ACT 2011 Premium Moving records from a remote sync system to main database?

[GMSACT]

Hello,

I have about a dozen contacts that were deleted from the primary database. I can't figure out when even looking through all of the user histories. I need to get them back to the primary database and I have a remote database that still has them. If I sync back to the primary it will delete the contacts on the remote. I can't back up the remote database and restore to the primary because I don't know which backup to use and other records may become lost. What is the best way about getting them back to the primary while retaining all of the contact info, history, notes etc...

Thanks,

~G

[benhamilton]

Oh, I know the answer to this one as I've been there....

What I did was to export to MS Excel all contacts on the Publisher (Master/Primary) database to Excel (Contact, email, phone some other fields to ensure dup chk'ing works and an unused User Field, set the value of the user field to 'Publisher' ).

Then either import that into the subscriber database and do a lookup of the user field where it does not equal 'Publisher'. These are the contacts you don't have in the Publisher. Or you can export from the subscriber and compare the two spread sheets.

A tool like Oak!Merge can make this HEAPS easier.

[GMSACT]

Yikes that sounds like it was fun. I'm having the user who deleted the contacts to begin with duplate the contact then use the copy data feature to populate the contacts with the history and other data. Hoping the database will create a new unique ID and the primary database see it as new from the remote so they come back over. Nothing is really linked to the records so if this works I'm good.

Now if I can only figure out how to remove delete permissions from the standard user security role. In 2011 premiuim standard users can delete their own records but not any ones elses. After this they will need to request a delete.

Thanks for the info

~G

[benhamilton]

That actually sounds like a good idea, less work than my method.

[GMSACT]

All theory, waiting for the user to do the leg work, will report back.

~G

[gmartin]

And be sure to create backups of both publisher and subscriber (main and remote) databases before performing the sync - just in case things don't go as planned. (File > Backup > Database)

[GMSACT]

I backup the database if I change anything in ACT =)

Greg as a moderator maybe you can help me with my other issue, the delete permission for the "standard" user security role. Did you see my post on that?

Thanks,

~G

[gmartin]

Glad to hear you make backups! All too often over looked...

I see that MScott has replied to your post on security roles. If that answer wasn't sufficient, please respond in that post.