act_icon.gif (1206 bytes)Advanced ACT!
All Versions

This course expands upon the topics covered in Intermediate  to ACT!

ACT! is the best selling contact management software on the market. It combines the functions of a database, word processing, and scheduling software into a fully integrated package. Users can schedule Calls, Meetings, and Things To Do using the calendar feature, and be reminded automatically by ACT! Customizable form letters, envelopes, and fax cover sheets are automatically addressed and can be printed, or faxed, from within ACT! Various progress reports can be customized and printed to monitor and maximize the use of the user's time. This course includes tips and short cuts to make maximum use of the software as soon as possible. Over 75% of the class involves hands-on practice. By the end of the course, the participants will be able to:

Among the many topics taught in the Advanced levels of ACT! for Windows are as follows:

Advanced Data Clean-up

* Using ACTSweep
* Creating your own custom sweeps to clean up data
* Initial Caps conversions - retaining caps on names like McDonald with a global replace
* Putting Mr. or Ms. in front of contact names automatically
* Combining and Separating data to and from fields -
   using AT(), Substr(), Left(), Right(), StrTran() and other functions
* Data type conversions - Ex. Character text to Numbers or Date format
* Replacing values globally to make the data consistent
* Analyze necessary field length to trim data files - FieldLen Program
* RealName - using this program to display the underlying field names through the layout
* DeDuplication techniques - ACT!'s, ACTdDupe!, SQL Select Distinct, ACT's DeDuper Utility

ACT! File Repair

* Understanding the DBF File header
* Using Data Doctor to fix a corrupted DBF file
* Norton File Fix

Understanding the BLOB

* Data tables that use the BLB file
* How the BLB is structured
* Fixed field length vs. non-fixed
* How to extract and insert information into the BLB while avoiding corruption

Using ZTree

* Using ZTree to change certain dialog labels in ACT!
* Exploring the file header - how it is structured, what everything means
* Editing user login information - lockout recovery

ACT! in the Registry

* Review of RegEdit
* HKEY settings
* What you can change, why, what not to touch

SQL Pass-thru Commands

* Integrating ACT! data with data in Oracle or MS SQL Server
* Understanding Open Data Base Connectivity
* Setting up a data source through ODBC
* Data exploration commands: tables, attributes
* Select, Update, and Delete commands

The instructor can customize the class to meet the participants needs providing the organization lets the staff of Computer Instructors know within five working days of the class.