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Outlook Sync without Gmail
- Thread starter Peeg67
- Start date
HunterJohnson
Member
do you have an exchange server? With 2.1 I believe we just got this capability. If so I would suggest delete ever thing from you gmail account, clear it from the sync list and use the server to sync.
I personally have not used it as my work will not allow me to sync with it for "security purposes" but you may want to give it a try.
edit. Also may be able to use google app sync. here is a link to supposedly download for free. DOnt have outlook on my computer so not sure if it works
I personally have not used it as my work will not allow me to sync with it for "security purposes" but you may want to give it a try.
edit. Also may be able to use google app sync. here is a link to supposedly download for free. DOnt have outlook on my computer so not sure if it works
Thanks, no exchange server, just personal appts, contacts. The problem with gmail, I've found, is that it adds people I simply respond to, to my contact list, but I want their emails, yet not to put them in Outlook (I may email them once every 6 months or less). Also, I have a number of "groups" set up that I'd rather not delete (if I have to, I will).
Any thoughts? Can I set up a "dummy" gmail account for calendar, contacts, tasks, memos only? Problem would then be that I'd have no emails. I can use, however, my pop servers, rather than gmail, for my account (I don't use gmail as my primary address for any emails, just to gather them).
Sorry for the long answer!
Any thoughts? Can I set up a "dummy" gmail account for calendar, contacts, tasks, memos only? Problem would then be that I'd have no emails. I can use, however, my pop servers, rather than gmail, for my account (I don't use gmail as my primary address for any emails, just to gather them).
Sorry for the long answer!
I have similar problem.
I configured gmail in my new Galaxy S II because it needs an email for something (I don't know). It immediately sync'ed all gmail contacts, emails and picasa photo albums but I don't want those on phone. I like to copy what I want to from my computer. All my phone contact are in office Outlook and I don't know how to configure outlook to sync contacts & calendar. How can I avoid syncing gmail? even though I disabled background-data, gmail still synchronizing (which is weird). I want to set this to manual mode. Can someone please help me with these issues?
Thanks
I configured gmail in my new Galaxy S II because it needs an email for something (I don't know). It immediately sync'ed all gmail contacts, emails and picasa photo albums but I don't want those on phone. I like to copy what I want to from my computer. All my phone contact are in office Outlook and I don't know how to configure outlook to sync contacts & calendar. How can I avoid syncing gmail? even though I disabled background-data, gmail still synchronizing (which is weird). I want to set this to manual mode. Can someone please help me with these issues?
Thanks
Markjones
Member
Had the same problem and I read somewhere how to do this. You need to get a 'dummy' Gmail account and use that to sign into Android Market so it then matters not if you sync your phone with this account as there are no contacts etc in that 'dummy' account
I then use HTC Sync to sync my Outlook calendar and contacts with my phone. Works a treat.
When I first setup the phone (a few weeks ago) I used my 'live' Gmail account and like you had all of my contacts from Gmail on my phone...
Hope this helps
I then use HTC Sync to sync my Outlook calendar and contacts with my phone. Works a treat.
When I first setup the phone (a few weeks ago) I used my 'live' Gmail account and like you had all of my contacts from Gmail on my phone...
Hope this helps
RazzMaTazz
Android Expert
After trying many different options, I now use this method to synchonize my contacts and calendar with Outlook. It's free. It requires no third part apps on your phone or software on your PC. And it works great. You don't have to mingle your Outlook contact data with Gmail contacts and you don't have to view Gmail contacts on your phone if you don't want. There are instructions included which show you how to choose which contacts and calendars to sync and/or view on Android.
If you don't like the above method, you can choose from the myriad of options listed at Syncdroid.net.
If you don't like the above method, you can choose from the myriad of options listed at Syncdroid.net.
Razza, I have to say that still.dead is correct in many of the comments.
The method you have described will be effective when using Outlook as the management interface for the contacts/calendar/tasks etc data that is stored on Hotmail. Where the method described will not work is when using Outlook as the management interface for data stored on an Exchange Server.
This is exactly the issue that I and many other people are facing with this new generation of smartphone.
