iCal sync does not work in Entourage 2008

[bodsham]

I can't sync my iCal calendar at all in 2008. I have sync turned in preferences. It does not show me any options to choose which calendar to sync. Same on my Macbook. The address book does sync even though that doesn't show up to.
I have tried creating a new identity and I get the same thing.
At the moment this is unusable.

 

[Michel Bintener]

Have you used Sync Services before (in Entourage 2004)? Entourage has a
rather idiosyncratic approach to calendar synching; if Sync Services is
turned on, a new calendar is created in iCal, called "Entourage". Events
created in Entourage show up in that calendar, and if you create events
in iCal, they need to be in that calendar as well or else they won't
show up in Entourage. If you want to get items from iCal into Entourage,
you now know what to do: right-click them and put them into the
"Entourage" calendar. Many users would prefer if they could set up
Entourage to synch categories to iCal calendars; if that sounds like
what you would like to have as well, click on Send Feedback on Entourage
inside Entourage's help menu to let Microsoft know.

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

 

[bodsham]

Thanks Michael - I worked that out - but not as quickly as you did. It's really a pain - I gave up on Entourage 2004 because of the category syncing issues. And they're still here. Great shame really... the program feels a lot snappier. Will give feedfback as you suggest... I think a lot of people are going to be baffled by this one.

 

[Guest]

Why the hell cant they do the simple thing and parse iCal categories? There are categories in entourage, so it's a one to one correspondence.

 

[Michel Bintener]

The situation is not that easy, actually. Entourage does not support
multiple calendars (except Exchange calendars), but it uses categories;
iCal, on the other hand, handles multiple calendars, but does not use
categories. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages, but
ultimately, there is a paradigm shift that needs to be made when
transitioning from one app to the other. I'm sure that if we protest
loudly enough, Microsoft may consider doing what I've suggested, i.e.
syncing Entourage categories with iCal calendars.

--
Michel Bintener
Microsoft MVP
Office:Mac (Entourage & Word)

***Always reply to the newsgroup.***

wrote:

 

[Brent]

Will Entourage 2008 sync with iPhone? I have synced my iPhone with Outlook, but would like to work on the Mac side. Thanks!

 

[bodsham]

You're right Michael - I was forgetting. For me the Microsoft categories way seems logical and the iCal way, separate calendars, seems odd. Except that I do publish one calendar and I guess you can't publish one category. But it would be nice to have the option to sync categories to calendars and I have put in a request for this.

Brent.... I gave my iPhone to my daughter because the incredibly slow data here in the UK drove me nuts. But with the Mac you simply sync the iPhone to iCal and Address Book. So, given the above, you should be able to sync Entourage to the iPhone, but I suspect you won't get categories.

PS - is it only me or does Safari not get remembered from visit to visit here, forcing you to log in every time? Shame - nice forums.

 

[Michael Jardine]

Yes, it will sync fine. I have an iPhone, synced it first with Outlook,
then Apple Mail, and now Entourage.

 

[mjasay]

1. I used to be able to sync to my Blackberry (8700c) just fine with Entourage 2004, but upgrading to 2008 seems to have broken it. I'm now getting this error message:

"Could not lcoate [sic] the Microsoft Entourage Office Synchronization Tool."

Grr....I just called Microsoft support and was told that Entourage doesn't support the Blackberry. I know that's technically true, but what a great way to lock out a huge swath of potential users.

2. I can't get my Entourage to sync with Address Book/iCal/Notes. Colleagues have followed the same procedure (enabling the Sync Services in Address Book) just fine and it works for them. Nothing happens when I do it except that in iCal an Entourage calendar is created...but no data is passed to it. (I can look in the Console and see that absolutely nothing is happening.)

Help!

 

[JMAC]

Help I just found out I have the same problem with my Blackberry. I am leaving town tomorrow and tried to sync using PocketMac and it will not sync. I cannot found Office 2004 so I can get my calendar before I go. Bummer

 

[Lynn Basa]

Michel,
Thank you for explaining that. It sounds like Entourage cannot do what I
need. Can anyone out there recommend another program that functions as a
combined client management system, calendar, and e-mail that I can also sync
between computers?

