Version 18 of Act! CRM software brings a new level of versatility to this trusted CRM application. It’s now possible to make a huge range of integrations with other Web services, and administrators have more control over their teams. The biggest differences are in the Web (Premium) version, which makes major advances in cloud readiness. Let’s look at a few of the reasons to upgrade.

 

Web API

• A new API for Act! Premium Web allows integration with other Web applications. This allows changes in other Web services to automatically update information in Act! or vice versa. For example, a custom web form can submit information directly to the Act! database, or adding a new contact can generate an email notification. The API is based on REST, a simple but powerful way for Web applications to communicate. Programmers or advanced users can write simple scripts to integrate applications. This is new with version 18.1.
• Act! Connect Link lets anyone use the API without writing scripts. With Connect Link, Windows users can connect Act! with online applications, such as Slack, Google Contacts, and PayPal. An Act! Premium subscription and a free Zapier account are necessary to use this feature, as well as an account with the site you’re linking to. Zapier does all the work to use Act!’s Web API to connect it to your account. (Some features of Zapier require a paid account.) This feature requires version 18.2.
• Act! Connect View has been redesigned for the new API integrations.

Administrative features

• Administrators have more detailed control of Team accounts. They can designate which users have permission to send email campaigns, sign up for marketing accounts, and set up Connect Link integrations.
• More user preferences are kept in the Act! database, allowing administrators to set them for all users at once. This also lets users access their settings in Act! Premium.

Better contact management

• The “Favorite contacts” list lets a business track its most important contacts and retrieve them quickly.
• Segmented call lists allow easier management of different calling groups within a campaign.
• Activities now have a creation date stamp to make it easy to see when an activity started.

Compatibility

• Act! Premium Mobile now works with iOS 9.
• Act! Premium is fully compatible with the latest versions of Chrome and Internet Explorer 11.
• Act! 18 now supports Windows 10 and Office 2016. Previous versions of Act! have problems with these releases. If you want Act! to run smoothly with them, you need the upgrade.
• Act! version 16 won’t be supported after November 30. If you want continued support and have version 16 or older, you need to upgrade.
• Act! version 16 users need to upgrade by September 30 to keep their Loyalty Pricing. If they don’t, the cost to upgrade will go up.
• Besides, version 17 brought some nice advances to the desktop application, so why are you still on version 16? With versions 17 and 18, administrators can create browse-only users who can view but not change data and hide inactive users in their lists. Template folders make the selection of emarketing templates easier. Lists of email opt-outs and bounces are available for convenient viewing, making it easy to remove or correct addresses as necessary.
• If you’re on the subscription plan, Act! 18.2 is free! If you aren’t, the Act! Premium Cloud subscription is well worth considering. It includes cloud hosting, Windows and mobile client applications, automatic upgrades, up to 500 email marketing contacts, video training, and technical support. Monthly pricing is per user, and a free trial is available.

With the latest version of Act!, you get the latest Web features, the best compatibility, and ongoing support. It’s the way to go if contact management is important to your business.

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