New feature: Outlook calendar integration

If you haven't heard, Less Annoying CRM is getting a redesign. Along with the design changes, we're introducing some new features to help make the CRM even better.

Probably the most common feature request we get here at LACRM is the ability to sync events with Outlook. Well, I'm excited to announce that you'll be able to do just that in the new version of Less Annoying CRM!

Why this is so helpful

There are two main reasons why you might want to sync your calendar with Outlook. The first one is obvious: maybe you just want to see your events in both places. Having your events in your CRM is valuable so that you can attach them to contact records to build a full history, but if you spend a lot of time in Outlook, you probably also want to see them there.

The second reason is a bit less obvious, but arguably more important: if you sync your events to Outlook, you can easily see your full LACRM calendar from your phone's calendar app! Outlook already syncs with all major smartphones, so you can sync LACRM with Outlook and then sync Outlook with your phone. That way, you can just open the "calendar" app from your phone (or install the Outlook app) and see your full schedule. This makes using LACRM while away from your computer much easier.

How it works

Outlook calendar integration works just like our existing Google calendar integration. It's one of the easiest features we have because after you set it up, there's nothing else to do. Events will automatically sync back-and-forth between your CRM and Outlook.

First, you need to authorize the integration with Outlook (note: make sure you're logged into the correct Outlook account online when you do this). Then, you can map calendars in Outlook to calendars in LACRM:

That's it! Once you've told us which calendars with Outlook you want to sync with, we'll take care of the rest and keep your events in sync.

Things you should know

While the sync is completely automatic, there are still some tips and tricks related to the setup that will help you get the most out of this feature:

• You can create sub-calendars in LACRM, and sync each of those with a different calendar in Outlook. This is a great way to color-code your events and stay organized. For example, I have a primary LACRM calendar which my colleagues can see, and a "personal" one which only shares free/busy info in the CRM. Then in Outlook I can share my personal one with my family so they see those events, but not my work events.
• We don't sync tasks, only events. This is because we have plans for tasks in LACRM which aren't compatible with Outlook (or Google) tasks, so syncing with them wouldn't really work long-term.
• You can sync with more than one Outlook/Google account, but each LACRM calendar can only sync with one external account. For example, you can sync your "primary" LACRM calendar with your Outlook account, and your "personal" one with Google (or with a different Outlook account), but you can't sync a single LACRM calendar with multiple Outlook/Google accounts (this is to prevent duplicate events).

How you can enable the integration

Outlook integration will only work if you're on the new version of LACRM. If you're in the new version, you can enable Outlook calendar integration from the new integrations page. Enjoy!

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