Click here to watch Demo Movies about installing OpusFlow CRM.

Step 1: Installation

A) Downloading

Download the setup program en save it on a temporary location.

When you use a network and want to install more PC's, you can save the setup to a network location which is available from all PC's. Then you can install all PC's with the same setup.

B) Running the setup (Click here to watch movie)

When you have downloaded the setup, it is very important to close Outlook ® completely before you continue. The best way is to reboot your PC and do not start Outlook ® before running the setup. Also make sure Outlook ® is not started by programs that run Outlook ® on the background, like PDA-connectors.

Before you start the setup, please make sure Outlook ® is not running, by selecting CTRL-ALT-Delete and look for "Outlook.exe" at "Programs" and "Processes". Now search for the setup with your Windows Explorer and run it. You will see this screen:

To start the installation click "Next". In the next screen you can read the license agreement, after which you can select "Accept" when you accept the license agreement. Then press "Install" and follow the steps.

NOTE! Windows Vista users have to change the default installation directory to the "All Users\Shared Documents" directory!

Step 2: Installation CDO

To use OpusFlow CRM, you will need CDO (Collaborative Data Object). Most PC's already have this component, and OpusFlow CRM will warn you when your PC does not have CDO installed.

To read more about installing CDO click here.

Step 3: Starting Outlook ®

When you have run the setup, you can check if OpusFlow CRM has been installed successfully:

Check the existence of the directory  “C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM” with at least the shown subfolders. When you do not have the "OpusFlowCRM" directory and its subfolders, you have probably installed OpusFlow CRM without (local) administrator rights. Please contact your system administrator or OpusFlow. 

Now start Outlook ®. Because you start OpusFlow CRM for the first time, OpusFlow CRM will start to prepare Outlook ® for its first use. This can take a few moments. Please follow the steps OpusFlow CRM provides.       

When you get this security message you have the Microsoft Security Patch installed.

Click the YES button to allow export of your contact information to Opusflow CRM. You should not see this message again after installation. If you still do, contact us to report this..

When Outlook ® has been fully started you will have:

a)  OpusFlow CRM subfolders in your Outlook ® Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Activities;
b)  A few example OpusFlow CRM contact cards in the "OpusFlowCRM"-folder;
c)  An "OpusFlowCRM" tab at "Options" -> "Tools".

Step 4: Preparing the configuration

You only have to change the settings when you want to work with OpusFlow CRM with more then one user (trough a network or peer-to-peer).

The default settings are correct for local use.

Click here too see how to install OpusFlow CRM on a network.

Click here too see how to install OpusFlow CRM on an Exchange Server.

Step 4 A: Preparing installation on a network (share OpusFlow CRM with your colleagues)

- Make an "OpusFlowCRM" directory on the shared file server and map this location to a network drive (Read MS Article);

- Copy the following directories from "C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM" to that shared location:

• Database;
• Documents;
• Templates.
  
  
  

- Make sure that all users have sufficient rights to those directories:

• Database: Read/Write;
• Documents: Read/Write/Make subfolders;
• Templates: Read/Write.

In your Windows Explorer, right-click on the folders, go to  "Properties" -> "Security", and grant the right permissions for every folder.

Make sure this location is included in the back-up procedure!

Step 4 B: Preparing installation on the Exchange Server (Use Public Folders to directly share contacts, appointments, tasks and activities, without local synchronisation)

Only follow these steps if you use an Exchange Server.

- In Outlook ®, go to the "Folder List", navigate to "Public Folders" -> "All Public Folders";

- Add a new folder to "All Public Folders" named "OpusFlowCRM";

- Copy the following subfolders to the Public "OpusFlowCRM" folder:

• OpusFlowCRM  (Contacts);
• OpusFlowCRM Calendar;
• OpusFlowCRM Activities;
• OpusFlowCRM Tasks.

Step 5: The Settings

To change the settings go to the "OpusFlowCRM" tab which you find at "Tools" -> "Options".

Step 5 A: OpusFlow CRM Contacts folder:

Only change this setting when you work with an Exchange server.

The default folder is the OpusFlow CRM subfolder of your Outlook ® Contacts. This is the folder where you will find all OpusFlow CRM addresscards of the companies and contacts in OpusFlow CRM.

