Tour de Force Tasks and Appointments versus Outlook Tasks and Appointments

1. Overview of Tour de Force Appointments and Tasks

In version of 6.0 of Tour de Force, users can disable Outlook Appointments and Tasks in relation to Tour de Force records and items.  There are three different settings that can be configured by companies in relation comes to Appointments and Tasks:

 

• Outlook Appointments and Task are created for all users

 

This setting is how Tour de Force currently operates and has operated in previous versions prior to 6.0.  When a user creates a new Appointment or Task the Outlook item for those Appointments and Tasks display.  Appointments and Tasks get added to the calendar, and the Task List in Outlook gets updated with the Task that is being created.

 

• User gets to choose whether to use Outlook Appointments and Tasks or TDF Appointments and Tasks

 

With this setting users can decide whether to use Outlook Appointments and Tasks or use TDF Appointments and Tasks.  This setting is changed in the User Preferences screen.

 

• Do not use Outlook Appointments and Tasks

 

This setting is used to disable Outlook Appointments and Tasks in relation to Tour de Force.  That means when a user creates a new Appointment or Task from Tour de Force, the Outlook form is not going to open, and no Outlook item gets created.

 

The setting that is selected is going to impact how Tour de Force Appointments and Tasks are going to interact with Outlook.  The following sections explain the difference of each setting and what features are lost, and gained, when switching between the three different settings.

 

 

2. TDF Tasks and Outlook Tasks

In versions of Tour de Force prior to version 6.0, when a Task gets created the Task gets added to the users Task List, and a Task item gets created in Tour de Force.  This Task item is a public item and viewable by all users but can only be edited by the owner of the Task item.  The Task would also get added to the user’s calendar in Outlook, and operate the exact same as a regular Task created from Outlook.  The only functionality associated with Tasks in relation to Tour de Force was the ability to complete and convert the Task into an Activity item.

 

Before version 6.0 of Tour de Force, when a Task item gets created, the Task gets created in Outlook first, and then synced to the Tour de Force database when the sync process ran.  However, in version 6.0 of Tour de Force the operation works in reverse.  When a Task is created, a Task is created in the Tour de Force database and then synced to Outlook when the sync process runs.  

 

The decision to create the database item first, rather than the Outlook item, was so that users could choose whether to use Outlook Tasks, to use TDF Tasks exclusively, or to allow the user to choose whether to use Outlook Tasks or TDF Tasks. This section of the technical bulletin explains the use of each of those settings in regard to Task items, and what features are gained and lost depending on which setting is selected.

 

There are three options available when managing the Task preferences:

 

• Outlook Tasks will be Created for All Users
• Outlook Tasks will NOT be used
• User has Option whether to use Outlook Tasks

  

Outlook Tasks will be Created for All Users

 

If this option is selected, then when a Tour de Force Task is created, an Outlook item also gets created associated with that Task item.  This method is how Tour de Force has handled Task items in the past and should be familiar to anyone who has previously used Tour de Force Tasks and Outlook.  

 

With this option enabled the following features are available:

 

• Complete and Convert Task to Activity
• The Task item appears in the user’s Task List in Outlook
• The Task appears on the user’s Calendar in Outlook
• Task item can be viewed in Tour de Force
• Task can be viewed in the Daily Summary and Home Screen in Tour de Force Mobile
• Users can Accept or Decline Tasks

 

With this option enabled the following features to become unavailable:

 

• The Task does not get added to the Tour de Force Reminder system
• The Task item cannot be edited in Tour de Force

 

Outlook Tasks will NOT be used

 

If this option is selected then when a Tour de Force Task is created, the TDF Task form is used rather than the Outlook item.  All the fields and functions that used to be available on the Outlook item are now available on the TDF Task form, but there are a few differences that need to be noted.

 

With this option enabled the following features are available:

 

• Complete and Convert Task to Activity
• Task item can be viewed in Tour de Force
• Task can be viewed in the Daily Summary and Home Screen in Tour de Force Mobile
• Task gets added to the Reminder system and sent to the assigned user(s)
• Task item can be edited in Tour de Force

 

With this option enabled the following features to become unavailable:

 

• The Task does not get added to the Task List in Outlook
• The Task does not appear on the user’s Calendar
• Users cannot Accept or Decline Tasks

 

User has option whether to use Outlook Tasks

 

If this option is selected, then the user has the option to not use Outlook Tasks.  These options are available in the User Preferences screen.

 

 

 

 

 

3. TDF Appointments and Outlook Appointments

In versions of Tour de Force prior to version 6.0, when an Appointment gets created, a Public Appointment gets created and a Private Appointment is also created.  This Appointment item is a public item and viewable by all users but can only be edited by the owner of the Appointment item.  The Appointment also gets added to the user’s calendar in Outlook and operates the exact same as a regular Appointment created from Outlook.  The only functionality associated with Appointments in relation to Tour de Force was the ability to complete and convert the Appointment into an Activity item.

