Synch contacts between Mailbutler and external services.
closed
Fabian
closed
We won't consider synching contacts, but we will fetch information from linked contact services into our Mail Merge solution
Jurgen Proschinger
Fabian, short and precise answer. After countless reuqests over the last 8 years and reassurances that you'll look into it.
Would you mind sharing more details on that decision? Because, I've been updating my Mailbutler contacts from within Mailbutler and those changes aren't reflected in Contacts. Not at all. So, I'm not happy about this decision as I'm now effectively sitting on two separate databases that I'll have to "merge" and then somehow avoid putting anything into Mailbutler under the contacts tab in the future. Not good.
Contacts was and remains one of THE most crucial features of Mailbutler. I think you owe your users a more detailed explanation than just closing this case and saying "No."
Fabian
Jurgen, can you please share how you used Mailbutler's contacts feature so far?
Our new focus is on providing context about the recipients when composing a draft. This does not require maintaining contacts in Mailbutler any longer. But maybe there is a use case of the Mailbutler contacts feature that we are not (yet) aware of?!
Jurgen Proschinger
Fabian, you know, I've been banging this drum for almost a decade now and would've expected that you guys are keeping tabs on my feedback.
I've using Contacts on iOS and Mac OS, because ALL my apps and ALL my workflow digs into it. I've built, over the years, a habit to update my business contacts in Mailbutler though as I'm only replying to email from my desktop Mac and it's just convenient looking at a contact, seeing the digital signature/business card... and updating the contact as needed directly in Mailbutler's tab if I realize the person has changed position, company, address, mobile, email etc. It's just more convenient than going into Contacts as I've Mailbutler's tab open in Mail. I've done this, because for almost a decade I've been told you're planning on syncing with Apple Contacts. So, today's news comes as a big surprise. Personally I've never understood why, despite so many requests, you've never solved this issue. Can't be so complicated. Many apps sync with Apple Contacts or Google Gmail Contacts.
Fabian
Jurgen, thanks for sharing this workflow (again) with us!
If I understand it correctly, then you want to have a recipient's details next to your draft when composing an email to them, right?
Is there any particular information about a recipient, which you consider especially valuable to have when drafting an email?
We are still improving the new draft UI view, which is supposed to give you exactly this: A complete context about your recipients, so that you can tailor the email draft for them.
Jurgen Proschinger
Fabian, yup, pretty much. I quickly compare the details on file with the signature/digital business card to see if their position or contacts have changed. And if Mailbutler keeps that information only within its own database and doesn't sync it with Contacts, then all my other apps don't work reliably as they draw on contact details within Apple Contacts!
I
Iuliia Artemeva
Merged in a post:
Contacts synchronisation.
Max DC
I think the MailButler contacts management could be better and more integrated with other tools. For the moment, you have to send a request to export your contacts and then you receive a .csv file on your inbox.
In a perfect world, contacts should be dynamically shared between MailButler and the contact management app of choice. But I understand that this service is probably highly complicated and costly to implement.
But still, IMO, contacts should be stored locally in a readable format and if this is not technically possible, available directly in Mailbutler.
On mac, I am quite sure that the shortcut app could be quite helpful. (Could the dev implement a feature that permits the download of the contact with a personalised URL that stays the same ? This could help me to use this URL in my shortcut).
I
Iuliia Artemeva
Merged in a post:
Contact sync
J Boles
I would like to see external contact synchronization, or as a gross compromise, export. We can't invest in putting contact information in Mailbutler if it creates yet another isolated repository from current Apple, Google, and Microsoft contact records. There is already a large enough market niche trying to address synchronization challenges among those repositories, creating or updating contact information in Mailbutler would create enormous problems for any serious customer.
M
Maurice S.
Its a logical step
I
Iuliia Artemeva
Maurice S. , Jurgen Proschinger thank you for reaching out! We've added this request to the scope of the upcoming project.
Jurgen Proschinger
Iuliia Artemeva... and that's the standard canned reply you've been telling me for a decade!! I start to understand why projects don't move ahead in Germany as they used to back in the days...:)
I
Iuliia Artemeva
planned
Jurgen Proschinger
Been asking for this feature for over a decade!! No action taken whatsoever. I guess they don't want it or it's too much work?
A
Angelo Viscusi
This problem is currently the only reason we have not moved past the Demo Version. It is absolutely important that Mailbutler Contacts sync with our Outlook Contacts on Desktop / Mac and Phone as well.
Without that, Mailbutler is just an E.Mail Tracking Plugin with templates...
a
alexandremrj_2
This was my question yesterday_
"The way to use contacts in my mobile and replace my outlook or gmail contacts, I need them to sync in my mobile and able to associate them with any calls that I receive.
How can this work with mailbutler?
Do I have to create a contact in my address list and in mailbutler to have them appear in iOS when I receive a call or a text?"
So, I can use mailbutler for my contacts, but if I use it, I will never know who is calling me.
At least, allow LDAP in mailbutler so it syncs in my phone
Jurgen Proschinger
Second a proper sync with Apple Contacts or Gmail Contacts! Been saying this since version 1! I won't invest any time in duplicating my contacts database in Mailbutler! Which is why I've not used a large amount of Mailbutler's functionality to date.
Load More
→