How to create a remote database through Act! Premium (access via web) or Act! Cloud

Question:  How do I create a remote database through Act! Premium (Web)?
 
Product Details: 
Product Family:  Act!
Product:  Act! Premium (Web), Act! Premium Cloud
Version: v17 and above
 

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Answer: 
 
Note: This is not an option for Act! Premium Cloud trial users. If you are using Act! Premium Cloud, you must have a paid account in order to proceed with the steps below.

You can create a remote database through Act! Premium (Web) by following the steps below:

1. Go to Tools > Remote Database Synchronization.
2. In the Welcome window, choose to Create a Sync Set. This will show you the Create, Copy, Edit or Delete Sync Set window.
   
   Note: The option to create a Sync Set is available in Act! v21.1 and above only. If using an earlier version, a Sync Set will automatically be created that synchronizes all the contact records that the selected user can access. To utilize a custom Sync Set in that scenario, you must use the Synchronization Panel on the server.
   
   
3. A Sync Set allows you to specify exactly which Contacts you would like to include in your remote database. You do this by creating a list of criteria that the Contacts must match in order to be included in the remote database. We will cover the steps to do this first. If you do not need to create a Sync Set first, please skip to step 14.
   
4. From the Create, Copy, Edit or Delete Sync Set window, you can click on an existing Sync Set if you wish to edit, delete or copy it, but to create a new Sync Set, click the Create New Sync Set option.
5. Sync Set name: Type in a unique name for your Sync Set.
6. Description (Optional): This field is optional and allows you to provide more detailed information about your Sync Set.
7. Once you have entered a name, click Next.
8. In the Act! Sync Set window, you will choose the Users you would like to synchronize this Sync Set with. Enable the All Users option to sync with all the users of this database, otherwise choose an individual user instead. Click Next.
9. In the Select Contacts window, you have two options available:
   • Synchronize all available contacts - This will synchronize all of the contacts that the user(s) included in the previous step have access to.
   • Define Sync Set criteria - This allows you to specify exactly which contacts will synchronize with the remote database by creating an Advanced Query. An Advanced Query enables you to specify criteria that each contact must match in order to be included in the remote database
10. If you want to synchronize all available contacts, simply choose this option, click Next, and then click Finish to create your Sync Set. If however you wish to define your criteria, choose Define Sync Set criteria and click Next.
11. In the Create, Copy, Edit or Delete Sync Set window, you have the opportunity to specify the criteria you want all of the contacts in the remote database to match. To begin, click Create Criteria
12. At this point, you will be creating an Advanced Query in order to specify the crtieria for your remote database contacts (for example, you could choose to synchronize every contact that lives in a particular location, or works in a particular industry etc.). For more information on creating Advanced Queries, please see the article below:
    
    How to create, use, and edit an advanced query in Act!
    Answer ID: How to create, use, and edit an advanced query in Act!
    
    
13. Once you have added all of the criteria required, click OK which will bring you to the Sync Set Confirmation window. Click Finish to create your Sync Set.
14. Now that your Sync Set has been created, you are ready to create the remote database itself. Click the option Create a Remote Database.
15. Enter the name of the remote database you will create, then click Next.
16. In the Select Sync Set window, choose the Sync Set you wish to use, then click Next.
    
17. In the Database Synchronization Options window, select whether to synchronize supplemental files.
18. Under Attachments select one of the following:
    
    • Allow this database to synchronize attachments
    • Do not allow this database to synchronize attachments
    
    NOTE: If you choose to disallow the database to synchronize attachments, you can choose whether to include the attachments in the creation of the remote database, however any new attachments added after creation will not synchronize.
19. Select a number of days that can pass before Act! starts to remind the remote synchronization user to synchronize, then click Next.
20. In the Database Summary window, click Next.
21. The Creating Remote Database window will display and automatically initiate the remote database creation.
22. In the Database Created Successfully window, click Next.
23. Click Begin Download in the Download Your Remote Database File window.
24. Click Finish.
25. To unpack and restore the remote database refer to the following article:


How To Unpack and Restore a Remote Database for Synchronization
Answer ID: How to unpack and restore a Remote Database (.RDB) file