Advantage Xi / Google Sync
Advantage Xi can sync with Google using the GoogleSync.exe module. Use the instructions below to setup the options you need and do the sync process. The advantage of using Google sync is that many smart phones have the ability to sync with Google wirelessly. The Advantage Xi CONTACTS and CALENDAR items can sync to allow you to keep up with your data easier.
For additional information on how to setup your phone to
sync with Google use the following link: http://www.google.com/mobile/sync
STEP 1 – Adding Google Sync to your Main Menu:
The first thing you need to do is add the Google Sync icon to your menu. You can add this icon to any of the navigation menu groups that you prefer. In this example we will use the mouse to Right-Click on the Main Menu group heading > Menu Setup > Add Menu Item…
This will display the Mark-It Advantage Xi Add Icon window. Scroll down to Google Sync and select it with your mouse then press the Add Selected Item button to add Google Sync to the Main Menu group. Once this has been added then click the Close button.
You should now see the Google Sync Menu item in the Main Menu group (or which ever group you added it to) Click on the new menu item to run the Google Sync module.
STEP 2 – Initial Database Setup:
If you are updating from an earlier version of Advantage Xi your database will not have the required Google Sync database tables which should be merged into the main database. (It is possible to run the Google sync without merging it into the primary database but that is not recommended.) When you first run the Google Sync and you do not have the required Google Sync tables in your database, you will see a message like this….
This screen will popup EACH time you run Google Sync until it has the required database changes. Press the [OK] button to close this message and use the following steps to add the changes needed.
Merging the required Google Sync files into your database:
NOTE: This process should only
be performed ONCE for your database.
If you are setup to Sync to a MASTER database, you will need to perform these changes while connected to the Master database and then SYNC each of the other computers to get the required changes to these computers. If you are on a REMOTE computer (away from your master) you should exit the system and do this at a later time when you are connected to the master or at a different computer. Trying to merge the changes into 2 different databases and then sync will not work and may cause problems down the road.
Click on the Options Tab to display the [Merge Link Index] button. You will notice that the (*) Stand-Alone radio button is selected instead of the ( ) Integrated option which indicates that the database changes have not been included in your main database.
Press the [Merge Link Index] button to perform the changes needed to the database. Once it is done, it will ask you to exit the Google Sync and Sync if required. EXIT the Google Sync module.
· If you only use Advantage Xi on one computer and do not sync then simply exit the Google Sync module and then come back in.
· If you have a Master database, exit the Google Sync module then press the SYNC NOW button to sync the changes your local database.
STEP 3 – Returning to the Google Sync Module:
NOTE: When you return to the Google Sync screen after the setup process you SHOULD NOT get the message about merging the database. You can also check the Utilities tab to make sure that the (*) Integrated option is selected instead of the Stand-Alone option. If you do get the merge message or it still shows the stand-alone option selected, the system did not merge the needed changes into your database or you did not sync after the process. If you did not sync to your Master, then exit the Google Sync and sync to your Master and try again. If you still have an issue, visit our Help Desk for further instructions: www.AdvantageXi.com/HelpMe
STEP 4 – Entering Your Google Sync Settings:
Once the database changes have been made then fill in the information on this screen to allow Advantage Xi access to your Google data. The first time you sync with Google It may be much easier to remove all contacts and calendar items from Google and sync all data from Advantage Xi to Google. (See Deleting Google Data for details)
1. Enter your Google User Name which is your FULL Google email address: Example: YourUserName@GMail.com
2. Enter your Google Password: It will show it as a series of * characters.
3. Sync Google Contacts To Advantage Xi check this option if you want to sync names currently in Google Contacts to the Advantage Xi Contact database.
4. Sync Advantage Xi Contacts To Google check this option if you want to sync contact in Advantage Xi to Google contacts.
5. Classification – use this dropdown
selection to limit the number of contacts that syncs to/from Google. Some users have a large database of names and
only want to sync as small subset of names to sync. You can setup a classification like “GoogleSync” and assign each contact to that classification
that you want to sync.
Note: Use Global Update to update
several contacts at once.
6. Add Classification To New Contacts From Google can be used to automatically add the required Classification (item 5 above) to any contact that was added in Google and Synchronized to Advantage Xi so that when changes are made to that contact, it will sync those changes from Xi back to Google.
7. Only ‘Clients’ Where I Am Record Owner can be used to sync contacts that meet the requirement of item 5 and any contact that is a contact type of CLIENT must also to be owned by the current user.
8. Only Records Where I Am Record Owner can be used to sync contacts that meet the requirement of item 5 but each record must also be owned by the current user.
9. Assign Contacts To Google [My Contacts] This option will add a new classification to each contact that is sync’d to Google and included in the Google [My Contacts] Group. It is recommended that you include this option but not required – If you do not then the Google [My Contacts] group will not include your names.
10. Sync Google Calendar -> Advantage Xi check this option to sync Calendar Items to Advantage Xi.
11. Sync Advantage Xi Calendar -> Google check this option to sync Advantage Xi Appointments, Phone Calls, To Do’s, Training actions to Google.
12. Your Time Zone select your time zone – this is VERY important to get correct so that Google Sync show the correct type of each calendar item that is added.
