Newbie Questions could use some help!!!

[greatdeals007]

I am currently running Act! by Sage 2008 on a pc running vista and outlook 2000.  I had a couple of questions that would really help me if you could provide a solution:

1.  currently use the database query ctrl-Z to lookup by example.  i.e. I want to see all records that have a"pending" status.  is there a way to have that query setup like a button, icon or hot key so I can quickly get to those records without having to go through the pain of running a query manually each time?

2.  the export to excel function does not work with outlook 2000 so I am currently doing a lookup and then exporting that set of records to a tab delimited csv file.  I am using a custom map that I created but I noticed when I export the column headings don't match the order that I had them when I created the map.  why is that?

3.  is there a way to create a dashboard so I can see what my sales are for the week, month, ytd, etc?  I would need the ability to add fields to get the sales totals.  not sure if this can be done yet in act?

any help to these questions would be appreciated.   long time act user go back more than 10 years

[dlunceford]

1.  You can create save an advanced query, create a custom command for the query and assign it a key stroke.

- How to Create a Query in ACT! by Sage 2008 (10.0)

- How To Customize a Menu or Toolbar in ACT!

2.  Do you receive any error message when attempting to export to Excel?  When you open Excel, are you able to access the ACT! menu?

3.  Yes, you can create a new opportunity dashboard and set your own default filters.

- How to Create A New Dashboard in ACT!

[greatdeals007]

thank you for the information.  I ran into some issues

Queries

I was able to create custom advanced lookup queries.   how do you assign a "specific" custom query to a shortcut key?  currently when I create a shortcut key the only option is advanced lookup which brings me to the lookup screen but then I still have to pull up the custom query which is an additional step I am trying to avoid

also when I go into my preferences to point to where my queries are stored, there is no queries value in the drop down field in my general tab?

Dashboard

in the dashboard designer is there a way to pulll in custom contact fields?  it looks like it has predefined fields that I can select from but not the custom fields I want to specify.

Export to Excel

there are a few knowledgebase artcles and discussions on the export to excel button being grayed out which is my situation.  the button is grayed out probably because I am using office 2000

I am currently using a custom map to export the specified records/fields then opening up in excel manually.  unfortunately I can't figure out why the columns do not stay in the order of the map?  so then I am having to rearrange columns in excel which is more steps 

Microsoft Word

I use to be able to use microsoft word 2000 as my word document program.  now the program just defaults to the act word processor.  is there a fix, patch or work around so I can keep using microsoft word?  there is no option in the drop down field in my preferences

thank you

[rbrust]

I was sent this from another ACC, same issue on my machine 11.1 w/HF:

• In the demo database
• Go to the Company area
• Put a random name in the Referred By field of TWO different Company records
• Then from the Lookup menu choose Advanced>Advanced Query
• Make a query based on the COMPANY area and the referred by field.
• Save that query. [Note" Saved as a CRY file, had to change it to QRY - received "windows does not know what to use to open this file" with CRY file]
• Now make a custom command by going to Tools>Customize>Menus and Toolbars add that query to the bottom of the Layout menu or on a custom toolbar somewhere.  [Note:I added and icon and a menu item]
• Now when you go back to the Company section and click on that custom query it doesn’t do anything.  Nothing happens when I should get a new lookup of Companies.

 

Thanks for any help...

[act_enthusiast]

According to the system requirements it appears that Office 2000 support ended with ACT! 2007 as 2008 minimum reads as Office 2002/XP. 

I was able to attach a saved contact query file (.QRY) file and tie that to a custom command then to a button on the toolbar and it ran fine.  ACT!

pulled up the replace lookup dialog box all good.  Things changed with an advanced company query.  I got the same thing Richard did with the 

unspecified file association.  The saved company query .CRY file worked fine to save it then run it by opening it in the advanced query

dialog box.  However, when added as a custom command to a toolbar icon it did not work.  The unspecified file association dialog box appeared

after clicking the icon.