 

Before version 6.0 of Tour de Force, when an Appointment item is created the Appointment gets created in Outlook first, and then synced to the Tour de Force database when the sync process runs.  However, in version 6.0 of Tour de Force the operation works in reverse.  When an Appointment gets created, an Appointment is created in the Tour de Force database and then synced to Outlook when the sync process runs.  

 

The decision to create the database item first, rather than the Outlook item, was so that users could choose whether to use Outlook Appointments, to use TDF Appointments exclusively, or to allow the user to choose whether to use Outlook Appointments or TDF Appointments. This section of the technical bulletin explains the use of each of those settings in regard to Appointment items, and what features are gained and lost depending on which setting is selected.

 

There are three options available when managing the Appointments preferences:

 

• Outlook Appointments will be Created for All Users
• Outlook Appointments will NOT be used
• User has Option whether to use Outlook Appointments

 

 

Outlook Appointments will be Created for All Users

 

If this option is selected, then when a Tour de Force Appointment is created, an Outlook item also gets created associated with that Appointment item.  This method is how Tour de Force has handled Appointment items in the past and should be familiar to anyone who has previously used Tour de Force Appointments and Outlook.  

 

With this option enabled the following features are available:

 

• Convert Appointment to Activity
• The Appointment appears on the user’s Calendar in Outlook
• Appointments can be viewed in the Daily Summary and Home Screen in Tour de Force Mobile
• Appointment item can be viewed in Tour de Force
• Users can Accept or Decline Appointments, or request a new start time for the Appointment

 

With this option enabled the following features to become unavailable:

 

• The Appointment does not get added to the Tour de Force Reminder system
• The Appointment item cannot be edited in Tour de Force

 

Outlook Appointments will NOT be used

 

If this option is selected then when a Tour de Force Appointment is created, the TDF Appointment form is used rather than the Outlook item.  All the fields and functions that used to be available on the Outlook item are now available on the TDF Appointment form, but there are a few differences that need to be noted.

 

With this option enabled the following features are available:

 

• Convert Appointment to Activity
• Appointment item can be viewed in Tour de Force
• Appointment can be viewed in the Daily Summary and Home Screen in Tour de Force Mobile
• Appointment gets added to the Reminder system and sent to the requested attendee(s)
• Appointment item can be edited in Tour de Force

 

With this option enabled the following features to become unavailable:

 

• The Appointment does not appear on the user’s Calendar
• Users cannot Accept or Decline Appointments, or request a new start time for the Appointment

 

User has option whether to use Outlook Appointments

 

If this option is selected, then the user has the option to not use Outlook Appointments.  These options are available in the User Preferences screen.

 

 

 

4. Best Practices and Things to watch out for

With Outlook Appointments and Tasks turned off, ALL functionality associated with Outlook Tasks and Appointments is disabled in relation to Tour de Force

 

Before disabling Outlook, Tasks and Appointments consider the functionality that is lost that is outlined in Section B and C of this technical bulletin.  Appointments and Tasks do not get synced to the user’s Outlook Calendar, which means they are not going to get the normal alert from Outlook when an Appointment is starting or when a Task is due.  However, an alert is going to be sent out through the Reminder system in Tour de Force.  For more information regarding Tour de Force Reminders please refer to Technical Bulletin 6007 – Tour de Force Reminders.

 

When Outlook Appointments and Tasks are turned off, users are not going to get any reminders or notifications on their phone related to Tour de Force records or items

 

If a user has disabled, the use of Outlook Appointments and Tasks that means any Appointments and Tasks created from Tour de Force records or items are not going to send any kind of notification to the user’s phone or mobile device.  Normal Appointments and Tasks are going to operate as they normally would.  For users on a mobile device they can still login to Tour de Force Mobile and quickly view any Appointments or Tasks due that day.

 

What happens if a user who has disabled Outlook Tasks and Appointments gets sent a TDF Task or Appointment from a user that has not disabled Outlook Tasks and Appointments?

 

In this instance, if a user who is using Outlook items sends an Appointment or Task to a user who is only using TDF Tasks, the Appointments and Tasks are going to behave dependent upon the settings.  For example, if a user who is using Outlook Appointments sends an Appointment to a user who is only using TDF Appointments then the user who is using Outlook gets the Appointment added on their calendar and the user using TDF Appointments gets sent a reminder using the Reminder system.

 

Disabling Outlook Appointments and Tasks only disables them from being used in relation to Tour de Force

 

Disabling Outlook Appointments and Tasks does not prevent users from using Outlook Appointments and Tasks.  Users can still request Appointments and assign Tasks using Outlook, however, none of these items are going to be linked to a TDF record or item.

 

When should a user be allowed to choose whether to use Outlook Appointments and Tasks or use TDF Appointments or Tasks?

 

Tour de Force recommends setting the usage of TDF Appointments and Tasks on a team-by-team basis.  For example, if one member of the sales team has Outlook Appointments and Tasks disabled, then the rest of the team should as well.  Each company is going to have their own settings and practices in relation to TDF Appointments and Tasks.