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Sychronizing to your Palm Pilot

Note: This documentation covers multiple setup scenarios; please choose the best scenario that meets your needs. Remember, all of these changes should be performed as close to June 14, 2004 as possible

A Clean Start; Synchronizing your Exchange Calendar with a Palm Pilot

The following instructions are for a 'Clean Start' with your Palm. This means that your Palm is either brand new, or you've done a 'hard reset' and erased all of the information on it. A 'hard reset' is done in various ways depending on the model of Palm Pilot you have. Generally it consists of either holding down the small 'reset' button on your palm for several seconds or holding the button down once quickly and then holding it down again for several seconds. Instructions for a 'hard reset' can also be found in the manual that came with your model.

Installing Palm Desktop Software

This software must be installed first in order to synch with your Outlook calendar. This software does contain it's own Calendaring software as well as an Address Book, Notepad and To Do list. In the next section, however, we will install the software that allows you to synch with the Exchange Calendar, Contacts (address book) and To Do list.

The steps and illustrations below may vary, depending on which version of Palm hardware and software you have.
  1. The palm desktop software is located on a disk that came with your palm device. You can also download the palm software from Palm Inc.
  2. Insert the palm software disk in your CDROM, or double click the file you downloaed from Palm to run the palm desktop installer.
  3. When the software starts up, Click 'Next' at the initial window and then click 'Next' again
  4. Accept the terms of the license agreement and click 'Next'
  5. Click 'Next'
  6. Enter your RIT Computer account for your 'User Name' and click 'Next'
  7. Select the connection type for your Palm device and click 'Next'. Your connection type can either be 'USB' or a 'Serial Port' connection, most likely using 'COM1'

    Connection Type

  8. Click the 'Install' button
  9. Click the 'Finish' button


Installing PocketMirror Software

This software is a conduit that allows your Palm to synchronize with the Exchange Calendar, Contacts, To Do List and more. Pocket mirror is also located on a disk that came with your palm device, or you can purchase it via download from Chapura Inc. The steps and illustrations below may vary depending on which version of Pocket Mirror you have, but the procedure is generally similar.

  1. Double click 'My Computer'
  2. Double click the '(C:)' drive
  3. Click 'File', 'New' and then select 'Folder'
  4. Name the folder 'PocketMirror'
  5. Insert the Pocket Mirror CD that came with your Palm device in your CDROM drive, or download it from Chapura to a folder called 'C:\PocketMirror' and double click on it to run the installer.
  6. Click 'Next' at the 'Welcome Screen'

    Welcome

  7. Click 'Yes' to the license agreement
  8. Click 'Next' at the 'Choose Destination Location' window
  9. Click 'Next' again
  10. Click 'Next' at the 'Select Program Folder' window
  11. Keep all of the Outlook applications selected and click 'Next'

    Conduit Choices

  12. Click 'Next' at the 'Start Copying Files' window
  13. Click 'Finish' and close the PocketMirror Help window and any other open windows you may have open
  14. With the PDA inserted into it's cradle, click the 'HotSynch' button on your PDA
  15. Make sure your 'user name' is selected and click ok

    Select User

  16. Be patient the first synch may take quite a bit of time, especially if you have many appointments in your Outlook calendar and contacts folders.
  17. If you receive the prompt that 'A program is trying to access e-mail addresses you have stored in Outlook' check the box next to 'Allow access for' and choose '10 minutes' from the drop down window.

    Outlook Contacts

  18. When the 'PocketMirror monitor window' has closed your items should now be synchronized with your PDA.
  19. Follow any further instructions your Palm may request such as clicking the 'Reset' if this is the first time you have ever synched. This type of reset does not erase anything, it is merely a 'soft reset'.



Palm Desktop Users Converting to Outlook

These instructions apply to users who are currently using all of the Palm Desktop components: Date Book, To Do List, Address Book, Memo and Note Pad. These items can now be synchronized with Exchange.

