The curtain goes up on a feature-packed new ACT!

Small businesses and corporate workgroups can now track, manage and control their customer contacts more easily following the launch of ACT! version 7.0, regarded as the next generation in contact management software.
Following three years of research and development, ACT! 7.0 delivers the most significant architectural and features upgrade in the products 17 year history.
It offers users greater choice and flexibility through two specialised new versions:
1. ACT! 7.0 has been designed for individuals, home based businesses (SOHOs) and small teams of up to nine people. It allows users to manage up to 50,000 contacts at a time; while
2. ACT! 7.0 for Workgroups has been designed for teams of multiple users that need to share customer data and manage sales opportunities in a secure networked environment. It allows workgroups to collectively manage up to 100,000 contacts at a time.
Architecturally, the program code for ACT! 7.0 has been completely re-written on Microsofts SQL Server 2000 database to support the collaboration and network security requirements of larger workgroups. This new design makes it much easier for users to customise the software.
The move from a flat-file to a relational database has also enhanced ACT!s synchronisation capabilities. Users no longer have to stop working to synchronise their files, saving busy salespeople valuable time.
In terms of functionality, ACT! 7.0 comes with over 50 new product features including advanced selling tools previously only found in expensive customer relationship management (CRM) systems. It has also enjoyed hundreds of usability enhancements.
Specifically, the new ACT! 7.0 assists the workflow and effectiveness of salespeople by integrating opportunity forecasting tools around enhanced contact management features to help individuals and teams:
 Track relationships with company records for simple account management;
 Capture more information and better manage their opportunity pipelines through a more robust reporting feature;
 Apply advanced group management for better customer segmentation;
 Customise their database with advanced field types and activity types; and
 Directly integrate with Microsoft Office applications such as Excel, Word and Outlook.
Craig Young, Managing Director for ACT! (Asia Pacific) said ACT! 7.0 gives users the best of both worlds, by combining many of the stand-out features of CRM with the ease of use and affordability of a personal information manager (PIMs).
The great thing about ACT! 7.0 is it has the flexibility to be an extremely simple or complex system depending on your business requirements, Young explained. Every entrepreneur, business owner and manager that uses ACT! 7.0 will have far greater control over their relationships and interactions with customers, prospects, suppliers and staff.
Michael Bryant, Director of ACT Today, an Australian consultancy that specialises in the contact management solution, agreed adding: ACT! 7.0 will also increase productivity levels by eliminating the mundane but essential tasks that go hand-in-hand with running a successful business. ACT! 7.0 will free up business owners and team leaders giving them more time to focus on the big picture issues. From experience, I can tell you this is both a rewarding and reassuring feeling.
ACT! 7.0 was developed in response to customer feedback received from more than two million registered ACT! users worldwide. A significant 90% of the most common requests have been answered through the launch of ACT! 7.0.
It offers the same look and feel as ACT! 6.0, with many of the hot-keys and menus options maintained, providing an easy migration path for existing users.
ACT! 7.0 has a recommended retail price of $AUD299.00 (inc GST), or $AUD169.00 (inc GST) for upgrading customers. ACT! 7.0 for Workgroups retails at $AUD499.00 (inc GST), or $AUD325.00 (inc GST) for existing customers.
ACT! 7.0 will be available Australia-wide from 1 October 2004 at: Ingram Micro, Scholastic New Media, Harvey Norman, Officeworks, Dick Smith Electronics, City Software and Harris Technology as well as through all ACT! Certified Consultants (ACCs). ACT! 7.0 for Workgroups will only available through ACCs only. For the details of ACCs in Australia and New Zealand visit www.act.com/acc. For information on volume licensing call 1800 675 617. For an interactive demo or features tour visit www.actsoftware.com.au.
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High-resolution box-shots, screen captures and a full listing of ACT! 7.0s new product features (both versions) are available. To request these items or arrange an interview with Craig Young, contact:
Caroline Siler
On behalf of ACT Asia Pacific
Keep Left Public Relations
Phone: +61 (0) 3 9593 6969
Mobile: +61 (0) 402 046 826
Email: caroline@keepleftpr.com.au
About ACT! Software
 Awarded top honours CRM Magazine (US), September 2004
 Judged best contact manager 2002 - PC World (NZ)
 Recommended Award - PC World (Australia)
ACT! created the contact management software category in 1987, becoming the de facto standard for helping people organise, access and manage their comprehensive customer details in a single integrated solution.
ACT! was created by a salesperson for salespeople and continues to be the best-selling contact management solution for individuals, small businesses and corporate workgroups within larger organisations worldwide.
With over 2 million registered users (4 million individual users in total) and thousands of corporate accounts worldwide, ACT! has a heritage of delivering high-quality, reliable, and easy-to-use products that assist sales people and business professionals better manage and build relationships.
ACT! provides fully integrated calendar and contact functionality as well as sales tools and reporting capabilities to enable users to quickly and efficiently grow their business relationships and sell more. ACT! integrates with Microsoft Outlook, Palm OS handhelds and paper-based systems.
ACT! is a registered trademark, exclusively controlled by Sage Technologies Limited. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.