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Sync Outlook Contacts & Calendar to Google
This thread is for people who want a fully automatic way to keep both Calendar & Contacts sync'd both ways between Outlook and Google Gmail / Calendar.
I've already done a lot of research on this topic as it is currently the most important item I've got to have working in order to keep the Droid. It seems like nobody really has a great solution yet, but there are some in the works. This thread can serve as a master list for Outlook sync software.
Missing-Sync $40(update: Released. Calendar syncing is now supported, but requires additional app installed on phone.): Keep your life in sync with The Missing Sync for Android from Mark/Space Appears to be the best all-in-one solution for syncing Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Docs, Media and more. Includes 'Proximity Sync' - syncs wirelessly & automatically w/ your computer.
gSyncit $15 (released, but lots of problems reported by users. EDIT: Some favorable reviews in this thread, may have improved reliability): http://www.daveswebsite.com/software/gsync/
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Yeah I'm currently using the Google calendar sync. Although, it isn't working for me as a 2-way solution. Events I add to Google Calendar aren't showing up in Outlook on my PC....so that really isn't all that great.
Really tho, the point of this thread is to find a good (and hopefully cheap or free) solution that will auto-sync both Contacts & Calendar between Outlook & Google.
I just want to say that I also used the Google Sync and it works great. I can update my calendar on the road and it syncs immediately with the Google Calendar on the web, which then syncs with Outlook every 120 minutes (which can be adjusted).
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Yep for the calendar that's fine....but it won't do Contacts. This thread is about a solution that will do both (and even better if it will also do Tasks & Notes).
If there is a separate solution available just for doing Outlook Contacts -> Google Contacts sync, I'll add that to the list, but I haven't found anything like that yet.
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Outlook 2000 users:
I've searched for months and months. outlook 2000 uses a different format, so not much is friendly with it. Some companies claim 2000 support, but I have only been able to find one that actually works, and has a free trial to test....
I love google and all they have done to advance computing, but it is becoming clear that they are very very very very very very interested in amassing private information. I am sure they would be very happy if the world used google docs, gmail, google calendar, and synched their contacts THROUGH google (hint: that's why they require that), but I am VERY interested in a method to sync the droid with outlook without having to open my contacts and calendar up to google.
Has anyone tried (successfully) any apps which will do the sync without google.com's involvement?
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@ syntrix: Thanks, that looks interesting, and is relatively inexpensive. And it works w/ desktop Outlook? (not Exchange)
@ jdmba: I agree w/ you. If there was a simple solution to just sync the Droid w/ Outlook on my desktop I'd be all over it. Especially if it would just auto-sync via bluetooth (like my WinMo phone did). It seems the Droid Eris does have such a solution, but the Droid doesn't: Droid Eris has software that will sync w/ Outlook on PC
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunner
@ syntrix: Thanks, that looks interesting, and is relatively inexpensive. And it works w/ desktop Outlook? (not Exchange)
@ jdmba: I agree w/ you. If there was a simple solution to just sync the Droid w/ Outlook on my desktop I'd be all over it. Especially if it would just auto-sync via bluetooth (like my WinMo phone did). It seems the Droid Eris does have such a solution, but the Droid doesn't: Droid Eris has software that will sync w/ Outlook on PC
I can only confirm outlook 2000 for syncing contacts and calendar. It's a little daunting at first!
If you run 2003/2007, why not just use the google sync tool for free?
I've also tried calgoo and it fails for outlook 2000
I've also tried oggsync and it fails for outlook 2000
If you need outlook 2000 support, check the sync tool, most say 2003/2007.
I'll have to try some of the other ones and report how they work, but I may have dismissed them months ago because they don't list 2000. And there's a TON of people on outlook 2000 in enterprise still! Only thing that natively syncs has been activesync. Now if android does activesync later, that would be a win win win win win!
Friend is using SyncMyCal and likes it so far (free version). He had problems w/Google Cal sync (missing some of his appointments).
I've been using Google Cal w/out finding any problems.
I've been using gSyncIt w/few problems...it did appear to miss one contact...I don't know how to tell how many contacts are on my Droid, so I can't do an easy check to see how many others might be missing, if any. So far I haven't noticed any others gone - everything I've gone looking for is there, but I have over 700 contacts...
I was stuck with the Outlook 2000 issue... and since my palm 700p was become flaky I jumped at usingdba2cvs...
It was about 50 bucks, but in ten min. it had my whole palm desk top converted... Of course the other issue was that my palm desk top would not talk to outlook 200 either... or 2003 for that matter.