My company uses Exchange Server for our corporate e-mail platform. We use Outlook as the client for interacting with the Exchange Server environment. Being a client/server platform, all of the data - e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks, notes etc - is stored on the Exchange Server and Outlook is used to view and manipulate this data.
My company does not permit synchronisation of smartphones directly to the Exchange Server database. All of my previous smartphones had a PC application (usually Microsoft's free ActiveSync) which seamlessly synchronised all of the data that is presented via Outlook. This required connecting the phone to the PC by either USB or Bluetooth. The sync would execute and it would do what you expect it to do based on the name - it would synchronise the data holdings between the phone and Outlook. This synchronisation would take the most recent data from either the phone or Outlook and update the other accordingly.
Alas, this is not possible is you follow the default setup for an Android smartphone. The default setup includes registering accounts with Google. Any future sync of data from Outlook to the phone includes a sync to the Google account environment. This cannot be disabled. In and of itself this wouldn't be too bad except that the end-to-end sync function does not recognise that the data components are the same. The sync function tags Google components separately to Outlook components ultimately resulting in duplication of everything everywhere (in Outlook and in the phone) except for in the Google account environment.
I have found a way to perform a reliable sync between an Android phone and a corporate Outlook platform - do not setup a Google account on the phone. Since removing the Google account definition from the phone (which required a factory reset - Samsung Galasy S II), the sync function with Outlook works fairly well. The sync function is provided by a Samsung app (Kies) that runs on the PC.
The downside to this approach is that I cannot directly access the Android market and a large number of other functions that make the capability of an Android-based phone so appealing. For me, it is much for important that I have the Outlook sync functioning than it is to have the other bells and whistles.
I encourage you for the time and effort you have put into investigating and then publishing this solution and am pleased that it has been helpful to many people.
I have to say tough that I agree with still.dead and encourage you to change the name of this thread as the details presented do NOT provide a sync function between corporate Outlook platforms (i.e. connected to Exchange Server backends) and Android smartphones.
The method you have described will be effective when using Outlook as the management interface for the contacts/calendar/tasks etc data that is stored on Hotmail. Where the method described will not work is when using Outlook as the management interface for data stored on an Exchange Server.
This is exactly the issue that I and many other people are facing with this new generation of smartphone.
My company uses Exchange Server for our corporate e-mail platform. We use Outlook as the client for interacting with the Exchange Server environment. Being a client/server platform, all of the data - e-mail, contacts, calendar, tasks, notes etc - is stored on the Exchange Server and Outlook is used to view and manipulate this data.
My company does not permit synchronisation of smartphones directly to the Exchange Server database. All of my previous smartphones had a PC application (usually Microsoft's free ActiveSync) which seamlessly synchronised all of the data that is presented via Outlook. This required connecting the phone to the PC by either USB or Bluetooth. The sync would execute and it would do what you expect it to do based on the name - it would synchronise the data holdings between the phone and Outlook. This synchronisation would take the most recent data from either the phone or Outlook and update the other accordingly.
Alas, this is not possible is you follow the default setup for an Android smartphone. The default setup includes registering accounts with Google. Any future sync of data from Outlook to the phone includes a sync to the Google account environment. This cannot be disabled. In and of itself this wouldn't be too bad except that the end-to-end sync function does not recognise that the data components are the same. The sync function tags Google components separately to Outlook components ultimately resulting in duplication of everything everywhere (in Outlook and in the phone) except for in the Google account environment.
I have found a way to perform a reliable sync between an Android phone and a corporate Outlook platform - do not setup a Google account on the phone. Since removing the Google account definition from the phone (which required a factory reset - Samsung Galasy S II), the sync function with Outlook works fairly well. The sync function is provided by a Samsung app (Kies) that runs on the PC.
The downside to this approach is that I cannot directly access the Android market and a large number of other functions that make the capability of an Android-based phone so appealing. For me, it is much for important that I have the Outlook sync functioning than it is to have the other bells and whistles.
I encourage you for the time and effort you have put into investigating and then publishing this solution and am pleased that it has been helpful to many people.
