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System Overview

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If there are more than 2 users in your organization desiring the functionality of this Workstation Com Add-in product, we recommend creating a dedicated Synchronization box and a replication service account so the replication system can operate without a user's interference.  This also maintains a higher level of security since the user does not need to have access to all the folders.  Again, if this is not a hosted exchange installation or synchronizing to PST files, consider the server-based product for an easier and more manageable installation with more capabilities, faster and better utilization of resources, and of course, fewer points of failure (Windows, Outlook and your Users).

Add2Outlook was designed as a 1 or 2-way folder item replication utility.  Specifically, all relationships are typically one way, with items made in the source being synced to the destination folder.  The information synced can be unidirectional, or one way, with information flowing only one way, no matter what is done on the destination side or it can be bidirectional.

Originally, Add2Outlook was designed to create the relationships using Outlook profiles to copy from the public to the private so smartphone and mobile device synchronization software can bring it back and forth to the users of smartphone and mobile devices using Outlook connected to an Exchange Server.  Most users who use iPhones, iPAQs, Blackberrys, Androids, want to see their personal items and a copy of their group Exchange items on their devices, but Exchange and the current synchronization software does not support this.  Add2Outlook does this and has been enhanced to allow for the reverse relationship, (with anything made on the private and not marked “private” option) it will copy up to the public folder to act as an automatic reporting feature for managers and team members.  This enhancement combined with the cardinal rule of synchronization not to copy a copy, gave the teams who use the program instant information to where everyone was at any given time, or contacts or tasks.  All the users need to do is use Outlook normally.  The program can even untie copies that the user made notes into so the information is saved for the user.  During the next synchronization, these “changed destination items” are untied and a new copy of the source item gets replicated so the user doesn’t lose any notes.

Other enhancements in the latest builds include not requiring Exchange Serve for PST sync.  Add2Outlook can be in Outlook Exchange Cached mode now.  The relationships now allow for full item “conflict and copied resolution” with the powerful option to write changed destination items back to the source (Bidirectional Sync).  This means the changed destination copy (of the original item) then becomes “the master” and those changes get synced to the source and then to all other relationship copies.  Changes back to the original item can include edits and or deletions.

Note: These features are powerful and should be used with thought, because the ideal rule of synchronization is if many people change the same item during the same sync cycle, one changed item becomes the master copy and is then replicated out to the destinations.  Once users can change their copy and replicate it back to the source, for that moment there are (at least) two master copies and the rules of conflict resolution are invoked. If more than one person has this power unnecessarily, someone’s changes will be lost – the user who replicated first. If a user does not need the power, there is little reason to give it to them and avoid an unnecessary conflict.

Common Uses

Use Add2Outlook when in Hosted Exchange mode, replicating to PST files or in an installation where only one user is using replication.
Use Add2Outlook if you want to replicate between one or two folders of the type of calendar, contact. task or notes where the new items get copied to another based on the information relationship you set up between the folders.
If you want to have your public folder items synchronized to your personal folder so it is then wirelessly replicated to your smartphone or mobile device.
Use Add2Outlook if you want to sync private-to-private folders for calendars, contacts, tasks and notes.
If you are syncing your exchange mailbox folders to a personal PST file.

Note: Add2Outlook is programmed in “the latest from Microsoft”, the .Net ( pronounced “Dot Net”) Framework and is an Outlook Add-on loaded on the workstation running Outlook 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2010 and once installed and a relationship is set up, it will run on an unattended timed basis (or manually) as long as Outlook is open and is online.  Depending on the relationship, all items from the Source folder are copied to the Destination folder on the manual/timed basis, and Add2Outlook will not copy a copy it has made, only originals.

The Source Folder can be a group folder to a private folder, or can be used on any combination of 2 folders in Outlook, either public or private, or server-side mailbox to personal Outlook™ file (PST) or Offline folder (OST).

Important! If you make a relationship from folder one to folder two, then a relationship from folder two to folder three, only the items made directly in folder two will be copied to folder three, not the copies from folder one.  Add2Outlook and Add2Exchange (both versions) will not copy a copy, so if you want all the items from folder one to go to folder three, you must make that relationship as well.

