Syncronise with Google Calender

Are there any addons that will synchronise the CommitCRM calender with google calender?

I currently use CompanionLink to do the sync between Sage Act! and google and this works well and allows me to have all my appointments, tasks etc on my android phone.

If I make a change to contacts, calender, tasks on my phone, or via google website or in the sage software they are all updated at same time (without having to rely on flaky and often crashing for no reason Outlook!).

Thanks

Hi Billie,

Thanks for posting this.
Syncing between GoogleApps and RangerMSP can only be done by using MS Outlook as a conduit. This requires the use of the RangerMSP Outlook Sync and MS Outlook in order to work.

We have received requests from our customers to add a Google Apps integrator; however, that feature is pending development.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Sherry

google apps connector would be amazing

Wish for direct Google Apps sync - would be wonderful. Contacts and calendar, but calendar especially.

We currently sync to Google Calendar (and then down to our Blackberrys). We do this as suggested above by syncing first to Outlook, then use Google Calendar Sync to take it to the account. We do this for each tech. Works well, but ... requires Outlook and CommitCRM to run all the time (for 1/2 updates). :(

any updates on this, and if it will possibly be in an upcoming version? we use google apps for email and calendar, and would really like it to work with CommitCRM.

this would be the killer feature...

Thanks for following up on this and for your feedback.

This is something we're looking at, though we currently have other items on our list with a higher priority.

Google Calendar syncs well with Outlook, as such you can sync RangerMSP with Google Calendar while using Outlook almost behind-the-scenes so everything goes from RangerMSP to Google Calendar through Outlook and vice versa.

I'm not saying that a direct link won't work better, it probably will, I'm just saying that because there's a workable method to sync RangerMSP with Google Calendar (even without actually working with Outlook), it doesn't as a high development priority at the moment. Anyway, your votes for it were added. Thanks!

Dina

+1 for google apps integration!

make that 2, really would be a good option

make it 8 more of us... Thanks !

Another vote here!

Just a short notice to let you guys know that we're watching this thread.

we use google apps (without outlook) so a google apps integration tool would be essential to us now. we will even beta test if needed. we have 7 users with sql and all other add-ons

Our company of 15 users are voting for this option. We use Android phones so this would be a must for us!

@dytechs, do you use Exchange? ...or do you host all of your email w/ Google Apps?

+2 users

*bump*

We are on Google Apps and don't have access to Outlook. CommitCRM -> Google sync would be very helpful.

That would be nice. I cant find a different way to look at the calendars except going intoCommitCRM. I would like to be able to link the shared calendar to a gmail account and everyone have access to this on their mobiles. +3

+1 to connect to Google calendar. Then you can see whats to do without logging into CommitCRM.

+1

Any update on Google Apps integration? Most ever CRM has some level of Google integration, sure think CommitCRM needs to evolve past MS Outlook dependence.

We're already looking into the options here. Thanks for voting.

Regards,
Dina

+1

Absolutely...we no longer use exchange. Gmail / GoogleApss integration would be fantastic.

Add our company of 15 to the votes.

Really would love a Google App for CommitCRM as well. I don't want to have to purchase another add on service.

Just making sure people understand that when you use googleapps, you are pretty much agreeing that google has access to, and can use the data as they see fit... it's pretty scary when you read the fine print (all of it!). They use phrases like:
* Google's servers automatically record certain information about your use of the services... (including) data displayed...
* We provide such information to our subsidiaries, affiliated companies or other trusted businesses or persons...
* We have a good faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of such information is reasonably necessary...

Call me old school but I’m taking the cautious road when it comes to client data... (!)

Cheers!

//ray

Oh come on Ray, you can trust Google. They would never abuse the access they have to your data ;-)

I'm old school too, I like to keep control of my data whenever possible.

@lpopejoy
We host all with google.

+1 .. Google apps are simple and efficient.

Any news about integration?

Thanks for voting. While other items are currently more popular we are looking into this.

What items are more popular than this?

Well, there are many. Direct Exchange sync, unlike syncing with it trough Outlook, comes to mind (and no, I'm not hinting that it's something we've started to work on). In any case, we have been working and testing the options here and understand that some users can benefits from it already. Thanks for asking.

Dina

You should really consider letting every registered user vote on items. I'm not sure how you come up with what is more important / less important.

I wouldn't be too hard to let us vote by registered email address, and show the results. They we couldn't complain when you say you are working on the ones with higher votes, etc.

@nattivillin

I think it's kind of like everything else in life, if you contribute then you have a say... I see a lot of activity on these forums and I'm guessing CommitCRM uses the input directly from them to determine where and what should be developed. For those that don't plug into the forms (obviously you are not one of them), give their feedback and help others out, I say the get what is given. If they don't like it, plug in and talk about it!

