How To Sync Outlook Contacts & Calendar to Google

[Gunner]

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.

Here is what I've found so far:

CompanionLink $40 (released, sounds like the best currently available): Sync Microsoft Outlook with your Google account and your phone | CompanionLink

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/

SyncMyCal $25 (released): Share Outlook Calendar Free, Google Calendar Sync, Pocket Outlook Google Sync - SyncMyCal
Anybody using this?

OGG Sync $30/yr (Not yet released): OggSync - Sync Google Calendar and Contacts with Outlook and Windows Mobile Device Sync (including Microsoft Office) Blog Archive Real… Native… Google Contact Sync — OggSync 4.0

Google Apps Sync for Microsoft Outlook $50/yr (Requires Google Apps Premier or EDU Edition): https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gappssync


Know of any others? Are there any good free apps out there that can sync Contacts? Tell me and I'll add them to the list.

-Gunner

 

[Roroco]

Google can take care of the calendar for free. Sync with Microsoft Outlook - Google Calendar Help

I haven't looked, but they may have something for the contacts too. I keep all my contact info on gmail...

 

[Gunner]

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.

 

[Vance]

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).

 

[Gunner]

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.

 

[Gunner]

To the Admins: Any chance we can get this thread stickied?

 

[Vance]

Ah, yes, that is true, the Contacts was a one-time deal, not ongoing. And I would love tasks and notes as well.

 

[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....

ical4OL

I work for a large company that is thrifty, so they will never upgrade us out of outlook 2000 unless we are forced

 

[jdmba]

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?

 

[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: http://androidforums.com/motorola-d...oftware-will-sync-w-outlook-pc.html#post99216

 

[syntrix]

@ 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: http://androidforums.com/motorola-d...oftware-will-sync-w-outlook-pc.html#post99216

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!

 

[Redflea]

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...

 

[syntrix]

I just tried HTC Sync for their android phones and it doesn't even recognize the droid (not a surprise, but had to try it!)

 

[ricktssf]

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

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....

ical4OL

I work for a large company that is thrifty, so they will never upgrade us out of outlook 2000 unless we are forced

 

[syntrix]

Thunderbird talks natively to exchange now?

How did you get Thunderbird to sync to google?

 

[andrewrodney]

There’s Spanning Sync for Mac (it would be useful to list which products are Mac and/or Windows as we continue): Spanning Sync 3 - Sync iCal with Google Calendar, Sync Address Book with Google Contacts

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.

 

[UncleBoo]

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!

 

[RadOD]

Don't forget soocial. Soocial • Hassle-free contacts

Its free. It mostly works very well but chokes if you use the "file as" field in outlook to store your contacts Last Name, First. ("File-as" changes to "company" when syncing with Outlook 2007).

 

[bsteph10]

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.

Bryan

 

[RadOD]

Yeah, but that's for exchange. I don't think it helps for regular Outlook.

 

[pythagoras]

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?

 

[sharlan]

Here is what I've found so far:

gSyncit $15 (released, but lots of problems reported by users): http://www.daveswebsite.com/software/gsync/

-Gunner

I was very disappointed with gsyncit. The only good news is that the developer promptly gave me a refund when I finally gave up.

 

[SG-tx]

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.

 

[boatman]

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?

 

[TXLady]

A big vote for CompanionLink.

I need to keep my contacts and calendar synced between my phone and Outlook. In order to do this, you need a third party software. The one I settled on is CompanionLink for Google. Sync Palm Desktop, Microsoft Outlook, ACT!, Lotus Notes, GroupWise, and GoldMine with Google and your phone | CompanionLink

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.