13. [Begin Sync] Use this button to perform the sync process. BEFORE doing this the first time you may want to remove any existing contacts and or calendar items so that they don’t duplicate data already in Advantage Xi.
OPTIONS TAB:
Address Book/Calendar Last Sync Dates:
The options tab shows you the last time the Address Book and Calendar were sync’d. If you blank out the fields it will re-sync all records otherwise it will sync only those records that have changed since the date that is displayed in this field.
[Validate Data] – Use this button to check the Address Book for missing information that could prevent proper syncing. If you notice that the number of records in the Google Contacts is not the same as those in the Advantage Xi Address Book then click this button and let it check for missing data.
Alternate Login – Can be checked for those users that subscribe to Google Apps and have difficulty using the normal login. This option is normally NOT checked.
Search for Deleted Items – this option is used to REMOVE contacts/calendar items from the database when deleted from the other. The only difference is that when contacts are deleted in Google and Sync’d with Advantage Xi, we add a classification of [Google Deleted] instead of deleting them from the database. You can then go into your Advantage Xi database and find all contacts by classification of [Google Deleted] and remove them manually. This is a safety precaution to prevent accidental deletion of your primary database.
[Remove Contact Index Links] / [Remove Calendar Index Links] – Use these buttons to REMOVE the linked information of Google contacts or calendars to Xi. If you have sync’d Advantage Xi with Google then for some reason remove all contacts or calendar items from Google you should use one or both the buttons to remove the information that links an Advantage Xi Contact/Calendar to a Google Contact/Calendar item. Otherwise it may skip the record during the sync process.
Create Log File – Use this checkbox to create a log file during the sync process. This should only be used if you are having problems with the sync and need to get information to an Advantage Xi Support Rep.
[View Log File] – Use this button to view the log file that was created during the last sync process.
RESULTS TAB:
This tab will show the current
processing results for the sync.
NOTE: This screen may be hidden in future releases.
UNLOCK CAPCHA:
I received a CAPTCHA error during authentication, what is a CAPTCHA?
First of all, you should not get a CAPTCHA if things are working normally. You may get a CAPTCHA Google suspects illegal intrusion such as after too many incorrect login attempts. A CAPTCHA ensures that a real person is attempting to log in, and not a computer trying random strings (a "dictionary" attack).
If you do get a Captcha Security Warning simply goto the Unlock Captcha tab and click on the [Unlock Captcha Security] button to get the Google accounts screen and fill in the Email / Password information for your account and then type in the characters you see in the picture. Once you have a successful sync you should not get the warning message again.
DELETING GOOGLE DATA:
To delete Google Contacts, goto http://www.google.com/contacts (login as needed) then scroll down and select the group called: All Contacts then click on the Select: ALL that is listed above the names that were displayed. Once you have the names selected that need to be deleted, click on the [Delete contacts] button in the upper right corner of the Google contacts screen.
To delete Google Calendar entries, goto http://www.google.com/calendar (login as needed) then click on the SETTINGS dropdown menu in the upper right corner and select Calendar Settings. Then click on the Calendars tab of the Calendar Settings – on the right side of the screen you can click the Delete link and then click on the [Delete] button that shows in the popup screen. Since your primary calendar cannot be removed from the list it will simply remove all entries in the calendar when you perform this action.
HOW
TO AUTOMATICALLY SYNC USING WINDOWS TASK SCHEDULER
Windows XP:
Start > All Programs >
Accessories > System Tools> Scheduled Tasks
Double-Click on "Add Scheduled Task"
Click on "Next"
Click on "Browse"
copy the following into the file name including the
quotes
"C:\Program Files\Mark-It Systems\Mark-It
Advantage Xi\System\GoogleSync.exe"
Then click on "Open"
Choose "Daily" > "Next"
Select the time you want to send out emails i.e. 8:00am
Every Day (or when ever you want)
then click next "Next"
Enter the username and password that will be used "Next"
Press the "Finish" button when done
Windows
Start > All Programs >
Accessories > System Tools> Tasks Scheduler
Click on "Create Basic Task..."
In the Name field type: Sync
Xi to Google
Click on "Next"
For the Trigger Select: Daily
Click on "Next"
Enter the Start Date/Time and
recurring days as needed
Click on "Next"
Select (*) Start a program
Click on "Next"
In the Program/script: field
Click on "Browse..." to the
path below
or copy the following into the file name including the
quotes
32 Bit Versions of Windows: "C:\Program
Files\Mark-It Systems\Mark-It Advantage Xi\System\GoogleSync.exe"
64 Bit Versions of Windows: "C:\Program
Files (x86)\Mark-It Systems\Mark-It Advantage Xi\System\GoogleSync.exe"
In the "Add arguments(optional):
field type in /AUTO
Click on "Next"
Click the checkbox to "Open the Properties dialog
for this task when I click Finish"
Click on "Finish"
The window will open with the information you added.
Click on the Triggers tab then click the [Edit...]
button
check the checkbox to Repeat task
every [1 hour] for a duration of [Indefinitely]
Note: you have the ability to manually change the 1 hour to 2
hours or 3 hours by typing in the words
Press the [OK] button when done.