Now that said, I do like the idea of having maybe a once/year email go out to the registered owners of CommitCRM for a short survey to help prioritize development... CommitCRM could then also weigh that against how many licenses are in use.

cheers --

//ray

Yes! And we should get the results. They cant keep saying this and that is more requested and it doesn't seem like it is. Where are all these requests? I read almost ever post!

I know how easy it is to ask for something. I also know how hard it is to make seemingly simple things work.

If people request a feature that is harder to implement, then just let us know. Have a 1 - 5 grading scale that comes out with the survey results. Then we'll know what to expect sooner than later.

Thanks nattivillin. Even with this active forum the majority of feature requests are still sent to us by email... Anyway, we will share such results should such a survey be sent out.
A Google Calendar two way sync is probably not of the easiest thing to implement yet we have received requests for it and have started evaluating the options. Anyway, it will probably won't be introduced in the near future.

Thanks guys for your suggestions!

Any update on this? For 1.5 years you guys wrote that you are working on this and last message says that it wont be available in the near future. We stopped using MS office products about 3 years ago. Google apps integration would be an essential feature for us. Not just calendar but, docs, contacts, gmail and etc.

Thanks

Thanks for asking. We've actually made some progress in this direction, however, other things got higher priority or have become more popular so this project has been put on hold. We definitely see the benefits it'll give to users that use Google Calendar and hope to get back to it sooner than later.

the google apps API should make this not too difficult to do from a developers standpoint.

but this is just another post to request google calendar sync!

my primary workstation is linux and i mostly use CommitCRM thru the webui, so server side commite-google calendar integration would be VERY useful to me and my organization.

Thanks :)

Vote noted. Thanks.

I used to use CommitCRM. I stopped because I simply couldn't afford to buy the add-ons I needed, and due to my lack of research, I didn't realise that after the trial, that they would cease to work.
Anyhow, Support were really good to me and even though I walked away from Commit, they were very helpful.
One of my biggest problems was the Outlook Sync. It is very flaky, and I'm not necessarily blaming CommitCRM for that. Outlook is bloated and unstable compared to Google Apps mail and calendar. It would seem that more and more businesses are adopting Google Apps over Outlook.
Using Outlook with CommitCRM, I had calendar entries appearing up to 5 times for the same event. Confusion over which workstation was trying to sync. Error messages popping up because computers without Outlook installed were causing the CommitCRM client to have sync issues.
So, with my errors and the sync problems in mind, I walked away.
I have to say, I would probably consider coming back to CommitCRM if it could sync with Google Apps calendar and mail. Too many errors with Outlook sync.
So, add my +1 to the cause even though, at present, I am not (yet) a CommitCRM user.

Thank you for posting this and for your kind works about our support. We evaluate the options about such an integration and revisit it from time to time. Once we will feel comfortable enough in regards to the Google Apps APIs and the possibility to offer a very reliable such a sync we will probably offer it. In regards to Outlook sync, even though some improvements are requested, like server side sync with Exchange (unlike the client sync with Exchange/Outlook), it normally works very well with Outlook and we have plenty of users using it on a daily basis successfully. In case you decide to use it again we will be happy to work with you and resolve this syncing problem.

Hope this helps.

Thanks againCommitCRM.
Kind words were justified. In my opinion, you are as on the ball as you can be.
Everyone wants something sometime and sometime soon.
I have read in other threads about the Outlook sync issue and it's easy to explain it.
I had CommitCRM installed on my server and had it syncing through Outlook via Google Apps sync.
Occasionally, it would fail to sync with no descriptive error other than it was going to try again in safe mode. It usually succeeded but often duplicated events.
But the real problem is that if I then went to a PC which had Outlook installed but not used, there would be error messages from CommitCRM that it couldn't sync. I really needed it to sync only with the server computer but it seemed to try to sync on any PC it was lauched on.
We don't use exchange server and never will. I'm happy to try an alternative to Google Apps mail and calendar but I simply can't find a better alternative yet. At least not one as popular and comprehensive as GA.
Perhaps I had it set up wrong?
I would like to remain active on the forums even though I no longer use CommitCRM. I say this as one day, I do hope to return to CommitCRM.
You were good to me and you know why.
I haven't forgotten.

Thank you!

The only thing we can think of in regards to the above is that you had Auto-Sync enabled and saved to start to sync automatically each time you log in. With saved Auto-Sync settings it does start to run on every PC you log in with your user-credentials.

