Contacts that somehow just 'magically' and completely disappear from the ACT! Database?

[grantmillar]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone has ever experienced a contact just 'magically' and completely vanishing from their ACT! database?

This appears to have happened on the database that I work on, with two contacts somehow disappearing completely. I have archived back-up copies, so was able to import the disappeared two contacts back into the current database.

But I'm at a complete loss as to why this has happened? I asked colleagues if somebody had accidentally deleted data, but nobody has deleted anything.

So I wonder if anyone else out there has ever experienced this, and found out what the answer is?

Grant.

[Dan Horn]

Hi Grant,

Shame to hear that data have been removed from the database, Act should not be capable of deleting contacts from itself. 

While it maybe possible for corruption within the database to cause this type of problem I would normally expect it to be on a larger scale or other parts of the database to be effected. 

I would recommend checking User history as the may have 'Delete contact' history that will be created, alternatively a user may have accidentally overwritten a contacts information by accident, 

Other than these options i sadly am unsure as to what may have occurred. It is great you have a backup of the database to be able to restore an export from the archive to the Main database.

[grantmillar]

Hi There,

Thanks for your reply.

You mention 'checking User history' - do you know how to do that, please? I'm not familiar with this in ACT!

Grant.

[Dan Horn]

The best way to do this would be to create a lookup of your Users via 'Lookup - Other fields' from the pop up selecting 'Field: Is User - Operator: Equal To (=) - Value: True' Once you have a lookup of these User records you will be able to view their History Tab.

In some instances the name of the contact deleted but will show the date/time.

[grantmillar]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for this info.

So would creating this look-up let me see what people have been doing on the database?

Grant.

[Dan Horn]

It will show their history items and any fields triggered to Generate History when a change is made. this option depends on your fields behaviour.

[ilange]

Are you using Outlook or google Sync? or any other integration?

we found that under some circumstances it is possible that the sync may delete Activitys or Contacts , i.e. this is the reason why outlook sync is now offering unidirectional sync

if you are using one of this Integrations, i would suggest to remove all integrations, and check if the disapearing still happens.

regards

Ingo Lange

[grantmillar]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for that.

Think we're going to export the missing contacts from the backup database into the current database, and, for the moment, just keep an eye on things.

Regards,
Grant.

[grantmillar]

Hi Ingo,

Thanks for your reply.

We use Outlook in conjunction with ACT!

Think we're going to export the missing contacts from the backup database into the current database, and, for the moment, just keep an eye on things.

Regards,
Grant.

[ilange]

Hi Grant,

if you are only missing some, this is problably the best way..

if you are missing more (also history/notes/activitys) , feel free to contact me, we can merge 2 Databases without dataloss (Backup and actual version) 

regards

Ingo Lange

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