Introduction: In this tutorial, Tony Hallewitsch discusses the historical relationship between Act CRM and Microsoft Outlook, focusing on the crucial integration of emails between the two platforms. Act users often want to ensure that the emails they send to their contacts are linked and accessible within Act for future reference. However, the connection between Act and Outlook has faced challenges in the past, leading to occasional disruptions in the email attachment functionality. Tony explains how these issues were addressed by a company called Keystroke, which developed a tool called Act for Outlook to maintain a seamless connection and attach outgoing emails automatically. He also mentions other useful tools like Template Phrases and Banana Tag, which can enhance the email functionality and tracking within Outlook.

1. Act and Microsoft Outlook Integration:

• Tony emphasizes the significance of connecting Act CRM with Microsoft Outlook for a smooth email experience.
• Users often want to have a record of outgoing emails within Act to easily refer back to them in the future.

2. Historical Challenges with the Connection:

• Tony acknowledges that the connection between Act and Outlook often faced issues in the past, causing email attachment problems.
• He speculates on possible reasons for these disruptions, such as system updates or antivirus interference.

3. Introduction to Act for Outlook:

• Keystroke developed Act for Outlook to address the email attachment issues and ensure a reliable and seamless connection.
• Act for Outlook is a one-time purchase software that automatically attaches outgoing emails to the corresponding contacts in Act.

4. Additional Tools for Enhancing Email Functionality:

• Tony recommends two other tools to enhance the email experience within Outlook: Template Phrases and Banana Tag.
• Template Phrases allows users to save email templates and quickly send or reply to emails.
• Banana Tag is a yearly subscription-based tool that tracks email opens and link clicks, providing valuable insights for users.

5. Further Training on Add-ins:

• Tony mentions that he covers Act for Outlook, Template Phrases, and other add-ins in detail in course number four of the add-ins course series.

Conclusion: The integration between Act and Microsoft Outlook has been historically significant for Act users who want to track and manage their outgoing emails. Keystroke’s Act for Outlook solved the problem of email attachment disruptions, offering a reliable solution for maintaining email records within Act CRM. Additionally, the use of other helpful tools like Template Phrases and Banana Tag can further enhance the email functionality within Outlook. For more detailed training on these add-ins and other tools, users can refer to Tony’s course number four.