Act! v24 has major compatibility updates

Posted on September 30, 2021October 3, 2023 by Jean McCandlish

Along with the change to the 64-bit architecture, Act! v24 has major compatibility updates. You will be able to run Act! v24 on the latest version of Windows® 11 set for release in Q4 2021. Additional compatibility updates include support for Office 2019 and SQL Server 2019. Your Act! subscription ensures ongoing compatibility with current hardware, software, and operating systems for maximum productivity and peace of mind.

Windows 11
- Deploy Act! v24 on Windows 11, releasing fall of 2021
- Reap the benefits of a 64-bit platform with the latest security and performance enhancements from Microsoft
- Leverage your Act! subscription to stay current and compatible

Office 2019
- Act! v24 uses 64-bit integration for Outlook and Word add-ins bringing back stability and functionality
- Act! Office Add-Ins support 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Office 2019

SQL 2019
- Deploy pre-packaged SQL 2019 automatically for new installs
- Upgrade to SQL 2019 upon install of Act! v24 if the supported version of SQL is not detected(SQL 2014 R2)
- Benefit from the recent SQL security, performance and scalability enhancements

Act! v24 – The first 64-bit version of Act! is here!

Posted on September 22, 2021November 28, 2023 by Jean McCandlish

The 64-bit version of Act! has finally arrived! Act! v24 delivers turbocharged performance via a 64-bit native architecture. There is plenty to talk about in this release so continue to check our posts as we dive into its capabilities. Today we will start with the major accomplishment of this release-the move to the 64-bit architecture. Act! v24 capitalizes on the inherent benefits of 64-bit hardware and operating systems. This allows it to gain full access to all available system memory resulting in superior speed, performance and scalability. Now you can multi-task, perform high-load functions, and support large files and data sets without memory issues. Act! v24 allows access to virtually unlimited RAM with a 64-bit native application. This compares to just 4 GB with the older 32-bit application.

64-bit is all about performance.

Memory Access
- Access 17,000,000,000+GB of RAM with a 64-bit native application vs. 4GB with a 32-bit application
Multi-Tasking
- Run multiple applications concurrently without system lag or out-of-memory issues
Speed & Performance
- Enjoy superior speed during high-load functions and support for large files and data sets
Scalability
- Run multiple concurrent 3rd party add-ons optimally and support large or growing implementations
Security
- Leverage the inherent security benefits of 64-bit hardware and operating systems

Act! v23 Update 5 fixes Mail Merges stuck in Outlook drafts

Posted on September 21, 2021October 3, 2023 by Jean McCandlish

Sunshine back in the Act! world. For many of our users a Microsoft Windows update unexpectedly caused their mail merge emails sent from their Act! v23 desktops to get stuck in the Outlook draft folder. Act! has released Act! v23 Update 5 to fix this issue. After this update Outlook sends email mail merges as normal. We highly recommend anyone coming across this issue apply the update to restore their system to normal. This update is not schema breaking so can function in a mixed environment with others on different patch levels. Please let us know if you need any assistance deploying the fix.

Act! Marketing Automation Basic now included in new and renewal subscriptions

Posted on April 23, 2021October 3, 2023 by Jean McCandlish

Act! Marketing Automation Basic sending 2500 emails

Act! is now including Act! Marketing Automation Basic in all new and renewal licenses. The Basic level will allow you to send 2500 emails per month. This is a fantastic way to begin using Marketing Automation. Although you will not have any of the advanced features, you can begin by developing fantastic looking email templates and sending them out to your contacts. This is especially good news for users of the old Swiftpage E Marketing or Act! E Marketing packages, both of which have been obsoleted. The inclusion of the Basic tier of Act! Marketing Automation is a great alternative for these users. This new tier provides a drag and drop template editor and allows you to send up to 2500 emails per month which can be expanded to 10,000 emails per month for the cost of $15.00 per month for each 2500 added. You will also be able to see basic metrics in Act! as to whether your email was opened.

Act! Obsolescence Policy

Posted on April 23, 2021April 23, 2021 by Jean McCandlish

Act! like many vendors implements a policy whereby they support the current release of the product and specific older releases up to a certain date. When a release becomes unsupported, the products are no longer eligible for service packs, hotfixes, or compatibility updates. ASDS as a vendor can provide support on older versions of Act!, but sometimes a workaround cannot be developed without the manufacturer’s support. The dates below are the published upcoming Act! obsolescence policy dates. Products not listed here are already obsolete.

Act! Growth Suite v22, Act! Premium v22	Through 3/31/22
Act! Growth Suite v21, Act! Premium v21	Through 11/30/21
Act! Pro v21, Act! Pro v22	Through 11/30/21
Act! v20 products	Through 11/30/20

Act! Obsolescence Policy Dates

If you are running anything older than Act! v21, your software is obsolete and has already been locked at the last revision of that software. You can no longer get support from Act! In real terms this means your software is vulnerable from a security standpoint. When software is locked, you no longer receive the updates necessary to keep it performing with other related software. In the Act! world this mean Windows, Outlook, and Google^TM.

It is time to consider an Act! subscription plan to keep you up to date and in step with other software applications. Act! Subscription plans include free updates as long as your subscription is active.

The bottom line is that by staying on an old release to save money, you are putting your company at risk. Both security risk from hackers as well as taking the risk of having access to your data and functions interrupted. Don’t be caught trying to restore your applications functionality.

Meanwhile, If you run into an issue on an older product, please check with us to see if we can help – we have been supporting Act! for over 30 years!