I have to say tough that I agree with still.dead and encourage you to change the name of this thread as the details presented do NOT provide a sync function between corporate Outlook platforms (i.e. connected to Exchange Server backends) and Android smartphones.
chanchan05
The Doctor
@GTBandit depending on the make of your smartphones, the manufacturers provide a PC application to sync with Outlook. Samsung (Kies), HTC (HTCSync) and Sony (PC Companion) all offer in house solutions. Then there are third party PC software which sync to Outlook regardless of your phone's make, like MyPhoneExplorer and CompanionLink.
Hi chancha05
Correct, each of the primary hardware manufacturers provides a tool for locally syncing between their smartphones and Outlook. Then there are the 3rd party solutions. Each of these is sadly lacking when compared to the mobile phone sync capabilities of the past 10 years.
It would appear that the primary issue is the construct of Android's integration with a Google account - Android considers the Google account to be the primary repository of contact, calendar, memo, task etc data. For those of use who use Outlook in a corporate environment, it is Outloook that is the primary repository.
I have not been able to find any tool - either from a hardware vendor, Android native app or 3rd party developer - that accurately and effectively syncs the Outlook details to the smartphone. The comparative baseline that I am basing my assessments on is the capability in this space provided by the "traditional" mobile phones of the past 10 years - the likes of Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson (when they still existed) et al.
I would dearly love to be proved wrong as this synchronisation issue is a make or break for me. If I cannot find a way to do this effectively today, I will be returning the phone tomorrow and replacing it with something that does provide seamless integration with Outlook (as different from Exchange).
I reiterate, I acknowledge the exist of many tools and approach to achieve synchronisation between and Android smartphone and Outlook BUT I have not yet found a tool or approach that can perform this function easily, seamlessly and realiably WITHOUT including another validated account (i.e. gmail, hotmail).
Regards
Gary T.
Correct, each of the primary hardware manufacturers provides a tool for locally syncing between their smartphones and Outlook. Then there are the 3rd party solutions. Each of these is sadly lacking when compared to the mobile phone sync capabilities of the past 10 years.
It would appear that the primary issue is the construct of Android's integration with a Google account - Android considers the Google account to be the primary repository of contact, calendar, memo, task etc data. For those of use who use Outlook in a corporate environment, it is Outloook that is the primary repository.
I have not been able to find any tool - either from a hardware vendor, Android native app or 3rd party developer - that accurately and effectively syncs the Outlook details to the smartphone. The comparative baseline that I am basing my assessments on is the capability in this space provided by the "traditional" mobile phones of the past 10 years - the likes of Nokia, Siemens, Ericsson (when they still existed) et al.
I would dearly love to be proved wrong as this synchronisation issue is a make or break for me. If I cannot find a way to do this effectively today, I will be returning the phone tomorrow and replacing it with something that does provide seamless integration with Outlook (as different from Exchange).
I reiterate, I acknowledge the exist of many tools and approach to achieve synchronisation between and Android smartphone and Outlook BUT I have not yet found a tool or approach that can perform this function easily, seamlessly and realiably WITHOUT including another validated account (i.e. gmail, hotmail).
Regards
Gary T.
chanchan05
The Doctor
What exactly are you lacking? When I used Kies for the first time when I got my phone, it transferred from Outlook my contacts, calendar, and notes seamlessly. My phone did not come with a task app inbuilt at the time, so no tasks.
I don't find any difference at all between Nokia's Ovi Suite and Samsung Kies.
I don't find any difference at all between Nokia's Ovi Suite and Samsung Kies.
I have had experienced a number of issues with Kies - none of which I experienced with Ovi Suite.
Kies regularly sucks up to 1 GB of RAM when running. This effectively grinds my PC to a halt for the duration of a sync which can run up to 15 minutes.
Kies regularly hangs to the point where I have to kill it off to regain control of my PC.
Kies regularly fails to achieve 100% sync of contacts. It will reach between 90 and 99% and that's as far as it goes. As such, I have to terminate the Contact sync (click the x next to the status bar on the bottom right-hand corner) so that the sync process will move onto the Calendar, Notes and Tasks.
