Setup Guide - CompanionLink with Pocket PC/Windows Mobile (via Outlook)

Setup Guide - CompanionLink with Pocket PC/Windows Mobile (via Outlook)

This section talks about issues specific to configuring a Pocket PC/Windows Mobile handheld to sync your contact manager through Outlook to your handheld.

For more information about specific issues regarding the sync through Outlook, please see the Pocket PC/Windows Mobile Sync Through Outlook section.

NOTE: Always back up your data before configuring CompanionLink!

General

How do I configure CompanionLink to sync my Pocket PC/Windows Mobile handheld through Outlook?

How do I sync my handheld?

Can I sync wirelessly?

How do I keep my Outlook data separate from my contact manager data?

I want to synchronize my handheld to Outlook, not through it.

Pocket PC/Windows Mobile specific tabs What is ActiveSync?

What settings do I need in ActiveSync?

My handheld won't connect to ActiveSync.

What is Windows Mobile Device Center?

My handheld won't connect to Windows Mobile Device Center.

Errors

I'm getting an error, 'ActiveSync can only synchronize your data to a single destination'.

I'm getting an error, 'Custom form not found/cannot be opened'.

I'm getting an error, 'Items not synchronized'.

I'm getting an error, 'One or more items in the folder do not match'.

I'm getting an error, 'See/sync status on device'.

I'm getting an error, 'Unresolved items'.

I'm getting an error not listed above about Outlook.

General

How do I configure CompanionLink to sync my Pocket PC/Windows Mobile handheld through Outlook?

You must first be able to synchronize your handheld to Microsoft Outlook BEFORE using CompanionLink. Any errors in this process are the responsibility of Microsoft and/or the handheld manufacturer, and must be resolved before configuring or synchronizing with CompanionLink.

In Windows Vista, you would set this up through Windows Mobile Device Center. In all other versions of Windows, you would use Microsoft ActiveSync.

Set up and configure CompanionLink

If CompanionLink is not installed, install it now.

Run CompanionLink Setup.

If this is a new installation, you will see the Configuration Wizard. Click Next.

If CompanionLink is already installed, it should open to the main menu. Click on Settings. If you see the user profile screen, click Next.

The handheld PDA selection screen will open.

If you are using Windows Vista, select Microsoft Outlook.

For all other versions of Windows, select Windows Mobile (via Outlook).

Click Next.

Choose your contact manager from the drop-down menu.

Click on the Configure button to modify any settings you wish.

You are strongly advised to click on the Purge And Reload tab and put a checkmark in all of the boxes there. This will delete all data from your handheld and Outlook and replace it from your contact manager. If you do not do this, by default, all of your handheld and Outlook data will sync into your contact manager as new records. This typically creates duplicates.

Click Apply, OK, Next and Finish.

If you have any Category Manager settings you need to configure, do this now.

Synchronize your handheld.

Connect your handheld to the computer and make sure that it is synched with Outlook.

In CompanionLink Setup, click on the Synchronize button.

In Windows Vista, CompanionLink will transfer your data between your contact manager and Outlook. In all other versions of Windows, CompanionLink will transfer your data between your contact manager and Outlook, then open the ActiveSync program to move the data between Outlook and your handheld. Your handheld will synchronize again with Outlook. Wait for this to finish.

NOTE: Not synching in this order can result in problems with changes not being synchronized properly.

How do I sync my handheld?

Windows Vista:

Connect your handheld to the computer. Your handheld should automatically connect with Windows Mobile Device Center to synchronize with Outlook. Make sure that this completes.

Open CompanionLink Setup and click on Synchronize. The CompanionLink synchronization process will synchronize your contact manager data with Outlook. When this is finished, you will see a prompt saying that the synchronization is complete.

Go back to Windows Mobile Device Center. The handheld should sync again with Outlook. Wait for this to complete.

All other versions of Windows:

Connect your handheld to the computer. Your handheld should automatically connect with ActiveSync to synchronize with Outlook. Make sure that this completes and that there are no errors in ActiveSync.

Open CompanionLink Setup and click on Synchronize. The CompanionLink synchronization process will synchronize your contact manager data with Outlook, then call ActiveSync to synchronize Outlook with your handheld. When this is finished, you will see a prompt saying that the synchronization is complete.

Go back to ActiveSync. The handheld should sync again with Outlook. Wait for this to complete.

Can I sync wirelessly?

While the wireless sync is compatible with all Windows Mobile/Pocket PC handhelds, this sync does not sync direct or through Outlook, but rather wirelessly with your handheld. The setup guide for this handheld type may be found on our website at:

https://www.companionlink.com/support/setup_ppc_wireless.html

NOTE: In order to use the wireless sync, you must have CompanionLink Professional 2.0, build 2642, or higher installed, and you must also sign up for the wireless sync service, which costs $9.95/month. The sign-up is done within CompanionLink Professional.

How do I keep my Outlook data separate from my contact manager data?

With this type of sync, your contact manager data will go into Outlook. This is what is supposed to happen and cannot be prevented. However, depending on your version of CompanionLink, you can keep some or all of your Outlook data from synching back into your contact manager.

In CompanionLink Express, you would use the Personal Category tab to exclude any data in the Personal category from synchronizing.

In CompanionLink Professional, you would use the Category Manager to exclude any category (other than Business) from your synchronization.

Instructions in how to do both of these can be found on our How do I keep just some of my contacts from synching with my contact manager? page.