The way around it is not to save-settings for auto-sync but rather to activate the active sync manually when you're using the machine you want it to sync with (In your scenario the machine that has Outlook locally installed and synced with Google Apps). This is not ideal but it's the only thing I can think of at the moment.

Hope this makes things somewhat clearer and helps.

Yes, actually it does. Thanks.
As you say, it's not ideal. Maybe another +1 fr GA sync then.
HOwever, I guess a workaround could be to have one user logged in on the server with auto sync enabled and use a different user login on other clients?

Obviously, the negative is the fact taht a second user licence is required to achieve this.
Food for thought though.

Thanks CommitCRM support.

We use google apps as well, It will be wonderful to have a direct sync to google calendar and task, then to each of the techs, you guys should prioritize Google apps synchronization. In addition, It will help expose commitcrm to potentially millions of people that use google apps marketplace.

Rayman, that's a really good point.

It's obviously not quiute as easy as we all think otherwise, I'm sure CommitCRM would have done this already, especially considering the additional marketing it would attract.

There is a web based product called Nimble that syncronises beautifully with GA Mail, calendar, Facebook, Twitter and various other integrations. Nimble isn't CommitCRM by any standards, but it shows that the integration can be done and done really well. I use Nimble, but not for anything like CommitCRM can handle.
IMHO CommitCRM is the best at what it does, but it's like a penthouse suite inside and a log cabin outside.
And I mean that in a nice way. Constructive not critical.

I find it absolutely amazing that people still want to push sensitive data up to google apps fully knowing that once this is done, google OWNS the information... forever. Seriously, are people not paying attention to the fine print?!?

How many clients are OK with you pushing up information to the cloud about their company, their systems, their infrastructure details, etc. without consent (and do they really understand what is happening)? If I were your client and I found out that you were publishing information (important/critical or not) about my business operations up to google’s cloud, firing you/your firm would be the least of the problems.

Remember that google (who just cleared $14B in Q3 2012) doesn’t give all these cool toys, apps and gadgets away for free because they think it’s cool and fun... it’s how they collect and mine the data – YOUR data and now by the sounds of it, your clients data.

Folks, you need to really stop a think things through more... you are the ones who are supposed to be watching and protecting the data, not exposing it.

//ray

Ray, good post.

Surely though, if CommitCRM syncs with GA, it would primarily sync Calendar and Tasks and maybe mail, but not all client data.
So, in all honesty, nothing would change for GA users out there today.
Mail would be the same, but sent via CommitCRM instead of the GA site.
Tasks, same, and calendar the same too. Just an appointment created inCommitCRM.
I'm with you completely about how Google owns your data, but masses of us already use it for our daily operations in support and so far, I haven't heard of any Google misuse.

Like others have said, this Google Apps integration issue has been rumbling on for perhaps over 2 years now. Nothing seems to be happening. I recently contacted a database developer who works in Filemaker and he said that Google Apps integration is quite easy.
Maybe he was just talking the talk, but I will pursue it with him to see what he has to offer.

I would only use it for calendar and tasks.

It would be nice to have the dispatch calendar on the big screen in the office. I can easily see who is doing what and when.

That is assuming all appointments are on there.

It's been discussed a load of times, but still no integration. Many online systems seem to sync with Google Apps easily, but CommitCRM doesn't. Whether this is due to CommitCRM not being an online system, I don't know.
But so many have requested it and still nothing.
I'm still looking to come back to Commit, but after so may issues with Outlook, which we don't use and absoluteley don't like, we just don't feel that the only solution is to use it as as stepping stone. It seems to weakenCommitCRM.
That said, great people and a great product. Just the stepping stones to convert into bridges and away we go!

Thank you for asking and for your kind words. Yes, this is something we evaluate and seriously consider. So far when compared with other requests and the complexity (e.g. time/resources) involved we've implemented other requests. Hopefully in one of our future releases we will offer a direct sync for Google Apps, one that does not require to use Outlook as a mediator for this.

Well, please email me the minute you do and I'll get the money transferred!
I wait in anticipation.
Best wishes.

Wondering if there is an update to this Google Calendar sync project now that Google Calendar Sync has been discontinued?

From Google's site: In addition to Google Sync, we’re discontinuing Google Calendar Sync on December 14, 2012 and Google Sync for Nokia S60 on January 30, 2013. We’re also ending service for SyncML, a contacts sync service used by a small number of older mobile devices on January 30, 2013.

We are considering it however there are no updates at this time.Thank you for asking.

Would love to see Google apps integration. Please add my vote.

