Synchronizing Outlook Data with SQL Server

The Gartle CRM add-in allows synchronizing Outlook data with Microsoft SQL Server databases.

You can use this feature to solve the following tasks:

Updating corporate databases using users' Outlook data
Updating users' Outlook data from corporate databases
Creating reports built on imported Outlook data
Updating manuals using answers by emails
Making backups of Outlook items in a database

Gartle CRM has agile synchronization settings and includes a ready-to-use multi-user database to store Outlook data.

Gartle CRM supports two operations:

Save
and Load

You can apply any operation to all folder items using the Save and Load ribbon menus:

Gartle CRM Ribbon

Each menu contains configured folders and the Customize button:

Also, you can apply the operation to a specific item using the Sync context menu:

CRM Sync Menu in Contacts

The context menu is available if you check Allow by Default or Allow Manually in the folder sync rules. See below.

Sync Setup

You can click the Customize button in the Save or Load ribbon menu to customize the synchronization.

The setup dialog box looks like this:

Outlook Data Synchronization Setup

Gartle CRM allows creating multiple sync pairs and defining specific rules for each pair.

Managing Pairs

You can create, rename, or delete sync pair.

Also, you can connect with new credentials using the Connect button or remove the current credentials using the Disconnect button.

Check the Show Summary field to show summary results of the sync operation.

Check the Disable field to disable the pair temporary.

Managing Rules

You can configure rules for each existing mailbox using the Mailbox drop-down list.

Check the Allow Private field to allow synchronizing items marked as private.

Select allowed and disallowed categories, if necessary.

You can create and assign specific categories to mark saved or loaded Outlook items. The example above assigns the "In CRM" category.

Check Allow by Default to allow synchronizing all folder items. The add-in places such folders in the Save and Load ribbon menus.

The example above contains a single folder only, Contacts.

Check Allow Manually to allow synchronizing selected items using the context menu.

Click OK to save changes or Cancel to reject.

Creating Sync Pair

The Gartle CRM add-in allows creating multiple sync pairs.

To create a new pair, click the Create button in the Sync Setup dialog box discussed above.

In the following dialog box, specify a name of the new pair and select a provider (SQL Server is available only now).

Creating CRM Sync Pair

Then click Connect.

In the first step, select a data provider:

Creating CRM Sync Pair - Select Provider

We recommend using the built-in SqlClient Data Provider.

In the next step connect to a database and click Finish.

Creating CRM Sync Pair - Connect to Database

Note you have to install the Gartle CRM database for SQL Server first. See details below.

Renaming Sync Pair

You can rename the pair at any time using the Rename button in the Sync Setup dialog box discussed above.

The dialog box is simple. Specify a new name and click OK.

Renaming CRM Sync Pair

Deleting Sync Pair

You can delete the pair at any time using the Delete button in the Sync Setup dialog box discussed above.

The Gartle CRM add-in asks to confirm the operation.

Deleting CRM Sync Pair

Note you can disable the pair temporary instead of the deletion checking the Disable checkbox.

Installing Gartle CRM Database

Gartle CRM includes a ready-to-use database to store Outlook data.

The database contains tables, views, and stored procedures required by the Gartle CRM add-in.

We recommend using the database as is, without any modification, and integrate it with your databases to exchange data.

The database supports SQL Server 2008 or higher, including Azure SQL Database. You can use a free SQL Server Express edition.

To install the database, execute the application-install.sql file from the Database folder of the downloaded package.

Use the application-remove.sql file to remove the database objects.

Adding Users

To allow a user read and write data, add the user to the gcrm_users role.

See how to add users to the role here:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sql/t-sql/statements/alter-role-transact-sql?view=sql-server-ver16

Users of the gcrm_users role can only read and write their own data and cannot access the data of other users.

Note that database administrators and developers can read any data.