Knowledge Base

By default, Nylas, our third-party email integration partner performs autodiscovery to determine what the best server settings are, as soon as you enter your email credentials. If the autodiscovery does not work automatically, you may need to manually input advanced settings to authenticate your account when authenticating through Nylas’s hosted authentication flow.

If your exchange username is different than your email address, you should enter it in the advanced settings options. This can be in the format [email protected] or DOMAINusername, and is usually the same as your Windows login.

In the Exchange Server, you should enter the address of your Exchange server (e.g. mail.office365.com). You can find this in the address bar when logging into the Outlook Web App.

Talk to your Exchange admin
You might need to reach out to your Exchange or IT admin for the correct connections settings. They should be able to provide the proper connection information for this step.
Here’s a quick video example showing how your users can log in using advanced Exchange server information.

Microsoft Exchange relies on the use of an Exchange server — a computer on which individual users’ Exchange accounts are configured. An organization can maintain its own Exchange server or rely on Microsoft to do that via the cloud using a Microsoft 365 account.

When you use a Microsoft Exchange account, email messages — along with calendar information and other Outlook details — are generally kept in sync between your Outlook client on a computer or mobile device and the Exchange server.

This most often happens using a technology called Exchange ActiveSync. ActiveSync keeps all the Exchange data synchronized between devices, so when email is replied to, deleted, or moved on your computer, for example, that change is immediately made on the Exchange server as well, and then synchronized with any other devices you might use, such as Outlook on a mobile device.

ActiveSync isn’t the only option, though; an organization can choose to manage its email using IMAP or POP as well. IMAP is very similar to ActiveSync in that it keeps email messages in sync between the Exchange server and clients, though POP works differently — it downloads email from the Exchange server to a single computer and does not keep the two devices in sync. It’s not commonly used for Exchange systems.

TechLife: Idea Port Riga blog about mobile, web and integration solutions for enterprises

It isn’t that much of a secret that Microsoft Outlook applications in conjunction Microsoft Exchange are a very popular piece of technology for enterprises. We have observed that enterprises generally use Outlook quite often, and most of our customers are also using Outlook as their core communication tool. Microsoft itself listed 12 reasons why users prefer Outlook over Gmail at work and these are the following:

1. Integration across email, calendar and contacts
2. Offline access to email
3. Organize email your way
4. Categorize email items to stay organized
5. Multiple ways to find email
6. Flags, changing importance of email
7. Rules to minimize email clutter
8. Rich contact information
9. Scheduling meeting rooms
10. Mail tips
11. Ignore conversations
12. Sharing and delegating calendars

Example for Siebel Server Sync case study

One of our clients expressed a need to establish an Outlook-Siebel integration at some point in the future; the key elements for this client were:

• Bi-directional calendar synchronization
• Possibility to synchronize only a part of the calendar
• If activity is rescheduled in Outlook, then it should be updated in Siebel – and vice versa
• Ability to link appointments with Siebel Accounts and Contacts – in Outlook
• Synchronization should work for mobile devices as well

Based on these requirements it was immediately clear that the best approach would be to have a server – server side integration. Users would be able to work with several devices like laptop, phone, and tablet PC. Device data would be synchronized with Exchange server after a user finishes his work with Outlook on a specific device, and later on the Exchange data is synchronized with Siebel. The flow would be working in the opposite direction when a user makes updates in Siebel directly. Here’s the high-level architecture that reflects this approach:

There are two Oracle products that we decided to use for Siebel – Outlook integration:

1. CRM Desktop. Siebel server and laptop Outlook integration. We have described this functionality in one of the previous blog posts.
2. Siebel Server Sync (SSS). This is a server-side integration product, which we will examine in a bit more detail here.

What is Siebel Server Sync?

