ACT 2010 Demo and FAQ

There are 3 versions of ACT! to fit your business need

With the release of ACT 2010, Sage Software fills in some sales and marketing gaps that have been missing from its contact manager feature set.

Watch The Database Diva’s free “day in the life” how-to ACT! 2010 demo video, and then read answers to the questions it generated below.

If you have an ACT! 2010 question for us, let us know in the comment section, and we’ll respond.

ACT! 2010 Overview

1. Q: can I watch a demo of ACT! 2010’s new features?
   A: Yes. Here’s the link to the ACT! 2010 demo. Our version is a “role play” between Chris Huffman and her trusty ACT! Consultant as they define a typical business workflow for CHTechOne using ACT! Software.
2. Q: What’s diff between ACT Standard and ACT Premium
   A: ACT! Premium has extra features to accommodate enterprise-wide contact database security and firepower for processing remote database synchronization. If you have no sync users and need only basic database security, ACT! by Sage (Standard) will work fine for up to 10 users.
3. Q: What does a new license of ACT! 2010 cost?
   A: $160.99 for ACT! 2010 Standard, $321.99 for ACT! 2010 Corporate Edition Premium EX and $384.99 for ACT! 2010 Corporate Edition Premium ST.
4. Q: What does an upgrade license of ACT! 2010 cost?
   A: $118.95 for ACT! 2010 Standard, $209.95 for ACT! 2010 Corporate Edition Premium EX and $251.95 for ACT! 2010 Corporate Edition Premium ST
5. Q: Is this the upgrade price no matter what version I’m upgrading from? (I have ACT! 2008.)
   A: Yes, you may upgrade from any prior ACT version for the upgrade price shown here. You are not penalized for “skipping” an upgrade.  If you are upgrading from ACT! 6.0, however, you must go through a database conversion first. That’s because ACT!’s software code has changed to MS SQL since that older version was released in 2003.
6. Q: Are there any ACT 2010 discounts available?
   A: Yes. Through August 31, 2009, you can purchase ACT! 2010 Software on a pre-release discount of 30% off the retail price. Additonally, The Database Diva has $426 in exclusive bonuses if you buy your new or upgrade ACT! Software licenses from us, rather than Sage Software or another ACT! reseller.
7. Q: When is this version available?
   A: ACT! 2010 will be released mid-September.
8. Q: Can you show us the groups and companies?
   A: Groups and companies work exactly as they did in previous versions of ACT! Software.
9. Q: For a small company starting up, would it be better to get last year’s version for now and then upgrade at a later date when we grow into it to utilize everything to the fullest?
   A: If you’re buying ACT! for the first time, invest in current version. Even veteral ACT! users don’t use every feature that comes with ACT! While this version has both new and improved features, taking an ACT! training class or working with our ACT! consultants on your sales and marketing workflow will help you leverage your software much more quickly.
10. Q: How stable is this?  I got burned by a previous version that didn’t work.
    A: ACT 2010 is an extension of ACT 2009, not a complete rewrite as in previous versions. That means Sage has simply added new features to an already stable platform.
11. Q: How long until they have a version that fixes/patches initial bugs.
    A: We don’t have an exact timeline on any updates or hotfixes since we don’t know what bugs there may be at this point. If Sage follows their typical timeline an update is usually released 3 – 4 months after initial release.
12. Q: Is there a web-enabled or web-access version of ACT?
    A: Yes. Your options are to configure your own dedicated web server (recommended), configure a standalone PC workstation as a web server (acceptable, but will be slow the more ACT users you have) or host your database with our hosting service.  All of these solutions require ACT! Corporate Edition Premium EX.
13. Q: Is it only ACT! Corporate Edition that does what you covered today?
    A: All versions of ACT! 2010 have the same upgraded feature sets for expanded sales opportunity customization, e-marketing, reporting and social media.
14. Q: Is this price for a one-user version?
    A: Yes, pricing is per license. Call us for a multi-user discount if you need 25 or more licenses.
15. Q: When you update to 2010 version, will all of your contact information be transferred?
    A: Yes. Unless you are upgrading from ACT 6.0 or older. Then you will need to do a data conversion first.
16. Q: Does ACT work with the most recent version of Internet Explorer?
    A: Yes, and here are ACT! 2010 system specifications