When you use Exchange server you can point this setting to the Public Folder so every user will work directly with the same addresscards. Laptop or off-line users can add this Public Folder to their Favorites so they can use OpusFlow CRM off-line.

Make sure every OpusFlow CRM user has owner rights at the specific Public Folder.

Step 5 B: Database location

The source of all data in OpusFlow CRM (except the documents) is an Access database (or SQL for licensed users). This database is installed at "C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM\Database\OpusFlowCRM.mdb". If you copy this database to your network, you can all work with the same data by pointing the settings of every user to that specific database.

Make sure every OpusFlow CRM user has owner rights at the "OpusFlowCRM" directory and its subfolders on the network and that the folders run with your back-up procedure.

Then copy the database "C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM \Database\OpusFlowCRM.mdb" to the "Database" subfolder and point the setting "Database location" of every user to that location.

Step 5 C: Documents Storage root:

All documents which are made by or saved in OpusFlow CRM, will be saved to one central location. OpusFlow CRM will automatically make a directory tree under your storage root, based on your own companies, projects and subfolders.

The default setting after installation of the storage root is "C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM\Documents". When you want to share OpusFlow CRM documents with your colleagues you can change this location to a location on the server. It is recommended to use the "Documents" directory, which is explained in Step 4 A, to that purpose.

When you point this setting to the "Documents" directory at the server, every OpusFlow CRM user will be able to work with the OpusFlow CRM documents. By protecting certain project folders under the storage root, it is possible to prevent certain users from accessing confidential documents.

Use company directories:
By selecting this option you can adjust the way OpusFlow CRM makes its directory tree. The default setting is:

[Storage root] / [Project name] / [Subfolder]

When this option is selected, the company name of the company / contact related to the document is added to the directory structure:

[Storage root] / [Company Name] / [Project name] / [Subfolder]

Step 5 D: Templates folder

When you make letters, documents, excel sheets, HTML / email- merges, etcetera from OpusFlow CRM, you can use your own templates with your own logo and customization. Just like with the other settings: "When you want to share your templates with other OpusFlow CRM users, you have to save the templates in a central location."

The default setting is pointed at "C:\Program Files\OpusFlowCRM\Templates", but when you want every OpusFlow CRM user to work with the same templates you can also point this setting to the server location "Templates". When you do this for all OpusFlow CRM users, the content of this directory is shown when OpusFlow CRM asks you to select a template to make a document.

Step 5 E: Scanned images

The default setting is pointed to your "C:\" drive. When you are scanning incoming documents which you want to distribute and save with OpusFlow CRM you can change this setting to the location where your (batch) scanner temporaraly saves its scans.

The "Document processing" utility of OpusFlow CRM will then automatically load the documents in this scan directory and process them until the directory is empty again.

Step 5 F: Adjustable userfields

Besides the default available fields (address, phone number, fax number, email, website, etc.) OpusFlow CRM offers a number of fields you can use for whatever subject you desire:

• 6 free text fields per company;
• 15 free text fields per contact;
• 6 Yes / No fields per contact (like "News letter" to be used in criteria for merging documents).

The captions of the Yes / No fields can be filled in here.

Step 5 G: Auto Save Email / Group folders

With this last option you can:

• Adjust your settings to automatically save incoming and outgoing email;
• Select the groupfolders for shared appointments, tasks and activities. Treat these settings the same as Target contacts folder. When you work with Exchange Server make Public Folders for your Group Calendar, Group Tasks and Group Activities, and point this settings to those folders. 

Step 6: Importing contacts into OpusFlow CRM

If you already have existing contacts in Outlook ®, they can be very easily imported into OpusFlow CRM. If you have your existing contacts in another program than Outlook ®, you first will have to import them into Outlook ®.

You can do this with the Outlook ® Import Wizard. In Outlook ® choose "File" -> "Import and Export..."

Here you can read more:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=http://support.microsoft.com:80/support/kb/articles/Q290/8/59.ASP&NoWebContent=1

http://www.slipstick.com/config/olimport.htm

When you have all your contacts in Outlook ® you may want to divide them into categories before importing them to OpusFlow CRM. OpusFlow CRM uses the Outlook ® categories to make its own groups.

