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

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

1. General
   1. How do I configure CompanionLink to sync my Pocket PC/Windows Mobile handheld through Outlook?
   2. How do I sync my handheld?
   3. Can I sync wirelessly?
   4. How do I keep my Outlook data separate from my contact manager data?
   5. I want to synchronize my handheld to Outlook, not through it.
   6. Pocket PC/Windows Mobile specific tabs
2. What is ActiveSync?
   1. What settings do I need in ActiveSync?
   2. My handheld won't connect to ActiveSync.
3. Errors
   1. I'm getting an error, 'ActiveSync can only synchronize your data to a single destination'.
   2. I'm getting an error, 'Custom form not found/cannot be opened'.
   3. I'm getting an error, 'Items not synchronized'.
   4. I'm getting an error, 'One or more items in the folder do not match'.
   5. I'm getting an error, 'See/sync status on device'.
   6. I'm getting an error, 'Unresolved items'.
   7. I'm getting an error not listed above from ActiveSync about Outlook.

General

How do I configure CompanionLink to sync my Pocket PC/Windows Mobile handheld through Outlook?
Before configuring CompanionLink, you must first install Microsoft ActiveSync and configure it to sync with Outlook. Once you have your handheld synching with Outlook, you can then configure CompanionLink.

1. Set up and configure the link between Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft ActiveSync
   1. If Microsoft ActiveSync is not installed on your computer, install ActiveSync from the CD that comes with your handheld.
   2. If Microsoft Outlook is not installed on your computer, install Outlook from the CD that comes with your handheld. The full version of Outlook is on the ActiveSync CD under the folder \Extras\Outlook.
   3. Connect your handheld.
   4. Run Microsoft ActiveSync. If you are prompted to set up a new partnership:
      1. The 'Setup A Partnership' screen will open. Select Standard Partnership and click Next.
      2. The 'Specify How To Synchronize Data' screen will open. Select Synchronize With This Desktop Computer and click Next.
      3. The 'Select Number of Partnerships' window will open. If you are using the handheld on another computer, select 'No, I want to synchronize with two computers'. Otherwise, select 'Yes, I want to synchronize with only this computer'. Click Next.
      4. The 'Select Synchronization Settings' window will open. Uncheck everything except Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes. While you may add in other items later, it is best to start with just the items you will be synching with CompanionLink.
      5. The 'Setup Complete' window will open. Click Finish.
      6. ActiveSync will now attempt to synchronize. If you receive a prompt that says, 'Items of this type have not be synchronized before', select a conflict resolution method of 'Replace items on my device'.
   5. 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.

   6. 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.
   7. If all of these settings are correct and there are no errors in ActiveSync, go to the next step. Otherwise, please see the list of errors at the end of this page, 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 through Microsoft ActiveSync 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.
      
      

2. Set up and configure CompanionLink
   1. If CompanionLink is not installed, install it now.
   2. 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.
   3. The handheld selection screen will open. Select a handheld type of 'through Outlook'.
   4. Click Next.
   5. Choose your contact manager from the drop-down menu and click on the Configure button to modify the settings. 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, creating duplicates.
   6. Click Apply, OK, Next and Finish.
   7. If you have any Category Manager settings you need to configure, do this now.

3. Synchronize your handheld.
   1. Make sure that the handheld is still connected to the computer and that there are no errors in ActiveSync.
   2. In CompanionLink Setup, click on the Synchronize button. 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.

Open CompanionLink Setup and click on Synchronize. The CompanionLink synchronization process will take your contact manager data and put it in Outlook, then call ActiveSync to move this data to your handheld. When this is finished, you will see a prompt saying that the synchronization is 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:

http://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.

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'.

1. 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.
2. Disconnect the cable from the computer and reconnect it, then restart your computer. This can help in some cases.
3. In ActiveSync, go to the File menu and choose Get Connected. ActiveSync will try to locate your handheld.
4. 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.

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 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 through Microsoft ActiveSync 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.