I switched to Thunderbird.
ricktssf
Quote:
Originally Posted by syntrix
Outlook 2000 users:
I've searched for months and months. outlook 2000 uses a different format, so not much is friendly with it. Some companies claim 2000 support, but I have only been able to find one that actually works, and has a free trial to test....
I tried the download and it did sync contacts but not my calendars from iCal. Tech support was very fast at replying but their suggestions didn’t fix the issue and now I’ve yet to hear back. So its getting removed although I’ve read comments from others it works well. $25 pre year or one time cost of $65.
The Mark/Space product looks promising, I know in the past, they have supported these solutions on the Mac very well.
I love google and all they have done to advance computing, but it is becoming clear that they are very very very very very very interested in amassing private information. I am sure they would be very happy if the world used google docs, gmail, google calendar, and synched their contacts THROUGH google (hint: that's why they require that), but I am VERY interested in a method to sync the droid with outlook without having to open my contacts and calendar up to google.
Has anyone tried (successfully) any apps which will do the sync without google.com's involvement?
There's hope on the horizon. The companionlink website says they are working on wired USB sync driectly between Droid and Outlook. I sent them mail asking if this would be a free upgrade to the existing Google sync, and they said yes!
Regarding putting one's data in The Cloud: I agree with you, but it's not just Google, it's everybody. My previous phone was sync'ed to Outlook, and Verizon transferred my contacts to the Droid when I bought it, so I figure can manage to wait until companionlink delivers. To paraphrase the Borg: "Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated into The Cloud" but I for one hope to hold out as long as possible!
Hi, I'd just like to add that I've been using TouchDown by Nitrodesk to directly sync my Droid with Exchange server and it's working great! I get e-mails on my phone faster than when I'm sitting at my laptop. It even syncs Tasks. The developer is very receptive to new ideas and fixes too. Their site is here: NitroDesk Inc. - Convergence Redefined I'm still using the 5 day trial, but I just noticed they dropped their price from $20 to $10. If you follow the link on the homepage to their Google group, you can find a beta version that they're working on. Hope this helps.
I gave in to expedience and installed K-9 email prog, which works well as a pop3 client. I had them xfr the contacts at a VZ store. Hope this is relevant to this thread; what is Gunn's choice?
I was able to 2-way sync calendar (google/outlook) using the google sync calendar tool but not contacts (using the regular sync tool) because it required a network version of outlook 2003 or 2007, versus an individual version. Any way around this? Thanks.
I purchased gysncit and am playing with it with K9. I have found K9 to be very good. I had google cal sync running, but wanted contacts and tasks. I thought gsyncit would do it, but not great on the interface. I was hoping for something like I had on treo/wm/bb, especially where it would tell you what was changing, and you could choose whether or not you wanted to allow it to happen.
I have setup a trial exchange off my host, it is $5 a month for 2G pst, I have a 5G pst (yes, I have every email, sent , deleted, and received for the past 11 years, and it has come in handy for me!), so it would be $10/mo to get rid of pop.
I understand touchdown will sync contacts, tasks, calendar and of course, email. Anyone try this?
This syncs between your desktop Outlook and your Google contacts and calendar. Since your Droid syncs automatically with Google, everything ends up being in synch. The cost is $39.95 but it is worth it and does what it says it does.
CompanionLink also solved a problem I'd had since changing jobs to a company that uses Lotus Notes. I also bought a copy for the work computer and now also synch my Lotus Notes contacts and calendar with Google so I end up having both home computer, personal Droid, work computer and work blackberry all in sync. I just run CompanionLink on each computer a couple times a week or more often if I make a lot of changes anywhere.
Last edited by TXLady; February 7th, 2010 at 09:37 AM.
For what it's worth, I've been using gsyncit for several months to sync my Outlook calendar and other info. and am relatively happy with it. As a former Palm user, I wanted to be sure all the essential Outlook info (notes, contacts, etc) would show up properly on my Droid. Once I satisfied myself, I bought the Droid. (The point is that my Palm was my "brain prosthesis" and I'd be in deep trouble without it.)
Calendar is synching beautifully; I have set up filters to not sync certain items from Outlook to the Google Calendar, since the screen real estate is smaller and harder to use. It is crazy wonderful to be able to change my office outlook calendar from any computer where I can access Google Calendar, or from my Droid. I dearly miss many features of the Palm calendar, Datebk5, such as alarms that repeat every 5 minutes until I notice them, and the ability to make an event float from day to day until it's done. But I'm sure I'll adapt.
Contacts work well once I figured out some quirks. I'm just working on Notes, which aren't ideal but work out OK once I set each Notes category to sync to a unique folder in Google Documents.