ACT! 2010 Email Integration

1. Q: What if I use Gmail, Yahoo instead of Outlook for email
   A: Both of these allow integration with Outlook. Setup Outlook to connect to these and then connect ACT to Outlook.
2. Q: How does Act work with Outlook? Is it 110% compatible?
   A: We think so. For the first time, ACT!’s Outlook integration accepts and sends meeting invites just like Outlook does.
3. Q: What marketing tool do you recommend for email marketing?
   A: There are many excellent email marketing tools in the marketplace. However, if you use ACT!, the only email marketing tool to consider using is Swiftpage. In ACT! 2010, Swiftpage is automatically integrated into the software. Your marketing metrics are easily written back into your ACT! history tab so you can create prioritized call lists and create better niche marketing groups.

ACT! Drip Marketing

1. Q: When is the next drip marketing camp and how much is it?
   A: The Database Diva’s exclusive DripMarketingCamp is held approximately every six weeks. The schedule is here
2. Q: Can Swiftpage sync with sub-sub groups? (I can only go to the sub-group level to sync.)
   A:
3. Q: Are there plans for a drip-marketing autoresponder?
   A: Yes. You can set up ACT! e-marketing (Swiftpage) to launch an autoresponder off a web-form sign-up. The web form is created with a Swiftpage survey form and web inquiries are auto-imported into ACT! and then a drip campaign is launched. This is one of the drip marketing campaigns you can set up in DripMarketingCamp.
4. Q: Would I need Act 2010 Premium to utilize drip marketing?
   A: No. Drip Marketing works with any version, except for legacy versions of ACT 6.0 or earlier (when email barely existed!)
5. Q: Can we see more on the Drip Marketing section
   A: You can get a free trial of ACT! e-marketing here

ACT! Training

1. Q: Do you have information on the training classes on the website?
   A: The Database Diva offers public, private and online ACT! training classes. In the monthly Power Hour, you can get 60 minutes of in-depth subject matter expertise on a variety of ACT sales and marketing topics.
2. Q: We will be a first time user of ACT…. Is there a simple “start-up” webinar?
   A: Yes. The easiest and fastest way to get ACT! training is to book a 2-hour private online class. You pick the date, time and agenda. We cram in as much as you can stand in 2 hours. All our training programs come with a 30-day guarantee. Additionally, we have recorded training modules which are cheap and great for self-directed staff training.

PDA Integration with ACT! 2010

1. Q: Can I sync my calendar/contacts with the Palm Pre, iPhone, Blackberry (etc.)?
   A: Yes. You need the Companionlink add-on to record your activities into your contact’s history (and not your ACT! My Record history). The one-time software purchase is $49-$99, depending on whether you want to sync wirelessly or through a PDA cradle. (The Database Diva loves her Blackberry wireless connection. As soon as someone schedules her in ACT!, the activity immediately appears on her phone.)

ACT! 2010 Reporting

1. Q: Can you use TopLine Dash with ACT 2010? I currently have ACT 2009.
   A: At this time it does not appear to work. Check with Topline as I’m sure they will release an update to make it compatible.

ACT! Accounting Integration

1. Q: Does this version or any other version of ACT! integrate with QuickBooks?
   A: If you use account numbers in QuickBooks, there is a new QB add-on that may work for you. If you do not use account numbers, your ACT! moon and QB stars must be in alignment…i.e., both software versions must be on the same generation version and both companies must have updated their links to each other at the same time.  Diva hint: Sage owns Peachtree; QB is not in a hurry to cooperate with any Sage product links. There are other workarounds, however. Ask us for a our recommendation.
2. Q: Do I need an add-on to enter contacts into QuickBooks?
   A: See the answer above. But one easy way to get ACT! contacts into QB is with eGrabber.

 

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