I would like to sync my Outlook contacts to Salesforce in the following manner:

 

1. I have several Contacts folders in Outlook.  ALL of the contacts in all of the folders need to be synchronized with Salesforce at all times.
2. I have custom fields in Salesforce that allow me to designate a contact as being part of one group of people or another.  For example, I work in politics, and have a "GOP" and a "Dem" checkbox field.  In Outlook, I do not have custom fields for the same purpose because I want each group of people listed in its own Outlook folder.

 

Does the Salesforce Outlook/desktop integration plugin have the ability to reconcile these differences when it synchronizes?

 

I don't mind doing a manual import of each Outlook folder to Salesforce, and in the process making sure I set each contact to have the appropriate Salesforce custom fields mapped.  But I only want to do that once.  I manage/create/change most of my contacts and activities in Outlook, and want the sync to be relatively automatic after the first pass.

 

Alternatively, can the plugin synchronize an Outlook category to a Salesforce custom field?  (E.g.: if it has category "GOP", synchronize the contact to make sure the relevant custom field is marked true.  Note that Outlook contacts would have multiple categories, most likely.)

 

 

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.  And if I'm massively over-complicating this, please feel free to hit me over the head and let me know!

 

Dan

I am a salesforce consultant that is considering the MacBook Pro instead of another PC.  Can anyone on this board enlighten me on why I should or should not do this? I hear so many great things about the Macbook and I have kicked the tires in the Apple Store.  I'm just curious what your thoughts are?