Note: Outlook allows you to place a record in more than one category. CompanionLink only looks at the first category of a given record; it cannot see the other categories. For best results, you would want to make sure that the Outlook records you wish to exclude only appear in one category. Please see the Outlook section for more information about how to categorize your records in Outlook.

I want to synchronize my handheld to Outlook, not through it.

You would need to use the direct sync in order to synchronize Outlook with the handheld. Please see the Setup Guide for Windows Mobile/Pocket PC Direct Synchronization.

What is ActiveSync?

Microsoft ActiveSync is a program that comes with your handheld. It connects your handheld to your computer and does the job of actually synchronizing your handheld to the computer. This is a Microsoft program. CompanionLink does not make this program, although CompanionLink does use it to synchronize your data.

ActiveSync is usually running in the Windows System tray. You can find this icon by looking in the lower righthand corner of your computer screen by the time and looking for the circular icon with arrows in it. If you have a white arrow by the time, you may need to click on this in order to display all of your icons. The ActiveSync icon may be grey, yellow or green, depending on the handheld's connection status. If ActiveSync is not there, you can run this program by clicking on the Start menu, selecting Programs and then clicking on Microsoft ActiveSync.

What settings do I need in ActiveSync?

In the upper half of the ActiveSync window, there will be a label describing the handheld and, on the line below, the status of the device. The label for the handheld must NOT be Guest. If it is Guest, then your data cannot synchronize with the handheld. Remove your handheld, soft-reset it and reconnect it. The status of the handheld must be connected and synchronized.

Example:

Pocket PC

Connected. Synchronized.

In the lower half of the ActiveSync window, some information types may be listed. You must have Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes selected. If they have a status, that status must be 'Synchronized'.

If these are not there, go to the Tools menu and select Options. You will see a list of information types. Make sure that there are checkmarks next to Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes, then click OK. If these are there, but their status is something other than synchronized, usually there will be a link next to them which you can click on to resolve the problem. If this does not resolve the problem, then go to the Tools menu and select Options. Click on the third tab (typically 'Rules') and select a conflict resolution method for the desktop of 'Always replace items on my device' and click OK. ActiveSync will resync your information.

In ActiveSync, under Tools and Options:

The first tab (typically 'Sync Options') may have a checkbox that says 'synchronize with server'. This box must be UNchecked.

The middle tab (typically 'Sync Mode' or 'Schedule') should be set to 'Continuously while my device is connected'.

The third tab (typically 'Rules') should have the conflict resolution for the desktop set to 'Always replace items on my device'.

My handheld won't connect to ActiveSync.

This can indicate a problem with your connection settings or a problem with ActiveSync recognizing your device. Steps you can take to resolve this issue are:

Disconnect your handheld, soft-reset it and reconnect it. This resolves the majority of these problems. If you do not know how to soft-reset your handheld, consult the handheld manufacturer.

Disconnect the cable from the computer, restart your computer, then reconnect the handheld. This can help in some cases.

In ActiveSync, go to the File menu and choose Get Connected. ActiveSync will try to locate your handheld.

In ActiveSync, go to the File menu and choose Connection Settings. Make sure that these match what port your handheld is using. (Note: Generally, this option is not available when the handheld is disconnected.)

If none of these steps work, please contact Microsoft and/or your handheld manufacturer for help with getting Microsoft ActiveSync to recognize your handheld.

What is Windows Mobile Device Center?

Windows Mobile Device Center is a program that usually comes with your Windows Vista computer. (If you do not have it on your computer, you may download this from Microsoft. It connects your handheld to your computer and does the job of actually synchronizing your handheld to the computer. This is a Microsoft program. CompanionLink does not make this program, although CompanionLink does use it to synchronize your data.

My handheld won't connect to Windows Mobile Device Center.

Steps you can take to resolve this issue are:

Disconnect your handheld, soft-reset it and reconnect it. This resolves the majority of these problems. If you do not know how to soft-reset your handheld, consult the handheld manufacturer. Disconnect the cable from the computer, restart your computer, then reconnect the handheld. This can help in some cases.

If none of these steps work, please contact Microsoft and/or your handheld manufacturer for help with getting Windows Mobile Device Center to recognize your handheld.

Errors

I'm getting an error, 'Items not synchronized'.

Press Sync in ActiveSync. This should start the synchronization process.

You can configure ActiveSync to sync automatically by going to the Tools menu and selecting Options, then clicking on the middle tab (typically 'Sync Mode' or 'Schedule'), then selecting the option 'Continuously while device is connected'. Click OK. Your handheld should synchronize whenever it is connected to your computer.

I'm getting an error, 'Unresolved items'. Click on the link to resolve the items. You cannot leave any items unresolved. This will cause problems with your CompanionLink synchronization.

If clicking on the link will not resolve the items, then click on the Tools menu and select Options. On the third tab (typically 'Rules'), make sure that the conflict resolution for the desktop is set to 'Always replace items on my device'. Click OK. Your handheld will begin synchronizing again. When it finishes, the items should be resolved and there should no longer be a message.

If this does not resolve the items, then you will need to find the listed items in Outlook and delete them.

I'm getting an error not listed above from ActiveSync/Windows Mobile Device Center about Outlook. Please see our Errors page and our Outlook page to see if your issue is listed.

If a solution for your issue is not listed, you will need to contact Microsoft about resolving this error, or consider switching to the direct synchronization.

You must be able to synchronize your handheld with Microsoft Outlook BEFORE using CompanionLink. Any errors in this process are the responsibility of Microsoft and/or the handheld manufacturer, and must be resolved before configuring or synchronizing with CompanionLink.