Epim usage question

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davenz
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:36 am

Epim usage question

Post by davenz »

Hi team

I am trialling EssentialPim Network because we want to avoid the whole Outlook Shared Calendar/Exchange drama and wondering how (or even if) the following situation is viable. This is not set up yet so everything is hypothetical. The users are also not computer literate so overly complicated systems won't be any good to them.

In this example a computer will be used in two locations, office and home. When at the office, EPIM will connect to the firebird server installed on their central server system and therefore use the shared data file on that server, which we plan to have 4 other users accessing as well. All well and good while at the office - appointments can be entered and deleted no problem. When the user takes their laptop home and opens EPIM, obviously the server data file is not there so by the looks of it it opens using a default local data file, (without any notification to say you aren't using your original file). They will want to make appointments while at home, they add appointments as normal. When they go back to the office, they open EPIM and it opens on their local file, the last one opened. To access the shared data file they must manually select the data file from the recent file list, which is no real problem, or go through the server logon palava, which could be a problem for them. You can already see the looming problem; any appointments made at home will not be in the 'office' database and vice versa. This won't do for these guys, who operate from home just as they would at the office. Is there an import or synchronisation feature in place they can use to synchronise those two databases, so the latest changes are reflected in each one? Is this situation covered by the features in EPIM or not? If not, how it is intended to be done or what better way is there of setting it up? Having remote access to the server database so they could open EPIM at home with the office data file would be ideal, though synchronising might be slow if the database is large enough. I hope you can see what I am meaning here. It is a situation and associated problems I would have thought would have been encountered by many before.

These might sound like inane questions, but they might mean a big sale of product if we can find a simple way of dealing with the problems. I look forward to any suggestions from the experienced users of this very good looking PIM.

Thanks
Dave
davethompson.co.nz
Max
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Re: Epim usage question

Post by Max »

Hi Dave,

thanks for the detailed explanation!
There are a few possibilities:
- users at home connect to server in the office. This is the best solution in all regards except one- speed. It may be slow. But I suggest you try it, preferably on 4.2 Beta 2, which might work faster (I can send you a link to download Beta). Generally you just need to make sure server is reachable through firewalls and on ports 3050 and 3051
- users use local database at home and use free EPIM Sync (http://www.essentialpim.com/?r=products&pr=epimsync ) to synchronize their database with server database over the internet or when coming to the office. True, that would require switching through local/server file. But if I recall correctly, "Connect to.." dialog remembers the last values, so users just need to use File-> Connect to->OK sequence to connect to server.
EPIM Sync also remembers values (including passwords), so to synchronizxe database users just need to run it, select the file from drop down list and there you go.
Maxim,
EPIM Team
davenz
Posts: 2
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 12:36 am

Re: Epim usage question

Post by davenz »

Hi Max

thanks for the prompt reply. I was actually a bit worried that explanation was a bit long-winded and wouldn't get answered, but I wanted to be as thorough as possible.

I am happy to trial a beta version as I am an experienced beta tester for many other programs, from Windows through to web editors, mail servers and music production software, so a PIM would be a welcome challenge!

I have set these guys up with remote capability so if a web address can be used (or an IP) then connecting to the database via the WAN might be the best way to go. I was thinking perhaps the users could use Remote Desktop to log into the server into their profile and use the copy of EPIM on there, but they'd have to ensure they logged in as the right user to the EPIM database and so it starts getting complex again. What I need is a simple 'click this, do that, close that' type deal for these guys - after all I can't do law and they are lawyers who don't do tech.

Feel free to email me privately if that will help you at all.

Thanks again, I really appreciate your time

Dave
davethompson.co.nz
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