Back Up Your Database

The new year is always a time for me to consider new habits. One that I know we could all get better at is protecting our data. So many times we take our ACT database for granted. If your computer were to crash right now or your laptop stolen, would you have a copy of your database anywhere? I worked with a Financial Consultant one time who hired a summer intern to help clean up the database and the intern deleted the entire database…there were no backups anywhere…years of work were gone in only a few minutes. I’ve been to larger corporations where the staff was sure that IT was backing up their database nightly only to find out that that backup was not working properly or that the ACT database had not been included in the list of files to backup and the most recent backup they had was more than a year old. Backups usually only take a few minutes. Do you know when and where your last backup occurred? Resolve to back up more frequently!

Backing Up

      For all versions of ACT
When you backup your database, the data is compressed into a .ZIP file. Versions 2005 through 2007 do not require that everyone be out of the database prior to backing it up. However, older versions (2004 or 6 and older) will require that everyone be out of ACT.

1. File, Backup (if you are using 2005/2006/2007, select Database)
2. Click Browse 
3. Select a location (not the A:\). If you are connected to a network, it is preferable to select a folder on a different computer (like the F: drive) for saving your backup files. If you are not connected to a network, then select a location on your desktop and then copy the .zip file to a CD or USB Flash Drive. 
4. Add a date to the end of the suggested name. That way the current backup file will not overwrite any other backups.
5. Click Save
6. OK or Start * In older versions (6/2004 and older) you may click the Options tab first to select what you would like to include in the backup. In versions 2005 through 2007, everything is automatically backed up.

Go forth and backup! (That sounds like conflicting advice.)

ACT Tip: New Years Resolutions

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
To celebrate 2007, I’m sending you 10 ACT tips
as New Year’s resolutions for your database
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

10.  I will clean out my old contacts. I have thousands of names in my database, and many are no longer up to date. Merge and Purge!

9.  I will delete my unused Groups. I will “use them or lose them.”

8.  I will schedule time to get my newsletter out regularly (for me it is the ACT Tips).

7.  I will flag all customer contacts with missing or bounceback email addresses  (I enter “Email failed” in the Last Results field) and then schedule time to call them to update their record. (When I update the record, I clear the Last Results field.)

6.  I will stop setting alarms, except when I REALLY need them. More than one alarm a day is too many. Alarms are unnecessary if I keep my eye on my Task List. (If you change the Task List Dates: filter to “Past” you can always see what is on your list.)

5.  I will erase or clear the old activities on my Task List (try the right-click method). I will NEVER get to those incomplete tasks from a year ago. If I can’t keep up with activities I schedule for myself, I will design a more realistic follow-up plan.

4.  I will call or e-mail one day ahead to confirm all my Meetings (set the Task List Dates: filter to “Tomorrow” if you are using the newer version of ACT).

3.  When someone hands me a business card, I will write a few words on the card to remind me about this person (how many business cards do I have that I can’t remember why I have them in the first place?) Then I will enter every business card I have in ACT!, coding the contact record with REFERRED BY (where I met this person), ID/STATUS (in which category(ies) will I want to communicate with this person again), and entering my “few words” into LAST RESULTS (which will automatically record a time/date-stamped history for me under the HISTORY tab, saving me an extra step).

2.  When I make an unscheduled call, I will ALWAYS record it in ACT with my keyboard shortcut CTRL+H.

1.  When I clear an activity, I will ALWAYS schedule a follow-up activity so I never lose track of an important contact in my follow-up system.

BONUS:  I will NOT become a poster child for short-sighted database marketers. I will back up my database daily. (I’ll expand on that one in my next tip.)

Happy New Year!
To your success,
Susan

P.S. If you live in the Houston area, you can get more time management and ACT database organization tips at our next Houston Area ACT User Group meeting on Tuesday, January 9th from 6-7:30pm. Schedule it in your calendar now so you can plan on attending.

Choosing

The thing that strikes me most about New Years resolutions is that they are all about intentions. Each day we have the choice to follow those intentions…to be whomever we choose to be. I usually find that I am who I choose to be.

New Years Resolutions

I know some people think they are sappy, but I love New Year’s resolutions. It’s a great time for me to reflect on the path I am taking and whether it is still taking me to my desired destination.  I use Mindjet Mindmanager Pro software to mind map my projects (both personal and professional) at the beginning of each year. If you have never used mind mapping as a tool to collect and organize your thoughts, I highly recommend that you consider it. While traditional mind maps are hand done on huge pieces of paper, I love this easy to use version for my PC. I use the built-in markers to prioritize each of my projects and usually check my digital mind maps several times throughout the year to verify that I am still on track with my goals. Like many resolutions, some are left behind as more important ones take their place.

After spending time in refining my goals, the next step is to distill them into action steps. Mindmanager is great for planning, but not for execution. I continue to use ACT! to manage my time and schedule my tasks. I’ve been using it since the DOS days to keep track of our clients and prospects. Every now and then I check out the market for alternatives, but still find that ACT! is the best product in its category. (I try to be ever mindful of the marketplace as we used to support WordPerfect and I certainly don’t want to go there again.) For now, I am very committed to this product. Since I am still on Sage’s ACT! Advisory Board and a member of the Product Advisory Council, I can see some really great things in store for ACT! users. I love the direction this product is going.

Happy New Year