  1. Open your Outlook client and click 'Tools' then select 'Options' from the drop-down menu
  2. Click the 'Preferences' tab
  3. Make sure 'Default Reminder' is unchecked in the 'Calendar' section or you will be prompted with a pop-up reminder for every entry that is imported

    Default Reminder

  4. Install PocketMirror
  5. After PocketMirror is installed:
    • Click the 'Start' Button
    • Select 'Programs' (Win2k) or 'All Programs' (WinXP)
    • Select PocketMirror
    • Click 'PocketMirror Settings'

  6. Click the 'Settings' button

    Chapura Settings

  7. Highlight 'Outlook Calendar' and click the 'Change' button

    Chapura Change Calendar Settings

  8. Under the 'Permanent Action' section select 'Synchronize'
  9. Under the 'One-time Action of Next HotSync' section select 'Synchronize'

    Chapura Change Calendar Settings

  10. Click 'OK'
  11. Highlight 'Outlook Contacts' and click the 'Change' button

    Chapura Change Contact Settings

  12. Under the 'Permanent Action' section select 'Synchronize'
  13. Under the 'One-time Action of Next HotSync' section select 'Synchronize'

    Chapura Change Contact Settings

  14. Click 'OK'
  15. Highlight 'Outlook Tasks' anc click the 'Change' button
  16. Under the 'Permanent Action' section select 'Synchronize'
  17. Under the 'One-time Action of Next HotSync' section select 'Synchronize'

  18. Highlight 'Outlook Notes' anc click the 'Change' button
  19. Under the 'Permanent Action' section select 'Synchronize'
  20. Under the 'One-time Action of Next HotSync' section select 'Synchronize'

  21. Click 'OK' and then 'OK' again
  22. Click 'Close'

    If you attempt to synchronize your Palm with Outlook at this time, you may receive a conflict error message such as the one below:

    Palm Conflict Notifier

    To resolve this conflict, do the following:
  1. In your Windows system tray (lower right hand corner), right click the 'Hot Synch' icon Hot Synch Icon
  2. Select 'Custom' from the pop-up menu
  3. Highlight 'Calendar' and click the 'Change' button
  4. Select 'Do Nothing'
  5. Check the box in front of 'Set as default'

    Save Calendar Settings

  6. Click 'OK'
  7. Highlight 'Contacts' and click the 'Change' button
  8. Select 'Do Nothing'
  9. Check the box in front of 'Set as default'

    Note: You will receive a message stating that file link categories will not be updated; click 'OK'

  10. Highlight 'Tasks' and click the 'Change' button
  11. Click 'Do Nothing'
  12. Select 'Do Nothing'
  13. Check the box in front of 'Set as default'
  14. Click 'OK'

  15. Highlight 'Memos' and click the 'Change' button
  16. Click 'Do Nothing'
  17. Select 'Do Nothing'
  18. Check the box in front of 'Set as default'
  19. Click 'OK'
  20. Click the 'Done' button

    Palm Save Settings

    Note:
    1. Palm NotePad does not synchronize with Exchange; it will only synch to the Palm Desktop application
    2. Palm Memos will synchronize with Exchange Notes
    3. Palm To Do will synchronize with Exchange Tasks
    4. Palm Address Book with synchronize with Exchange Contacts

    You can now synchronize your Palm device with Outlook and Exchange calendar



Palm Desktop and Outlook Users

These instructions apply to users who are currently using any combination of Palm Desktop and Outlook components. Any component may be switched from the Palm Desktop to Exchange/Outlook. In this example we'll use the Hot Synch (Palm Desktop) conduit to synchronize the Date Book and To Do List and the PocketMirror (Outlook) conduit to synchronize the Contacts and Note Pad. In the end we will synchronize everything with Outlook/Exchange.

The Palm Date Book will be copied into your Exchange/Outlook calendar the first time you synchronize. Your Events that had no specific time associated with them will carry over as an 'All Day' event in Exchange. Your recurring events will carry over as recurring events as well. All of the Address entries in Palm should appear under the contacts of your Exchange account. One thing to note here is that the email addresses for persons that are in the RIT Global Address List should be deleted and recreated using the Global Address List.