For Tasks, I'm starting with Astrid on the Droid and RememberTheMilk.com on the PC. I'm not a heavy user of Tasks, so this is fine for me.
If you're comfortable with some configuration dialogs, gsyncit might be worth a try. I used the demo version to test its capabilities (with some limitations and some nagging) to be sure you're OK with its methodology. It's updated almost weekly; in my experience, the problems I had early were addresses rapidly. I have one copy, which runs on my office computer. I use the Google apps for the rest of my world. It's not flawless, but then again, neither is the Droid.
[I'm not associated with gsyncit in any way, except as a customer.]
I also took the plunge and got gysncit. Also went from POS, to winmo to BB to droid. Droid is really lacking in outlook sync. My problem with calendaring is that I use tasks extensively in outlook, sometimes as a task, sometimes as appt. e.g. remember to refill presciption, remember to get 1/4" screws, etc. etc. What I noticed with the google calendar is that my appts show up well, but my tasks show up at the top of the google calendar as blue on the droid without showing the info. and in calwidget, it doesn't show tasks, just appts.
I don't know if you have solved this or use this. I was using google caledar sync before gyscnit, but gsyncit had everything from outlook sync, so why use multiple syncs.
Hi, Boatman: Yes, I share your frustration with tasks. On the Palm I used to use them for shopping lists, reminders to get my hair cut, even reminders of friends' birthdays in enough advance time to get a gift or card. I'm not seeing anything even close to that yet in the Droid community.
It's interesting that when Palm invented the PDA category, there were four core apps they tried to make as simple as possible: Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and Contacts. Those same four are also in Outlook. What a shame that Google didn't work out how to capture all four of those before launching this (otherwise fascinating) PDA.
I'm not finding any useful way to sync Outlook Tasks directly into Google Tasks.
companionlink seems to sync tasks into the calendar. I don't get that. If it's just a task to do whenever you happen to be in the right place like "pick up screws", having it attached to a date doesn't work for me. Also seems to sync notes to my contact list, which I definitely don't understand.
gSyncit puts tasks into a separate calendar, which I don't like. For notes, I am now trying a combination of syncing each notes category into a distinct Google Docs folder; then editing the Google Docs on the Droid using gDocs. (Evidently, the Google Docs in the browser on the droid are read-only.)
For what it's worth, the widget "Smooth Calendar" does allow me to configure what I see by calendar and some other stuff, which may help if you decide to keep synching tasks into the calendar.
The big win in gSyncit for me was in the calendar space. The ability to sync different Outlook categories to different Google Calendars (or none) makes it much simpler to keep my view clean on the Droid -- and to share only the non-work calendar with my spouse. I don't think the native Google sync tool can do that.
But I've only had my Droid 10 days, and I'm still trying to figure out if I want to keep it. Some of the conveniences I used to lean on my Palm for are not available, and I have to see how well I can live without them or change my habits. (Hard to do at my age!) I do remember that when I first got my Palm Centro, it took a while before I knew which apps and which configurations of each would fit me best. Maybe things will settle down once I start to think like a Droid. ?
Kevin, i have tried gtasks. Looks great, but at work, outlook runs my data. Must be able to sync to outlook. I would think mot would sell 1M more phones if this issue wasn't an issue. From what I have heard, the HTC phones come w sw that syncs to outlook.
I hear ya, Boatman. Droid syncs to outlook email allegedly, but our corporate policies won't allow anything but Blackberries (because they have a more sophisiticated/secure implementation or something).
If HTC syncs easily to the whole Outlook suite, that would be awesome.
For what it's worth, I've been using gsyncit for several months to sync my Outlook calendar and other info. and am relatively happy with it. As a former Palm user, I wanted to be sure all the essential Outlook info (notes, contacts, etc) would show up properly on my Droid. Once I satisfied myself, I bought the Droid. (The point is that my Palm was my "brain prosthesis" and I'd be in deep trouble without it.)
Calendar is synching beautifully; I have set up filters to not sync certain items from Outlook to the Google Calendar, since the screen real estate is smaller and harder to use. It is crazy wonderful to be able to change my office outlook calendar from any computer where I can access Google Calendar, or from my Droid. I dearly miss many features of the Palm calendar, Datebk5, such as alarms that repeat every 5 minutes until I notice them, and the ability to make an event float from day to day until it's done. But I'm sure I'll adapt.
Contacts work well once I figured out some quirks. I'm just working on Notes, which aren't ideal but work out OK once I set each Notes category to sync to a unique folder in Google Documents.
For Tasks, I'm starting with Astrid on the Droid and RememberTheMilk.com on the PC. I'm not a heavy user of Tasks, so this is fine for me.
