Exporting entire database to CSV file (v11.0)

[CC4581]

Hi,

I am looking for a method of exporting all information in ACT! Version 2009 (11.0) into a CSV file, preferably a single one. This includes contact information, notes, histories etc. This is in preparation of an import into a bespoke CRM system currently in development. 

I have tried a 3rd party tool, ExportIT which exports the data into multiple CSV files and then requires a series of complex Excel formulas in order to correctly match up the notes with the correct contact and also results in a lot of cases where Excel just gives up trying to process all the data and just crashes. It's not very efficient when I will have around a dozen ACT! databases that will need to each have their own CSV file and be prepped for import. 

Are there any tools out there that can accomplish what I'm looking for? Failing that, a simpler method on merging the data using the seperate CSVs provided by ExportIT would also be greatly appreciated. 

[Dan Horn]

Hi CC4581,

While i would be unable to advise or provide any information regarding 3rd party Addins or apps i can recommend directly. However i can point you in the direction of: actaddons.com there is quite a few available from here and maybe one that will do exactly as you need.

[Roy_Laudenslager]

What you're trying to do can't be done in any piratical sense. There is a fundamental difference between ACT! and Excel. Excel is a flat file single table structure while ACT! uses a relational multi-table structure. Here is a simple example of what would be required to convert an ACT! database to a single CSV (Excel) file. Assume you have a single contact record with their name and address information with 10 history entries. Converted to Excel it would show up as 10 rows with the contact information repeated once for each history entry. In other words, for every variation in a contact record including notes, history ,activiity and opportunity a separate row would be created in Excel. This would rapidly exceed the maximum row capacity of Excel.