  1. In your Windows system tray (lower right hand corner), right click the 'Hot Synch' icon Hot Synch Icon
  2. Select 'Custom' from the pop-up menu
  3. In this example your 'Custom' settings with look like this: (note that it says Outlook next to the items that are synchronized with the Outlook client)

    Hot Synch Custom

  4. Click the 'Done' button to close the 'Custom' window
  5. In order to start synchronizing the 'Date Book' and 'To Do' items with Exchange you will have to reinstall the PocketMirror conduit

    Note: Pay careful attention to Step 12 of the PocketMirror installation: Keep all of the Outlook applications selected

  6. Open your Outlook client and click 'Tools' then select 'Options' from the drop-down menu
  7. Click the 'Preferences' tab
  8. Make sure 'Default Reminder' is unchecked in the 'Calendar' section or you will be prompted with a pop-up reminder for every entry that is imported

    Default Reminder

  9. After the PocketMirror installation has completed press the 'Hot Synch' button on your Palm Pilot and everything should now synchronize with your Outlook client
    Note:
    1. Palm NotePad does not synchronize with Exchange; it will only synch to the Palm Desktop application
    2. Palm Memos will synchronize with Exchange Notes
    3. Palm To Do will synchronize with Exchange Tasks
    4. Palm Address Book with synchronize with Exchange Contacts



Pocket PC Users

These instructions apply to users who are currently using a PocketPC and synching their calendar with other calendar software. The following instructions will guide you through changing your synchronization to the Exchange calendar.

Uninstall the current calendar conduit.

This will cause your handheld device to stop synching with the other calendar.
  1. Click the 'Start' button on your computer
  2. Select 'Settings' and then 'Control Panel'
  3. Click 'Add/Remove Programs'
  4. Scroll through the list and highlight the conduit for the existing calendar. In the example below, this calendar is 'CorporateSync for PocketPC'
  5. Click the 'Change/Remove' button

    Remove CorporateSync for PocketPC

  6. Click 'Yes' when you are asked if you are sure you want to remove the old conduit.
  7. Restart your system when asked to do so

Remove all appointments and other data from your PDA's Calendar.

ITS highly recommends that you start with a fresh calendar and not import entries from other calendar software into Exchange.

Unfortunately, there is no way to automatically remove your current calendar entries from your PocketPC. You will have to delete each appointment or other object from your PDA manually. It makes no sense to do this for past appointments, so limiting your deletions to future appointments should be sufficient.

To delete an appointment from your Windows PDA, open the calendar, and tap and hold on the appointment. A menu will appear. Chose 'Delete Appointment' from the menu.

Begin Synching your calendar with Microsoft ActiveSync

  1. Open your Outlook client and click 'Tools' then select 'Options' from the drop-down menu
  2. Click the 'Preferences' tab
  3. Make sure 'Default Reminder' is unchecked in the 'Calendar' section or you will be prompted with a pop-up reminder for every entry that is imported

    Default Reminder

  4. Close out of Outlook If you have a Windows PDA, you probably already have ActiveSync installed, but the calendar synchronization may be turned off. To enable it:
    • Double click on the ActiveSync icon in your Windows system tray (lower right hand corner) MS ActiveSync
    • Click the 'Options' icon in the ActiveSync window
    • Check the 'Calendar' box

      MS ActiveSync Options

    • Click the 'Settings' button and select what you would like to synchronize

      Sync Settings

      Note: We recommend synchronizing only 1 week back and several weeks forward. Otherwise, synchronization will take a long time, and will record mostly redundant data.

    • Click 'OK' to close the 'Settings' window
    • Click 'OK' to close the 'Options' window
    • Close the 'Microsoft ActiveSync' window
  5. In your Windows system tray (lower right hand corner), right click the 'ActiveSync' icon MS ActiveSync and select 'Synchronize' from the pop-up menu

    Note: If you recieve an error message, you may have to reset your PDA and synch again