The initial sync using Kies was good - everything moved across to the Galaxy.
On all success syncs a number of contacts are duplicated in Outlook. It is the same contacts each time. I have worked through these contacts to try and find how and why they are different from the others in an effort to resolve this. If I continue to sync, a new contact is added to Outlook each time.
After the first time that a contact is brought across from the phone and created as a duplicate in Outlook, any subsequent sync will copy the duplicate across to the phone as well. Consequently each sync slowly increments the number of contacts in both Outlook and the phone by one for each of the contact entries in question with the Outlook count being '1' ahead of the phone.
I have reset the phone to factory, uninstalled Kies, set it all up from scratch again and continue to get the same results.
I have also tried some of the 3rd party sync apps and they have issues also.
You may be able to tell that I am getting quite frustrated with this. This sort of functionality is supposed to be easy - it has been around for over 10 years. I work in the IT industry and am very technically literate so I hate to think how the "average punter" would deal with something like this.
I have avoided doing any work today, instead I have been spending it trawling the net looking for something to make this work. I am steadily loosing hope.
Kies regularly sucks up to 1 GB of RAM when running. This effectively grinds my PC to a halt for the duration of a sync which can run up to 15 minutes.
Kies regularly hangs to the point where I have to kill it off to regain control of my PC.
Kies regularly fails to achieve 100% sync of contacts. It will reach between 90 and 99% and that's as far as it goes. As such, I have to terminate the Contact sync (click the x next to the status bar on the bottom right-hand corner) so that the sync process will move onto the Calendar, Notes and Tasks.
The initial sync using Kies was good - everything moved across to the Galaxy.
On all success syncs a number of contacts are duplicated in Outlook. It is the same contacts each time. I have worked through these contacts to try and find how and why they are different from the others in an effort to resolve this. If I continue to sync, a new contact is added to Outlook each time.
After the first time that a contact is brought across from the phone and created as a duplicate in Outlook, any subsequent sync will copy the duplicate across to the phone as well. Consequently each sync slowly increments the number of contacts in both Outlook and the phone by one for each of the contact entries in question with the Outlook count being '1' ahead of the phone.
I have reset the phone to factory, uninstalled Kies, set it all up from scratch again and continue to get the same results.
I have also tried some of the 3rd party sync apps and they have issues also.
You may be able to tell that I am getting quite frustrated with this. This sort of functionality is supposed to be easy - it has been around for over 10 years. I work in the IT industry and am very technically literate so I hate to think how the "average punter" would deal with something like this.
I have avoided doing any work today, instead I have been spending it trawling the net looking for something to make this work. I am steadily loosing hope.
Xerses
Well-Known Member
I have posted this in several other threads with the same request for Outlook to phone sync, here is a rehash...
I am really amazed at how few people know about the free solution that works perfectly to sync Outlook to Android. I researched for at least 2 months before getting my new phone and decided to use MyPhoneExplorer.
I run my business in Outlook 2010 Business Contact Manager 2010 which syncs to the default Outlook Contacts folder.
I downloaded MyPhoneExplorer and sync my Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Notes to my SGSII with 0 issues. The first sync may be a bit tedious if you want to select which contacts to sync or not, but once that is done it is a piece of cake and works perfectly. Freeware that is worth a 20$ donation via PayPal. MyPhoneExplorer saved me and allowed me to get my Android phone. Otherwise I was stuck with my old Windows Mobile 6.1 phone.
I use the latest MyPhoneExplorer 1.8.2 with the latest version of the MyPhoneExplorer client that is also free in the Market. You can sync contacts with multiple numbers, e-mails and addresses without problems. It works via WiFi, USB or Bluetooth, whatever you prefer.
As with any sync, if your data is important, back it up before you attempt to sync.
... and no I do not work for or am I affiliated with MyPhoneExplorer, it is simply the best solution I have found after researching up until I got my Telus Samsung Galaxy S II X phone on Oct. 28th 2011.
I am really amazed at how few people know about the free solution that works perfectly to sync Outlook to Android. I researched for at least 2 months before getting my new phone and decided to use MyPhoneExplorer.