With all your contacts in Outlook ® you can now choose “Tools” -> “Import Outlook ® contacts” to import the contacts. Just select the source folder and click “Import Outlook ® contacts”, and your contacts will be imported in OpusFlow CRM.

Step 6: Setting up the Auto synchronization

Outlook ® / Exchange is not a database. Address cards, appointments, tasks, etcetera are “lose” items without a clear relation like in a database.

In OpusFlow CRM, all data is stored in a database. Outlook ® / Exchange is only used to show the data in a friendly MS Outlook ® interface.

Without Exchange Server:

When you are working without Exchange server (and with pst-files) every OpusFlow CRM user will have to use the auto synchronization to keep his / her personal mailbox up-to-date with the central OpusFlow CRM data.

After installing OpusFlow CRM there will appear an Outlook ® icon in your “system tray” at the right bottom of your screen.

 The Auto Sync is active

 The Auto Sync is not active

This is the synchronization utility. When it does not appear, you can activate it by selecting “Synchronisation” -> “Synchronize automatically”.

When you right-click the icon and select “Settings”, you will see this form:

It is recommended to put the settings as they are shown in this example. When the synchronization progress slows your PC to much or when there are very few changes made each day, you may turn the interval to 30 or 60 minutes. It is also possible to de-activate the synchronization utility and synchronize manually.

With Exchange Server:

When you are working with Exchange server you will have to point all the OpusFlow CRM folders (Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Activities) to public folders (see: Step 5: Settings). When that is set up correctly, only one PC will have to synchronize. The settings on the synchronisation PC are recommended to be like the example for without Exchange Server.

Note that when you use Public Folders, the options for synchronising Appointments, Tasks and Activities must be disabled.

Laptop module

With OpusFlow CRM you can also work when you are not connected to the server. For this, you need the laptop module.

The database

The OpusFlow CRM laptop module uses replication of the MS Access database to make the database available when you are online. This way you can continue working with OpusFlow CRM, adding and editing information and synchronize with the server database when you have connection.
To make a replica on the local drive of the laptop/home PC, you can go to "Tools" --> "Options" --> "Database" and press the button "Make available offline". Then follow the steps and OpusFlow CRM will automatically configure the database settings for offline use.

Click here to read more about database replication:
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/CH063664271033.aspx

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Documents

Windows XP Professional or higher offers users the possibility to make files and folders available offline. Then you can make the folders (+ subfolders) for the documents directory and the templates directory on the network available offline, point to those locations on your laptop / offline PC and continue working with those documents when you are offline.
When your Windows version does not offer offline files, you can let OpusFlow CRM synchronize your documents.
Go to "Tools" --> "Options" --> "Documents storage root" and select your local drive in the top setting and your network drive in the bottom setting. After this you can synchronise the documents from the OpusFlow CRM toolbar:
"Synchronize" --> "Synchronize documents (Laptop/Offline)"

Here you can read more about the use of offline files:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/mobility/learnmore/offlinefiles.mspx

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Public Folders

When you want to use a laptop / offline PC in combination with an Exchange Server, you will have to make sure that your public OpusFlow CRM folders are also available offline.
To do this, you have to copy the public OpusFlow CRM folders to your Favorities: Right click on the folder, choose "Copy [FolderName]" and copy the 4 folders to your Favorites. Then you have to make them offline available:
Outlook 2000: Right click the folder, choose "Properties" -> "Synchronisation" -> "This folder is available: When offline or online"
Outlook 2002/XP/2003/2007: Select the folder, and in the Outlook menu bar go to "Tools" --> "Send/Receive" --> "Send/Receive settings" --> "Make this folder available offline".

This step is to point the settings on the laptop / offline PC to the offline folders in your Favorites:
1) "Tools" --> "Options" --> "OpusFlowCRM" --> "OpusFlowCRM Contacts folder";
2) "Tools" --> "Options" --> "OpusFlowCRM" --> "AutoSave Email/Group Folders" --> "CRM Settings".

The last step is to switch off the Cached Exchange Mode (ONLY FOR OUTLOOK 2003 en 2007!):
"Tools" --> "Email Accounts" --> "View or change existing email accounts" (Next) --> Select the Exchange profile and press "Change" --> Switch "Use Cached Exchange Mode" off.