This has been rolling on for quite some time now. Can't see it happening anytime soon.
It's a shame really as many of the other reputable helpdesk offerings have this integration.
I'm now working with a development company to design our own helpdesk software.
Even so, I will still consider CommitCRM if the GA integration ever happens. I just got tired of waiting.

Bright Future - this is definitely on our list however we are currently busy implementing other features that are much more popular among our users. We will be happy if you will decide to become a RangerMSP customer, however, we understand that this feature may be a top priority for you and in this case you should probably continue the development of you own helpdesk software.

Here another idea for you to consider - instead of spending your resources and develop an helpdesk system from scratch, use RangerMSP's API to implement this sync module and besides using it in-house offer it as a plugin for RangerMSP. Not only you will end up spending much less money than developing an entire system yourself, but also I believe that other RangerMSP users will be willing to pay you for such an integration module.

Hope this makes sense.

Hi Commit,
Yes, your comment does make sense.
However, the company that I am working with are not charging me for the development.
I went to them with the idea, we all sat around a rather large table and discussed it.
They will have the rights to sell it and own it and I will get a free copy for life of he software. All I do if provide copious quantities of feedback and feature requests and they make a button that does it.
So, I cannot ask them to work with the CommitCRM software.

All this said, I am already using version 1 and it is very good. A long way to go yet but they told me that the Google Apps integration will be pretty easy.
Now, my problem and why I left CommitCRM is that I spend an awful lot of time away from base and whilst out have no access toCommitCRM.
So, If I add a contact whilst out (and I do this a lot), it has to be entered twice and that's if I remember to do it.
Also, when a colleague enters a job and puts it into the CommitCRM calendar, they are having to enter it again into GA calendar.
We found anomalies when we used Outlook as the conduit.

We don't like it, we don't use it and we were not only having to pay CommitCRM to use it, but had to pay Microsoft as well. We were getting duplicates in the calendar, sometimes up to 15 times! (We know why though now thanks again to you). Also, we had formatted contact detail in GA how we liked it. Along came the Outlook sync from CommitCRM and all that changed.
It took us ages to get it right again.
Then it all went awry again.
Too many annoyances with this sync made us stop using it.
By my own admission, I didn't realise the add-ons that I had to pay for to get all of this to screw my formatting up and that's why I quit CommitCRM in the end.

Regarding some comments about sharing ALL client data with Google....
Calendar data. Neither here nor there.... nor really useful to anyone that.
Customer details... Well the details I store are name, phone number and address (what else?).
Most of which are freely available via the web anyway.
I'm sure that Google won't be selling my contact list to anyone soon.

And finally, the reason that I would go back to CommitCRM over the developers I am working with...
The support. It is very good. I like the functionality of the product and it is working right now.
The system I am using is in its infancy and new features are taking a long time to appear.
This is because they have many other products and have to give time to those as well.
It has it's own invoicing system built in, so doesn't have to use Quickbooks either. Another expense saved.
But, at this stage, it's still not as good asCommitCRM.
Their saving grace is that when completed, it will be a fully featured product with everything built in from day one. No add-ons to buy and the ability to sync with Quickbooks if required, Freshbooks, and Google Apps (all).
They're also talking to Nimble about syncing with their product.

Still, at this current time, I prefer the look ad feel ofCommitCRM. You must be doing something right there. :-)

Thanks for your feedback and kind words :-) Let us know how things progress.

Personally, I think Outlook, Office365 and the free Outlook.Com is superior in every way to Google Apps. Unknown to most is that you can register your domain for free at domains.live.com , and set your corporate MX record there and have Exchange and OWA functionality for free. Maybe its time to revisit the rich client interface of the Outlook.com, free Skydrive file space, share and sync OneNote online workbooks, and the feature rich free Work, Excel and Powerpoint online documents..... Why settle for something less?
By the way, have a look at Bing! I switched six weeks ago and haven't looked back. Once in a while I have to use Google to find reference to some obsecure technical puzzle but other than that I Bing! it. Sign up for rewards, and in six weeks I earned enough points for 1 month free X-Box Live subscription. If getting paid to use Bing! isn't enough, I don't know what is but the Bing! desktop sync surprises me every morning with a new brilliant desktop that's simply breath taking. I suppose some people want to look at a blank white screen when they go to Google.com, but the Office/Bing combination is working great for me! Make the switch and enjoy a full featured product thats intuitive and works with CommitCRM and everything else that sync's with Outlook natively instead of trying to working around all the time for a "lesser than" product. Worth mentioning is Skype voice/video chat is fully integrated as well. Google apps are boring and when you can show the compare / contrast to your client and they can see how much nicer it is, you will have a juicy migration contract to upgrade them to a better product. (IMHO) Enjoy!