I run my business in Outlook 2010 Business Contact Manager 2010 which syncs to the default Outlook Contacts folder.
I downloaded MyPhoneExplorer and sync my Outlook Contacts, Calendar and Notes to my SGSII with 0 issues. The first sync may be a bit tedious if you want to select which contacts to sync or not, but once that is done it is a piece of cake and works perfectly. Freeware that is worth a 20$ donation via PayPal. MyPhoneExplorer saved me and allowed me to get my Android phone. Otherwise I was stuck with my old Windows Mobile 6.1 phone.
I use the latest MyPhoneExplorer 1.8.2 with the latest version of the MyPhoneExplorer client that is also free in the Market. You can sync contacts with multiple numbers, e-mails and addresses without problems. It works via WiFi, USB or Bluetooth, whatever you prefer.
As with any sync, if your data is important, back it up before you attempt to sync.
... and no I do not work for or am I affiliated with MyPhoneExplorer, it is simply the best solution I have found after researching up until I got my Telus Samsung Galaxy S II X phone on Oct. 28th 2011.
chanchan05
The Doctor
Ok this is really really something odd. I've encountered people with issues on both Kies and Ovi, and I really can't seem to recreate your issues. Probably how the entire computer system was set up?
I am also using Outlook 2010 if that's something to take note off. Kies is a relatively new program from Samsung (they had a PC Suite before), and to my knowledge its configured to work for Outlook 2010 with no hitch. Probably your Outlook version is the problem?
I am also using Outlook 2010 if that's something to take note off. Kies is a relatively new program from Samsung (they had a PC Suite before), and to my knowledge its configured to work for Outlook 2010 with no hitch. Probably your Outlook version is the problem?
Hmmm, that could be it - I am running Outlook 2007.
Both chanchan05 and Xerses say you have no problem with your environments on Outlook 2010. I have tried both of the toolsets mentioned with no joy but then I am on Outlook 2007.
Yes, I know, our corporate desktop is way behind the times - something I am working very hard to improve.
Not sure if I can get 2010 installed, will give it a go and see what happens.
Both chanchan05 and Xerses say you have no problem with your environments on Outlook 2010. I have tried both of the toolsets mentioned with no joy but then I am on Outlook 2007.
Yes, I know, our corporate desktop is way behind the times - something I am working very hard to improve.
Not sure if I can get 2010 installed, will give it a go and see what happens.
Xerses
Well-Known Member
It is entirely possible that MPE has issues with Outlook 2007. I have never used the two togther so there is no way for me to confirm. I have a stupid question... was your MPE configured properly? (ie Android OS selected in the settings & sync options set properly for your requirement)
I can attest that MPE and Outlook 2010 is excellent and I would not move to anything else unless it was a seemless and simple tool that also integrated cloud based sync options. If you upgrade to 2010, let us know what you get as results with MPE.
I can attest that MPE and Outlook 2010 is excellent and I would not move to anything else unless it was a seemless and simple tool that also integrated cloud based sync options. If you upgrade to 2010, let us know what you get as results with MPE.
Some progress made and more issues identified.
I have not been able to get Outlook 2010 installed on my PC so continuing with Outlook 2007.
I reset everything and started again - again.
Did a factory reset on the Galaxy, completely removed Kies from my PC. Went to Samsung website and downloaded Kies again - interestingly the version number on the file for Kies hadn't changed but the published date for the app package on the website was more recent than the last time I downloaded Kies. (?)
Installed Kies, connect Galaxy via USB, setup the sync and let it run.
Initial sync worked well - this included Contacts, Calendar, Todo, Notes. Subsequent syncs seem to work well also. Of course, there is a but coming......