Siebel Server Sync is a server-side integration product that synchronizes Siebel data with Personal Information Manager (PIM) server products. Currently, however, Siebel Server Sync supports synchronization only with Exchange Server. SSS can synchronize data that appears in Siebel in the following views:

• My To Do List
• My Calendar
• My Contact

The synchronization levels available for Siebel data entities are these:

1. Full Sync. Bi-directional synchronization of data between Siebel database and one or more Exchange Servers occurs.
2. Export Only. Changes made in Siebel Business Applications are exported to Exchange Server and that’s it, i.e. no data moves in the opposite direction.
3. Import Only. This kind of synchronization is only supported for the calendar domain: changes made to calendar records in Exchange Server are imported to Siebel Business Applications, but no data moves the other way around.
4. None. No synchronization takes place at all.

Check out this Siebel Administration view for Siebel Domain configuration, showing where synchronization rules can be changed; there you can specify synchronization level for each of the domains independently:

Synchronization between Siebel and Exchange happens automatically, with a frequency an administrator can tweak and tune. Siebel Server Synch itself is composed of the two main components:

1. PIM Server Integration (PIMSI) Engine and Dispatcher. Allows server-based synchronization between Siebel Business Applications and Exchange.
   • PIMSI Engine enables synchronization between Siebel Enterprise Server and Exchange Server.
   • PIMSI Dispatcher performs two actions at regular, configurable intervals:
     • Determines which users require synchronization within a given synchronization cycle due to changes in Siebel data. For example, if 1,000 users have synchronization enabled, then the Dispatcher identifies, which of those users have had their Siebel data changed since that user’s last successful synchronization.
     • Sends a synchronization Task Request to PIMSI Engine for each user who has synchronization enabled.

1. Siebel Outlook Add-In. Deployed on the client side, it allows users to access Siebel data from within Microsoft Outlook and associate Siebel data with Outlook contact, calendar and task records.

This is how it looks like, on a conceptual level:

Customization

As far as the customization goes, you can do field level, synchronization filter, delete trigger customizations – however, it isn’t possible to add new data entities (e.g., Accounts, Service Requests, Opportunities). Keep in mind that SSS leverages vanilla entities in the Outlook/Exchange data. So here is the complete list of possible customizations:

• Modify certain properties of fields that are already available for synchronization, such as field names
• Modify existing field mappings
• Add new field mappings
• Delete existing field mappings
• Change the delta queries that SSS uses to find changed Siebel data that is to be synchronized for a particular user
• Create custom delete triggers that direct SSS to delete PIM records

E.g., here’s the view, where the delta queries can be changed:

Siebel Server Sync Outlook Add-In

You can choose to deploy SSS with or without the Outlook Add-In. The Siebel Outlook Add-In adds a Siebel Options menu, a Siebel toolbar, and a right-click menu items to the Outlook interface. These features let you add or remove links to records in Siebel. Have a look at an Appointment that was created in Outlook and linked with an Account and an Opportunity:

And this is how the same Appointment looks like in Siebel, after data has been synchronization successfully:

Outlook add-in will ask User Name and Password and to open Siebel web application to automatically download add-in configuration settings. It is also possible to use Web Single Sign-On authentication. Here’s an applet, in which a user can manually enter some of the configuration settings:

Where are we with Siebel Server Sync now?

At this moment we none of our clients are running SSS in production environment, however the experience that we’ve gained so far would let us design, develop and deploy an SSS-based integration of arbitrary complexity. What we’ve touched upon in this brief overview was based on the following basic steps:

• Installation and launch of the newest Siebel Server Sync v8.1.1.14 in conjunction with Exchange Server 2013
• Installation and setup of Siebel Server Sync Outlook Add-In v8.1.1.14 for Outlook 2010
• Exploration of the vanilla synchronization functionality and its key capabilities

License Price

If you are planning a similar deployment, be sure to factor in the license costs as well! In this excerpt from the Oracle Global Price List 2015, the SSS Outlook Add-In is already included in the “Siebel Server Sync — Microsoft Exchange Server” price (note that all the prices below are per application user):

Need help planning, designing, implementing or deploying an SSS-based integration? Get in touch with us!

Outlook vs. Exchange

In addition to one being a mail server and the other being an email client, there are a few other key differences between Exchange and Outlook.

Microsoft Exchange Calendar Sync

You can synchronise the Tasks in your CRM system with your online Microsoft Outlook 365 Calendar and Microsoft Exchange Calendar.