(I'm new to the whole CMS, syncing thing so don't assume that I already know
the obvious! Answers that begin with "duh!" gratefully accepted.)

Lynn

 

[Michael Jardine]

I hate to say it, but Outlook is your best bet. You can run it from within
OSX if you have Parallels.

Another option is to go to a web-based product.

I'm working on developing a product that will go part way towards what you
are looking for. Will keep you posted.

 

[Dusky]

I have exactly same problem, I cannot sync my BB, because:

"Could not lcoate [sic] the Microsoft Entourage Office Synchronization Tool."

I tried everything I could, I even bought Missing Sync, because I believed it will solve the problem. I was looking towards switching from Outlook 2007 + Fusion to MacOffice 2008, but I am truly disappointed with lack of sync options for BB and of course oldie, but goldie NO SUPPORT for import of *.pst files from OUTLOOK to Entourage.
What overpaid idiot decided not to include ANY importing options for OUTLOOK *.pst files? It really takes genius to figure this one out, I will still use product from Microsoft, so what is the point to piss customer, which just fork out $ 300 for mediocre software?

I just had enough of this. You can go and f... yourselves with this kind of overpriced products and support.

 

[William Smith]

1. I used to be able to sync to my Blackberry (8700c) just fine with
Entourage 2004, but upgrading to 2008 seems to have broken it. I'm now
getting this error message:

"Could not lcoate [sic] the Microsoft Entourage Office Synchronization
Tool."

Grr....I just called Microsoft support and was told that Entourage
doesn't support the Blackberry. I know that's technically true, but what
a great way to lock out a huge swath of potential users.

I believe that's an error message from PocketMac, not Entourage.
Microsoft itself does not support syncing natively to Blackberry nor
does it support PocketMac.

Have you tried Missing Sync from MarkSpace?

2. I can't get my Entourage to sync with Address Book/iCal/Notes.
Colleagues have followed the same procedure (enabling the Sync Services
in Address Book) just fine and it works for them. Nothing happens when I
do it except that in iCal an Entourage calendar is created...but no data
is passed to it. (I can look in the Console and see that absolutely
nothing is happening.)

This page on the Entourage Help Page may be of assistance
<http://www.entourage.mvps.org/troubleshoot/syncservices.html>.

Hope this helps!

--

bill

William M. Smith, Microsoft Interop MVP - Mac/Windows
Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>

 

[Lynn Basa]

Thanks for putting my question to rest, Michael. And, most definitely, keep
me posted on your progress!
Lynn

 

[Bruce Truax]

This problem and the inability to book resources properly will very likely
drive me away from Entourage. Microsoft had a chance to address these
problems in 2008 and did not. The problem may be more difficult that we
outsiders can understand but it seems to me that making one
calendar/category when going from entourage to iCal must be possible.

I also find it interesting that, for example, SNERDWARE is able to provide a
proper Resource booking add on to iCal but Microsoft cannot, or will not add
it to Entourage.

Bruce

 

[Teri Ross]

Not much to say that hasn't already been said. I have been anxiously awaiting this update for nearly a year. I purchased it with the express expectation that I would finally be able to sync my Entourage calendar with iCal as a means of getting it synced with my iPod touch. Alas - I STILL can't get this done. I can't believe they released this update without this capability. Wake up Microsoft - we use this data on other products - don't box us in.

 

[Mike Renfro]

If you are using iCal now you should follow this routine.

1) Go to preferences and check on sync for iCal (use the merge option) close Entourage and restart it.
2) Create a calendar event in Entourage
3) Wait for it to sync with iCal (go to iCal and await its appearance).
4) Go to EVERY event in iCal that you want to go to Entourage and reclassify it as being on this new Entourage calandar.
5) Wait for them to show up on Entourage.

 

[Andy Ruff]

You can sync your Blackberry using either Missing Sync and/or PocketMac.

-Andy

 

[Michael Jardine]

Yes, this works fine for me and also seamless with my iPhone as well... I
love it...