A simple setup program will install Add2Outlook on each machine.  If you are replicating to more than one user, using a standalone machine and replication service account is the most ideal setup.  This way, since Outlook has to be open on the replication machine, a user working on the non dedicated replication server is not in the way, with their actions affecting normal synchronization.  Also, by using a service account on a separate machine, there is no need to elevate the security privileges of a normal user.  If Add2Outlook is to be installed for one user, Add2Outlook creates a separate thread and has little impact on the machine itself.

Add2Outlook installation prompts to create a profile as an Add-in to Outlook during Outlook startup.  Once installed, Add2Outlook puts new buttons on Outlook’s upper or lower toolbar depending on the version of Outlook.  It also makes an option for the Add2Outlook Console when you right click and go to properties of the folders.  There are separate installations for each version of Outlook (2003, 2007 and 2010) each with a slightly different interface.  Each version of Add2Outlook has the same options of replication.  These buttons include the Start Sync button for immediate syncing which toggles between starting the Sync and stopping the current Sync, and a start timer button for the timed replication schedule.

During initial set up of Add2Outlook, and before synchronization can occur, the user must make at least one “information relationship” and specify the “Rules of the Relationship” to go into trial mode.  The trial countdown of each type of folder starts when you create the first relationship of that folder type. The rules include a source folder and a destination folder and the options desired for conflict resolutions, deletions, copied resolution, and auto population of the subject.  If appropriate, as in for calendars and tasks, there is a definable date range for calendar appointments in the future and the past, and for task start and end dates.  For calendars and tasks, Add2Outlook has been designed to include a user selectable date range in the past as well as in the future.  This is called the “replication timeframe”.  How often it replicates is the “replication interval” and the system defaults to automatic synchronization on an interval of 5 minutes between syncs.  This means it will start syncing, take as long as it needs to, finish, wait 5 minutes and then start to sync again in automatic mode.  In the relationships, the user selects the timeframes for which Add2Outlook should replicate items, or for all items in the case of contacts.  Unless set to a static timeframe when Outlook is open and in the appropriate profile, Add2Outlook automatically waits, replicates and waits until the next interval.  The next time, the replication interval increments and waits for the next scheduled replication period.

Synchronization happens at the beginning of each replication interval.  The replication interval can be set on a reoccurring interval, a specific time or can be triggered manually.  When synchronization occurs, the program goes through a synchronization process.  The options picked by the user to create the relationship are “rules”.  The rules are read by the program during synchronization to determine what information gets synchronized between the two folders.  When the next replication process triggers, the initial items are synchronized and all of the items in the source folder are copied into the selected destination folder.  During the next synchronization process, the program copies any changes made to either the source folder item or the destination folder item based on the rules of the relationship.

You must open the Add2Outlook console to configure the relationships with the rules desired.  You must CLOSE the console for replication to occur and have the system start the interval timer to sync, or by manually pressing the Sync Now button.  If synchronization is occurring, when opening the Add2Outlook console, synchronization stops.  You must close the console and still be in Outlook for that profile for synchronization to occur.

Old Diditbetter.com program upgrades: If crossgrading from CalendWare or Public2PrivateWare, during initial installation, Add2Outlook will remove the items copied by Public2PrivateWare and will deactivate Public2PrivateWare.  We had to do this because having both programs run at the same time will cause duplicates and that is completely unacceptable.  If using other synchronization programs, including Add2Exchange, you should remove the copies they made by removing the relationships prior to synching with Add2Outlook because they will be there and treated as originals and potentially cause duplication.  Instead, set up both relationships within Add2Outlook.

If you were using Add2Exchange prior and the Add2Exchange Replication Server is unavailable, you can remove the copies manually or the best option is to use the Add2Outlook Toolkit utility to help clean up from the old replication.  It is always best practice to clean up any duplication prior to installing replication software.  Contact Tech Support for more details on this special case scenario, or visit: To convert from Add2Exchange to Add2Outlook for more information. .