If you're comfortable with some configuration dialogs, gsyncit might be worth a try. I used the demo version to test its capabilities (with some limitations and some nagging) to be sure you're OK with its methodology. It's updated almost weekly; in my experience, the problems I had early were addresses rapidly. I have one copy, which runs on my office computer. I use the Google apps for the rest of my world. It's not flawless, but then again, neither is the Droid.
[I'm not associated with gsyncit in any way, except as a customer.]
I've had excellent results w/gsyncit over the past few weeks since I switched back to it. Dev is very active with regular updates, and I haven't noticed any issues w/any of my syncs. I have a complicated corp calendar with lots of repeating meetings w/exceptions and modifications, and it seems to handle it all very well...
have you any calendar items get to your phone when entered from the web? i was very exicited to have my mobile entries update to the web but when i update the calendar on the web (laptop) it doesnt get to my phone for mobile use.
An update on gsyncit: This morning nearly all of my Outlook appointments were gone from my calendar, and I can only assume it was gsyncit that did the deed. (Things like this have happened before with gsyncit, but not in a while.)
Although I have written everything back in from Google Calendars (with some loss of details), I'm stopping using gsyncit for the moment. I'm forced back to the default Google sync, and hunting for something better. Also, contact sync is gone, since Google sync doesn't do that.
Took Gunner's advice and purchased Companion Link and except for a few inconsistencies in my first synch, contacts and calendar are synching fine from Outlook to Gmail to my Devour. Tried KiGoo first but my Outlook kept going into "Not Responding" and I had to keep closing it down. So I uninstalled and went on to purchase and install Companion Link. Now I'm.
Are there solutions to sync the G1 with an Outlook calendar. I am not able to use the Google Sync program so it has to be offline with no internet connection. However, I would like something that is free. I saw the programs listed above but it seems like they are all paid versions. Any recommendations?
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Any one else have the following problem with CompanionLink: For reoccurring all-day evnets such as birthdays and holidays (reoccur once per year on a certain date), in Outlook, the date is correct; in Gmail Calendar, the date is off by one day. Then when I re-sync, it changes my Outlook calendar to the new incorrect date. (i.e., New Year's Day falling on Dec 31.)
I've checked and have time zone set the same in both Outlook and Gmail so not sure what else could cause it.
(Outlook actually treats an all day appointment as from 12:00-12:00 so if you change time zones on Outlook, it changes it to span 2 days from 11 pm - 11 pm or 1 am to 1 am, etc. so time zone problem was my first thought.)
An update on gsyncit: This morning nearly all of my Outlook appointments were gone from my calendar, and I can only assume it was gsyncit that did the deed. (Things like this have happened before with gsyncit, but not in a while.)
Although I have written everything back in from Google Calendars (with some loss of details), I'm stopping using gsyncit for the moment. I'm forced back to the default Google sync, and hunting for something better. Also, contact sync is gone, since Google sync doesn't do that.
There was a change in the google APIs that caused this issue -affected me as well. Dev updated the app and said he's made changes to keep stuff like this from happening again...so far, so good.
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From mmarino77 via PM. Posting here for others' info and in case they have anything to add.
Quote:
read your post and tried to reply but not able to so excuse the private message.
I'm having the same exact problem with my wife's calendar sync. It changes the dates of recurring (mostly annual) events by 1 or 2 days and has really messed things up.
Also, it has a nasty habit of merging 2 contact records together that happen to have the same first or last name.
Are you having the "contact merge" issue?
You sticking with Companionlink for now? I'd really like to find something more stable. I'd pay $100 for something that worked perfectly and seamlessly.
Thanks.
Hmmm. I do have a problem with contact records being merged but I really don't it's due to Companionlink for me. I think it's a Droid problem. Here's why: The ones I really noticed were ones that I have a contact for me which includes my work number (555-55-5555) and I have a contact which is Verizon Call Forwarding in which the number is *72555-55-5555 so that I can forward my personal cell to my work cell. These two contacts show as separate in my Outlook and also in my gmail contacts but on the Droid, the Verizon Call Forwarding is merged into the me contact. I don't think that it's merging necessarily by first and last names (for example, it did not merge the two contacts I keep for me which are Jane Doe and Jane X. Doe) but now that I'm looking at it to write this message, it is doing something really strange. I see that it's merged my Google Voice number (which is listed in a totally separate contact with Jane Google Voice as the contact name in the company field in Outlook) into my work contact and also another phone number that I don't even recognize. So at this point, I'm not sure what I have in contacts on my phone. But the Gmail contacts seem to match my Outlook for everything I've checked. Problems are on the phone only.