For the Microsoft calendar sync on Outlook 365, which is part of Office 365, you will need an existing account Set-up. For Exchange, you will need to have your local copy of Outlook connected to an instance of Exchange that can be publicly accessed over the Internet.

The sync won’t work with stand-alone copies of Outlook just running on your PC or Mac without being connected to either Outlook 365 or an Exchange server.

Microsoft Sync Set-up

In Settings / Integration go to the ‘Email, Contacts & Calendar Applications’ tab.

Under MS Exchange / MS Outlook 365 Calendar click the blue ‘+ Set-Up’ button, then ‘Create MS Exchange / MS Outlook 365 Integration’. This will take you to a Microsoft authentication page.

Enter your email address and password to allow Really Simple Systems access to your calendar. It may take a few minutes to locate and get approval for this. You’ll then be taken back to the Manage Integrated Systems page.

Microsoft Calendar should now be shown under the Enabled Services section on the Manage Integrated Systems page.

If your authentication fails you should receive an error. If the error was due to incorrect authentication details, you will need to repeat the step above until authenticated correctly to continue. If that doesn’t work, please contact the support team and they will try to resolve the issue.

Synchronising your Calendar

To synchronise the Tasks in your CRM system with your Outlook 365 or Exchange Calendar at any time, click the green Sync Microsoft Calendar button on the top right of the Task page or on the Tasks grid on an Account page.

Clicking this button for the first time will run an initial synchronisation which will set up the link between the two systems before running the synchronisation.

Notes

• Only Tasks where the Task Owner is the User will be synchronised, ie My Tasks not All Tasks
• This is a part way synchronisation, all creations, updates and deletes in your CRM system will go to Microsoft Calendar, however, updates and deletions to tasks and events in Microsoft Calendar will not sync back into the CRM.
• To update the Calendar after making changes in the CRM, be sure to click the “Sync Microsoft Calendar” for the changes to replicate.
• Microsoft Exchange supports push synchronisation, so all changes made in Exchange Calendar do not require you to click the “Sync Microsoft Calendar” to replicate back.

Disabling Calendar Synchronisation

To disable synchronisation, go to Tools/Manage Integrated Systems and click on the green Disable button to the right of Microsoft Calendar. A tab should open for a brief moment while the synchronisation removal process completes. Once completed, you should be returned to the Manage Integrated Systems page and the disabled service should appear under the Disabled Services label.

After disabling Microsoft Calendar sync, all events created in the CRM will be deleted from your Outlook 365 or Exchange Calendar. However the Tasks will remain inside your CRM system.

Like most things, G Suite Sync is not perfect. There will be times when GSSMO will run into problems. Most of the issues can be resolved with two variations of the all-time classic fix: turn-it-off-and-on-again.

In other words, you will either have to reinstall Outlook or recreate the G Suite profile.

• Reinstall Outlook. Initiate reinstallation from the original disk or install file, then download GSSMO and reinstall it.
• Recreate the G Suite profile. First, remove the existing profile. Go to Windows Control Panel > Mail Settings > select Show Profiles to delete the profile. Then create a new profile. Start Menu > Find All Programs > GSSMO > Set up GSSMO User and create a new profile.

If neither works, try Google’s troubleshooting guide for admins here.

• Manage your email with Outlook or Web Outlook
• Calendar for schedule and meeting management (can be made viewable to other users)
• Task list (assignable to other users)
• Contacts list
• Shared data
• Easy sign-on with UNI and UNI password
• Storage space for email starts at 2 GB. Additional space is available on the Exchange server at a cost.

Exchange shared mailbox permission overview

A full access user of an Exchange (Outlook) Shared Mailbox must change permissions for others to access mailbox folders, and non-full access users have to add the Shared Mailbox to their own Exchange (Outlook) account in order to see it upon login.

User definitions

• Full Access: The highest level of administrative rights for an Exchange Shared Mailbox is full access, and an owner has fewer permissions.
• Owner — Reviewer: Allows account access, but not administrative rights
• Contributer: The lowest-level permission in Exchange. If a user would be designated at this level, they probably shouldn’t have access to the account.

