It’s here – ACT! 2009 – right on schedule. So, do you need to race out and upgrade? Here are my thoughts:
- ACT! Classic Users: By “classic” I mean versions 6 (2004), 5 (2000), 4 or even 3. Your version of ACT! won’t work with a new computer that has Vista, or even with most versions of Microsoft Outlook. You can’t use ACT! for your e-mail – at least not easily. Most importantly you’re missing out on all that great new functionality: advanced queries, dynamic groups, company records, secondary contacts, dashboards, and the opportunities list to name a few.
- ACT! 2005 – 2007 Users: If you’re using one of these versions you already know about the cool new features in ACT!. Significant additions have been added along the way. More importantly you’ll notice a huge difference in performance – as well as tighter integration with Outlook.
- ACT! 2008 Users: You’re probably thinking that there’s no compelling reason to upgrade to 2009. Wrong! I can think of 2 right off the bat – Sage is practically giving this software away. And, if you’re using a Premium version you’ll get both the web and desktop versions for the same price.The bad news with this release is that it doesn’t offer any great bells and whistles. The good news is that ACT! has tightened up several key components. For example, the Outlook integration just keeps getting better and better; this release has built more ACT! features into Outlook itself.For more information on this upgrade take a look at my website. You’ll find links to the system requirements, comparisons between ACT! and ACT! Premium and a chart showing new features. And, should you decide to upgrade, I’m offering some really great pricing!