As far as Companionlink, I've already paid for it but it will soon be OBE from my point of view since I've decided to get rid of the Droid and return to BB. (Although the ebay Gods seem to be against me....won the auction for a Tour and paid a week ago and no further contact from seller and no merchandise so getting ready to start claim process. In mean time, can't just buy another one in case I do eventually get the one I bought last week. By the time it gets resolved, the Tour2 may finally be released.)
Last edited by TXLady; March 12th, 2010 at 07:18 AM.
The merging is an Adroid feature that really should have an "off" option in contacts setup...unfortunately you have to find the merged contact yourself and use the option while in each contact to un-merge them...
An example of a SW designer trying to help too much.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Redflea
The merging is an Adroid feature that really should have an "off" option in contacts setup...unfortunately you have to find the merged contact yourself and use the option while in each contact to un-merge them...
An example of a SW designer trying to help too much.
The way the Droid manages contacts is one of the major reasons that I'm returning to BB. To me, the most important thing about my phone is email and my PIM functions. Droid fails in both contacts and calendar management, especially with the lack of ability to sync directly with Outlook and leave stuff exactly like I have spent a lot of time and effort getting set up.
Gee, I keep searching the threads hoping to get some real direction, but just not finding it.
I'm a former WM user who switched to the Droid, and love it. I've found apps to do everything I need, but sync my Outlook 2003 contacts to Gmail. I have no use to sync calendar or tasks, although notes would be nice.
Initially I've exported my contacts and imported them to Gmail, so I have everything on the Droid, but now I'm updating two places with every change. Really looking for a strong recommendation on a product that does contacts well.
Installed CompanionLink and trying it now. Thus far *knock on wood*, THIS is the only way to go. VERY straight forward, very simple, and thus far, very efficient.
Datacomguy, give us an update after using it for a week. I bought gysncit and I now keep calling it g-ddammit! It has deleted appts, etc. It can't distinguish between tasks and appts either. When i need to do this sync stuff, i really miss my bb/treo/wm solution where this was seamless. Otherwise, I love the droid for everything else. You would think if they really wanted marketshare google would make something for the contact sync. The gcal sync was working well for me, i went to gsyncit because it seems so good on paper with contact, task, calendar, etc.
Any one else have the following problem with CompanionLink: For reoccurring all-day evnets such as birthdays and holidays (reoccur once per year on a certain date), in Outlook, the date is correct; in Gmail Calendar, the date is off by one day. Then when I re-sync, it changes my Outlook calendar to the new incorrect date. (i.e., New Year's Day falling on Dec 31.)
I've checked and have time zone set the same in both Outlook and Gmail so not sure what else could cause it.
(Outlook actually treats an all day appointment as from 12:00-12:00 so if you change time zones on Outlook, it changes it to span 2 days from 11 pm - 11 pm or 1 am to 1 am, etc. so time zone problem was my first thought.)
I have had that problem too, and I don't use companionlink. Doesn't seem to be consisent for me though.
I tried CompanionLink, but , was not sure which version and their support took 4 days to answer and by then I gave up, not liking the idea of paying a monthly fee to sync wireless? And as with all the sync sofware EXCEPT gSyncit Google contacts are done with first name sort, a bit weird as having used WM and Outlook for years last name is what we have done for years.
Missing-Sync well did not even try as I want a all in one sync cal, contacts, tasks etc.
MyLink, MyLink Advanced ? USB synchronization of MS Outlook and Lotus Notes data with Android devices
tried this as a WM 6.5 user I was happy with just plugging in my phone and it synced seemless in fact seconds after i entered data into Outlook it synced to my old phone, WELL THIS SOFTWARE IS FAR FROM THAT, I asked for a refund the day after way to limited. No options and support was slow. It won't sync reoccuring events and with two kids and events 6 days a week thats a must.
gSyncit well paid for this and had a bit of trouble with doubles of contacts but that was my fault as i had tried 3 differant sync packages it was all messed up so I fired off a suport email and was answer fast and it was easy to resync my data, so far it is the best yet! Has synced everything reoccurring multiple events all day events and it has an option inot tricking Google to sort by last name, it just reverses it in Google which show up on my phone last name sort perfect, just make sure if you use voice dial that you say last name first. Yes I notice a bug but thats the Android calendar, on some days when you look at day view you see only blue bars and when you tap them it shows you the info, but thats only in that view, and it a bug, use Agenda view and it works great. I have yet to find a bug with it after 7 days.
"CompanionLink provides a wireless sync service between your PIM/CRM and your phone. You can activate the service directly in the CompanionLink Pro configuration settings"
Sync Outlook Contacts & Calendar to Google
Sync G1 with Outlook with USB and no internet
