The best way to set up Act! for your business will depend on a range of factors including the number of users, available hardware and key functionality required.

Pro
-or-
Premium

Choose Act! Pro if:

• Currently (and in foreseeable future) have less than 10 users of Act!
• Do not require web access to your database
• Mobile access is not a priority.

Choose Act! Premium if:

• Have / may have more than 10 users of Act!
• Need access to the database via web or mobile devices
• Want to have Act! as a hosted solution

Read more about Act! Premium for Web and view a live demo here.

Hosted
-or-
On-site

Act! can be installed on-site on each user’s computer or hosted on the web.

For an on-site solution Act! is installed on each user’s PC and, in most cases, the database file will reside on your server. Synchronising databases can also be set up on PC’s or laptops that may be disconnected from your businesses network, but will still require access to the database. For example, if you have offices in multiple locations or remote workers.

If you want to access Act! via the web or mobile devices it will need to be hosted, and you will need to have Act! Premium. If you are considering hosting yourself you will also need an appropriate web server, otherwise you can host with Xact Software.

In some cases with a hosted solution you may also require synchronising databases to be set up, for example if you want to access the database on a laptop and do not have an internet connection and/or if you require features and addons that are not available via the web/mobile interface.

Another option to consider is Terminal Server, where both Act! and the data file exist on a server (yours or one provided by Xact Software at a fee) and every user logs on to that. In this model you don’t have to install Act! on each user’s PC but you will have to have a good server especially if you have lots of users logged on at the same time.

Mobile Access

If you require mobile access to your database there are a number of options to choose from.

If you are hosting Act! (either by yourself or by Xact Software) you will be able to access your database via Act! Premium Mobile. This product is included with Act! Premium at no extra cost.

If you are using Act! Pro, or Act! Premium and are NOT hosting Act!, you have two options for accessing your database on a mobile device. Each option has different features and pricing. Click on the product name to learn more about it.

• Handheld Contact: Subscription based service that gives you access to a significant part of Act! 
• CompanionLink: A product with a one-off cost that gives you read-only access to key contact data

Ready to experience Act! for yourself?