Viewing folders and their contents

Only those with full access can automatically see the Shared Mailbox and its contents upon login. All other users must have permissions added by the user with full access before they can view the Shared Mailbox.

These steps must be followed by a full access user for each non-full access user to allow access and view of an Exchange shared mailbox and its contents (emails, subfolders and subfolder emails). This process must also be followed for each Shared Mailbox account and each subfolder within the shared mailbox account.

If you require non-full access users to have “send as” or “send on behalf” permissions, please submit a request to CUIT.

Adding additional full access permissions for a shared mailbox

If at a later date a full access user wants to add a new full access user to their Exchange Shared Mailbox account, please submit a request to CUIT to have an account and mailbox created in the ADCU domain for shared mailbox access only. You must include in the request that full access should be provided for the new user.

Follow these steps to provide a new user with access less than full access (i.e. owner — contributer).

Adding non-full access permissions for a shared mailbox

1. Log in to Exchange from Microsoft Outlook.

2. Right-click on the shared mailbox name.

3. Select Data File Properties

4. Select Permissions tab, and click the Add button.

5. Select the name of the user that you would like to grant permissions to and click Add.

6. Select Permission Level and choose the level of access that you would like to grant, from Owner to Reviewer. As a reminder, giving a user owner access in Exchange does not mean that user has full access permissions. Each user with account access can have a different permissions level, as decided by the full access user.

Adding permissions for shared mailbox subfolders

Only full access users can add these permissions.

1. While in your Exchange account, right-click on the shared mailbox subfolder name and click Properties (i.e., Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, etc.).

These steps will allow a full access user to give permissions to other users to access and view the shared mailbox. However, the above process must be followed for each subfolder in the shared mailbox. If this process is not followed for every subfolder, then the user will only have access to the shared mailbox, and not any of the subfolders or emails within.

Adding a shared mailbox to Exchange as a non-full access user

If you are a non-full access user of a shared Exchange mailbox, you must complete the following steps one time to dock, or add, the shared mailbox to your account. Afterwards, the shared mailbox will appear each time you log in.

1. Login to Exchange from your Microsoft Outlook desktop client.

2. From the home screen, right-click on your name in the left window of Microsoft Outlook.

3. Select Data File Properties.

4. Select Advanced tab on pop-up window

5. Select Add.

6. In the field provided, type in the name of the account. For example, if the name of account is grad-papers and its email address is grad-papers@columbia.edu, type in grad-papers.

Please note: If a non-full access user follows these steps before they are granted viewing permissions, and then they are granted permissions, the user will need to restart Outlook before the account permission changes take effect.

Logging into shared mailbox via Microsoft Outlook

1. On a Mac, double-click the desktop icon for Outlook Exchange. With a Windows OS, navigate to Start Menu > All Programs > Microsoft Office > Microsoft Outlook.

2. After logging in using “ADCUusername,” both the individual and shared accounts will be displayed the same screen:

Logging into shared mailbox via Outlook Web App (OWA)

If you don’t have access to Microsoft Outlook via your desktop, you can log in via the Outlook Web App (OWA). There are a few additional steps than described in the Logging into Shared Mailbox via Microsoft Outlook guide.

In brief: when accessing the shared mailbox from Microsoft Outlook on their desktop, users log in to their individual accounts, and the shared accounts appear on same page; when accessing from OWA on the web, you must first log in to their individual Exchange accounts for security purposes, so your identity is confirmed. After logging in and accessing your individual account, you can then log in to the shared mailbox.

Step-by-step instructions:

1. Open a browser from any computer and navigate to the Columbia homepage: www.columbia.edu.

2. Click the Email menu at top right of the page, and select CUIT Outlook Web Access.

3. On your Outlook Web App login page, type in your individual Exchange account domainusername. In this example, the name of the individual account is “TestPOFFICEMBX” so the login will be “adcuTestPOFFICEMBX.”

4. The Exchange interface shows the individual mailbox at left (“TestPOFFICEMBX”):

5. Open the Exchange shared account. In the upper-right hand corner, click on your name (“TestPOFFICEMBX”).

6.Type in the name of the Exchange shared account (in this example, “TestPresidentMBX.”):