Act! Premium Cloud vs. Act Premium Desktop: The Features You’ll Miss Most

What’s Missing in Act! for Web

Act! for Web brings the convenience of browser access, letting you work from anywhere without installing software. But if you’ve been using Act! Premium for Desktop, you’ll quickly notice that the Web version still doesn’t measure up in several key areas.

1. Missing Word Processor and Mail Merge: Act! for Web doesn’t include the built-in Word Processor or the classic mail merge tools. That means no easy way to create or customize templates or send personalized letters and emails directly from the CRM.
2. Limited Reporting and Dashboards: You can view existing reports and dashboards online, but you can’t create or edit them the way you can in the desktop version. Complex reporting, custom templates, and advanced filtering are off the table.
3. Restricted Layout and Field Customization: The desktop version gives you full control over your layouts—field widths, placement, menus, and toolbars. The Web version is far more rigid. It’s fine for basic use, but power users will feel boxed in.
4. Weaker Scheduling Tools: While you can schedule activities, you can’t set up an Activity Series or easily view other users’ availability. The scheduling system is basic compared to what’s possible in the desktop app.
5. No Right-Click Functionality: Right-click menus—those handy shortcuts that let you quickly edit, lookup, or schedule from almost anywhere—don’t work in Act! for Web. Everything requires more clicks through on-screen menus.
6. No Local Maintenance Tools: In the desktop version, you can back up, restore, and maintain your own database. In the Web version, you’re dependent on your hosting provider for those essential tasks.
7. Fewer Integrations and Add-Ons: Popular integrations and add-ons that work beautifully on desktop—such as faxing tools, timers, or specialized plug-ins—don’t work in the Web environment.
8. Costly and Flaky Sync for Full Functionality: If you want all the power of Act! Desktop and the convenience of Web access, you’ll need to set up cloud-to-desktop synchronization. Unfortunately, it’s known to be unreliable and can significantly increase the cost of your Act! for Web pricing and setup.

Act Cloud: The Bottom Line

Act! for Web is a good option for users who value convenience and remote access, but it’s still missing several of the powerful tools longtime users rely on. If you need full control over reports, layouts, scheduling, and database management, the desktop version remains superior—though you’ll need to manage your own installation. It’s also worth noting that all new advancements are being added to Act! for Web, not Act! Premium for Desktop. Over time, that means the Web version will continue to improve while the desktop product remains largely frozen in place.

Maybe it’s time to consider moving to a product like Zoho that works better on the web because it was created for the web. And yes, we can convert 100% of your valuable data to Zoho!

Interested? Drop us a line!