CompanionLink is only supported for update users that owned a version of AbacusLaw prior to version 2013.
The following describes how to use CompanionLink for synchronization to other devices.
Basic Instructions for Setting up CompanionLink
These steps are valid for new users as well as updating existing data:
Backup your Abacus data so that if you make a mistake you won't be sorry.
Backup your device data so that if you make a mistake you won't be sorry.
If CompanionLink is not already running, click your Windows Start button and select Programs > CompanionLink > CompanionLink Setup. The CompanionLink for Abacus window appears.
Click Settings. Identify the target device or program to sync with, and your device User Name.
Click Next. The Contact Manager Settings window appears.
Click Configure. A Properties page appears with several tabs for you to control the sync process. We refer to this as the Setup Wizard. On the Database tab, identify the path to your Abacus directory. On the User ID tab, set your Abacus User ID. At this point you should review all the tabs. If you don't understand a setting click the Help button or press F1 for specific help. The Transfer Method is critical; it determines whether existing data in both Abacus and the device are merged (synchronized), or if data only moves from Abacus to the device.
Set the Who code to your own who code for only your own scheduled events.
When the Settings are correct, click OK to return to the Contact Manager Settings window, and click Next. A final "you are now ready to synchronize" window summarizes your settings. Click Finish when you are ready to exit Setup. But for now you should leave it open as you review the options described below.
When you attempt the first sync, the "First Sync" window appears. Do NOT click Begin in this window until you have read the options described below. The settings here are critical in determining what data gets deleted or merged into both the device and Abacus.
The following scenarios explain how to use the First Sync options and how they are affected by the Setup Wizard settings.
The Easiest Path - Re-load the Device from Abacus
If you have no data in your device, there is little danger of causing problems (but you still need to do a backup if you have any data in Abacus!) The default settings for CompanionLink should work fine to get you up and running with little adjustment. Leave the First Sync window set at "Purge data and reload from Abacus" and click Begin.
The settings are the same if you have data in your device but you're willing to lose it all.
New Abacus Users with Device Data - Merge All Data
If your device has data that you want to keep and that does not exist in Abacus (you've never synchronized them, and Contacts or other data in the device do not match records in Abacus), then your only decision is whether to pull the device data into Abacus or not. If yes, set the Setup Wizard Transfer Method to "Sync both ways", and be sure to set the First Sync window to NOT Purge any device data. This will merge all data from both Abacus and the device into both.
If you don't want the device data in Abacus, then you must:
Make sure it is all marked Private.
On the Setup Wizard Private Options tab, clear the checkboxes so the private data will not be included in the sync.
Set the First Sync window to "Do not purge any data"
Using CompanionLink to Synchronize Your Device
NOTE: If you have the Outlook ActiveSync set to auto-sync when the unit is docked, it will not sync to Abacus (it's set to only sync to Outlook). We recommend you turn this feature off and only use the CompanionLink Synchronize shortcut. To do this:
Make sure MS ActiveSync is set up and running.
Double-click its "tray icon" on the task bar to open the ActiveSync window.
Click the Options button and then select the Sync Mode tab. Three options appear.
Select Manually. Save all settings and you're all done.
Limiting the Records Sent to a Device
In the CompanionLink Setup you can select Abacus queries to limit the transfer of Names, Events, and Things To Do. These queries need to be set up in Abacus before they can be selected in CompanionLink.
Initially there is no query for names. You can design one at the Abacus Name window (click the Query button) and then it will be available to select in the CompanionLink Setup.
There are two special pre-defined queries in the events query list called PDA_EVNT and PDA_TODO. By default, PDA_EVNT is used to filter the appointments that go to the PDA. It will select all events back 90 days and forward one-and-a-half years. PDA_TODO is used to filter the TO-DOs that go to the device. It will select all TO-DOs starting Today and forward one-and-a-half years.
You can edit these queries to change how much data is transferred. To see them, click the Events button on the Abacus toolbar, then click the Query button to see the Queries for Events list.
Marking Events Done
You can mark Events or Things To Do "done" by inserting a special character at the beginning of the Event text. Use the graffiti backslash command followed by a dot (\.) to insert a bullet character. Or, just enter a backslash at the front of the text.
Bill for Time from your Device
You can mark an event or TODO in your device and have its time automatically billed when you synchronize. This works with either Abacus Gold integrated billing and accounting or the Timeslips link.
To bill an event or TODO in your device, you simply add a dot (.) at the front of it. This will do 3 things when you sync.
Mark the item Done.
Remove the leading dot.
Flag the item to be billed after the sync has finished. At that time, Abacus will run and finalize the billing process for these items, just as if you clicked the Bill button in Abacus itself.
You can turn off this feature in CompanionLink Setup. Under Configure select the Bill Events and TODOs tab and uncheck the box.
Troubleshooting
If no data comes across from your device when you sync, it is usually because you have an old un-used user setup and have CompanionLink configured to sync to that. To check:
Open the device and select Tools > Users from the menu. If there is more than one user set up, verify which is correct.
Click your Windows Start button and select Programs >
CompanionLink > CompanionLink Setup.
The CompanionLink for Abacus window appears.
Click Settings. Identify your device User Name and make sure it is the correct one.
It's also a good idea to review all the configuration options:
Click Next. The Contact Manager Settings window appears.
Click Configure. A Properties page appears with several tabs for you to control the sync process. This is the Setup Wizard.