Outlook Integration: What to Expect from Outlook Synchronization with PracticeMaster

March 2018    Tags: Calendar, Microsoft Exchange, Outlook Integration, PracticeMaster, Users

I entered a calendar record in Outlook for myself and another attorney. When I checked PracticeMaster, it was on my calendar but not on the other attorney’s calendar. Why would it show on one but not the other?

The way that calendar records synchronize between PracticeMaster and Outlook depends on whether you are using Microsoft Exchange, and how System Configuration is configured.

If you are not using Microsoft Exchange, or you are but do not have System Configuration set up to take advantage of Microsoft Exchange, then the following synchronization rules apply:

• If you enter a record for yourself in PracticeMaster or Outlook, it will synchronize immediately if both programs are open.
• If you enter a record for another user in PracticeMaster, the record will synchronize to the other user’s Outlook calendar when their next Periodic Sync runs. Likewise, when you enter a record for another user in Outlook, the record will synchronize to the other user’s PracticeMaster calendar when their next Periodic Sync runs.

If you have Microsoft Exchange, there are two settings in System Configuration that can be used to immediately synchronize calendar records for other users. The first option, Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook, is available in both the Platinum and non-Platinum software. The second option, Enable the Platinum Exchange Connector, is available only in the Platinum software.

Non-Platinum

If you do not have the Platinum version of the software, and the option to Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook is selected, the following synchronization rules apply:

• If you enter a record for yourself in PracticeMaster or Outlook, it will synchronize immediately if both programs are open.
• If you enter a record for another user in PracticeMaster, and you have permissions set up in Microsoft Exchange to add records to the other user’s Outlook calendar, the record will synchronize to the other user’s Outlook calendar.
• If you enter a record for another user in Outlook, the record will synchronize to the other user’s PracticeMaster calendar when their next Periodic Sync runs.

Platinum

If you have the Platinum version of the software, and the options to Use Microsoft Exchange to synchronize PracticeMaster and Outlook and Enable the PracticeMaster Exchange Connector are selected, the following synchronization rules apply:

• If you enter a record for yourself in PracticeMaster or Outlook, it will synchronize immediately to the other program if PracticeMaster is open on at least one workstation.
• If you enter a record for another user in PracticeMaster or Outlook, it will synchronize immediately to the other program if PracticeMaster is open on at least one workstation.

Note: In order for synchronization to occur with other users, both users must have Outlook calendar integration and automatic synchronization enabled in PracticeMaster. For example, if Mary is creating events in Susan’s PracticeMaster calendar, and Mary is not set up to automatically integrate calendar records with Outlook, the events Mary enters will not be synchronized to Susan’s Outlook calendar until the next periodic or manual synchronization occurs for Susan.

For information on setting up and troubleshooting integration with Microsoft Exchange, see Knowledge Base articles R11373, “Microsoft Exchange Server Overview,” R11596, “Configuring the PracticeMaster Platinum Exchange Connector,” and R11597, “Troubleshooting the PracticeMaster Platinum Exchange Connector.”