Over the past week things with the sync have deteriorated. Issues I am encountering:
* the same contact entry in Outlook AND the Galaxy will be deleted following a sync. It is not the same entry each time but a contact is deleted from both platforms. The contact had not been updated in either Outlook or the Galaxy
* updating contact details in the Galaxy results in an additional entry being created in Outlook - one with the original details and a second with the updated details
* syncing removes the Favourites flag on contacts in the Galaxy. The weird thing is that this is not consistent. Some of my Favourites are no longer Favourites while some of them remain as Favourites. The contact entries which are removed from Favourites varies each time a sync in run. On the last sync ALL contacts had the Favourites flag removed
* I have photos assigned to contact entries in Outlook. These photos are not synced across to the Galaxy
* If I assign a photo to a contact in the Galaxy, the photo is transferred to the contact in Outlook on the next sync. However, at the same time, the sync process removes the photo from the contact in the Galaxy
I continue to be very disappointed that what should be a basic capability for smartphone, does not work.
I have not been able to get Outlook 2010 installed on my PC so continuing with Outlook 2007.
I reset everything and started again - again.
Did a factory reset on the Galaxy, completely removed Kies from my PC. Went to Samsung website and downloaded Kies again - interestingly the version number on the file for Kies hadn't changed but the published date for the app package on the website was more recent than the last time I downloaded Kies. (?)
Installed Kies, connect Galaxy via USB, setup the sync and let it run.
Initial sync worked well - this included Contacts, Calendar, Todo, Notes. Subsequent syncs seem to work well also. Of course, there is a but coming......
Over the past week things with the sync have deteriorated. Issues I am encountering:
* the same contact entry in Outlook AND the Galaxy will be deleted following a sync. It is not the same entry each time but a contact is deleted from both platforms. The contact had not been updated in either Outlook or the Galaxy
* updating contact details in the Galaxy results in an additional entry being created in Outlook - one with the original details and a second with the updated details
* syncing removes the Favourites flag on contacts in the Galaxy. The weird thing is that this is not consistent. Some of my Favourites are no longer Favourites while some of them remain as Favourites. The contact entries which are removed from Favourites varies each time a sync in run. On the last sync ALL contacts had the Favourites flag removed
* I have photos assigned to contact entries in Outlook. These photos are not synced across to the Galaxy
* If I assign a photo to a contact in the Galaxy, the photo is transferred to the contact in Outlook on the next sync. However, at the same time, the sync process removes the photo from the contact in the Galaxy
I continue to be very disappointed that what should be a basic capability for smartphone, does not work.
Hi. I've just got my first Android phone and found RazzMaTazz's method for syncing contacts and calendar with Outlook via a dummy hotmail account. The method appeals since it results in a backed up set of contacts and calendar entries on hotmail. I've set it up as suggested but find that the contacts will only sync changes made on my PC to the phone. Contacts entered directly onto my phone or changed on my phone don't change on hotmail or Outlook. Any ideas why this could be? The calendar seems to work fine.
Thanks for your time.
Thanks for your time.
Crashdamage
Android Expert
Uninstall Norton. It's garbage. Try using AVG free version.
If for some reason you can't bear the thought of trashing Norton go into the settings and temporarily disable it.
If for some reason you can't bear the thought of trashing Norton go into the settings and temporarily disable it.
Xerses
Well-Known Member
I have been using MPE for almost 1 year and love it, you can install it without worries. I also agree 100% about Norton and the detection you are getting is a false positive. Avast Free Edition is excellent and much lighter than Norton. Not only will it solve the issue that you are having now, but your computer will gain a performance boost since Avast is not a hog like Norton.
chanchan05
The Doctor
Can't see why Norton for PC would be garbage compared to AVG when its churning out higher scores in all independent lab tests. Plus AVG has lots of false positives. It even thought my warcraft III exe as a virus. WTF.
I go with Bitdefender myself.
The reason Norton thought MPE was a virus was probably because it was not part of the database, yet the capabilities of the program was disconcerting. As for the automatic deletion of the executable, its due to the settings of your AV.
Crashdamage
Android Expert
I stand by what I said, screw the reviews. Norton, McAfee and some others are unbelievably bloated garbage. I've had all sorts of stupid problems. Expensive too.
AVG is not perfect either, but at least it's fairly small and light. Never caused me trouble, just works and stays outta the way. And free. Been the standard AV I use on networks and servers for years.
AVG is not perfect either, but at least it's fairly small and light. Never caused me trouble, just works and stays outta the way. And free. Been the standard AV I use on networks and servers for years.