outlook and Mobile.

Essential Features of DejaOffice PC CRM:

  1. Record View Screens for all Applets (Outlook does not have view screens, one screen for full view)
  2. Phone Number – Shows local time for Contact, Pops dialer on your cell phone
  3. Option of Franklin Covey Priority style
  4. Tasks/Schedule linked to a contact without an invite
  5. Task/Schedule completion prompts for follow up
  6. Useful Notes
  7. Allows Emails to create tasks (real tasks)
  8. Contacts view shows next contact (future), and history (emails and appts)
  9. Allows dated notes
  10. Templates – For data entry
  11. Group scheduling (Calendar only) create schedules for multiple people
  12. Contact User fields, up to 9, then 20, then 20.
  13. Expenses
  14. Deals (Opportunities) with close date and percent for monthly reporting.
  15. Pin Apps to desktop for quick access.

We are using Microsoft’s new Fluent Design spec for a really nice User Interface.  What we have so far is pretty nice.

If you are interested in becoming a beta tester, please fill in our Opt-In form here:  DejaOffice PC CRM – Opt-in for beta test