Sync Contacts with Custom Labels to Windows?

[PeteLP]

I've just started using Custom Labels for Phone Numbers in Contacts. Realizing that there may be issues syncing those contacts to outlook on windows, I did some searching, and have found only problems with no solutions. Some users have found that after they sync, custom labels are no longer available on the iphone, others have found no way to back them up so that they'd be preserved after a full restore.

Has anyone found a way to sync contacts with custom labels to any windows desktop or online sync repository so that I can actually continue to use these labels, and have a backup so they can be fully preserved and synced after a restore to factory condition (Just in Cases). I realize that switching to a Mac would handle this completely but I'm looking for a windows alternative for right now.

Any ideas?

[Btw, in case you're not familiar with custom labels, it's really nice to be able to create phone number labels for "His Cell", "Her Cell" (for couples), "Vacation Home", "Assistant", "Switchboard", "Billing", "Tech Support", "Sales", etc.]

Pete

 

[tbone7467]

Neither outlook nor windows Contacts can handle most of the iPhones regular fields either Like iPhone. if you find a solution let me know Im losing contact data like crazy since I was dealing with iPhone issues and now the upgrade to iPhone 4.

 

[FieldingMellish]

I don't think it will work. You could, for instance, separate records with custom fields and then add the field names to the other application after the fact. But that is a one time data transfer that would be spoiled by the next sync.

It's hard enough with the regular address books programming. There are no solid fields that always remain the same. It makes for flexibility and a nice looking record when you leave edit view, but it is unfriendly when it comes to syncing elsewhere.

 

[barachus]

custom labels now sync fine to gmail

 

[ScootPatoot]

custom labels now sync fine to gmail

Nope. I created a custom label called test with an email of me@me.me on one of my contacts via gmail.com. I have google exchange sync setup on my phone and when it sync's over the custom lable is gone and it is labeled as "email". The "Test" label did not sync over.

 

[barachus]

Nope. I created a custom label called test with an email of me@me.me on one of my contacts via gmail.com. I have google exchange sync setup on my phone and when it sync's over the custom lable is gone and it is labeled as "email". The "Test" label did not sync over.

the OP was refering to custom labels on Phone numbers not email labels, the phone ones sync fine



edit: i just tested an email custom label and it worked fine as well

 

[ScootPatoot]

the OP was refering to custom labels on Phone numbers not email labels, the phone ones sync fine



edit: i just tested an email custom label and it worked fine as well

I see that now. Thanks, but when I changed a particular label of an existing contact to a custom label, that phone number is now removed on the iPhone side. So either way, it doesn't work.

 

[ScootPatoot]

the OP was refering to custom labels on Phone numbers not email labels, the phone ones sync fine



edit: i just tested an email custom label and it worked fine as well

If this works for you, what is your process? Are you changing it on gmail's website? Outlook? Because if this works for you, google may need to hire you: See my 2nd post. According to Google help, this does not work.

 

[barachus]

If this works for you, what is your process? Are you changing it on gmail's website? Outlook? Because if this works for you, google may need to hire you: See my 2nd post. According to Google help, this does not work.

i create a custom label on the iphone, sync through itunes to googlemail and look up my contacts on googlemail website and it has the custom labels in the contact fields
maybe your issue is with activesync from the actual device, i dont use that process

 

[ScootPatoot]

i create a custom label on the iphone, sync through itunes to googlemail and look up my contacts on googlemail website and it has the custom labels in the contact fields
maybe your issue is with activesync from the actual device, i dont use that process

Yep. It's an ActiveSync problem.

 

[PeteLP]

ScootPatoot and barachus and (everyone else)

Thanks very much, indeed, for responding. I will definitely look into google sync.

How are you both liking google sync for contacts. Are there any issues I should be aware of before deciding to switch from outlook? Barachus, are custom label syncs still totally working for you?

Are iphone contact groups supported in google sync? Do either of you have iphone contacts groups? If so, will google sync support membership for a single contact in multiple iphone contact groups (another outlook limitation)?

Pete

 

[terrycyber]

I've just started using Custom Labels for Phone Numbers in Contacts. Realizing that there may be issues syncing those contacts to outlook on windows, I did some searching, and have found only problems with no solutions. Some users have found that after they sync, custom labels are no longer available on the iphone, others have found no way to back them up so that they'd be preserved after a full restore.

Has anyone found a way to sync contacts with custom labels to any windows desktop or online sync repository so that I can actually continue to use these labels, and have a backup so they can be fully preserved and synced after a restore to factory condition (Just in Cases). I realize that switching to a Mac would handle this completely but I'm looking for a windows alternative for right now.

Any ideas?

[Btw, in case you're not familiar with custom labels, it's really nice to be able to create phone number labels for "His Cell", "Her Cell" (for couples), "Vacation Home", "Assistant", "Switchboard", "Billing", "Tech Support", "Sales", etc.]

Pete

Have u tried 'iDrive Lite' app from itunes app store?
It is free. I could backup and restore my contacts without my custom label fields getting messed up.
To me, the only downside is that u can't backup your contacts to your pc, but you can login to their website and verify your contacts if your idevice is down.

 

[PeteLP]

Have u tried 'iDrive Lite' app from itunes app store?
It is free. I could backup and restore my contacts without my custom label fields getting messed up.
To me, the only downside is that u can't backup your contacts to your pc, but you can login to their website and verify your contacts if your idevice is down.

Terry

Thanks for responding. I'm a little nervous about trying this, given the number of reviews that speak about crashes, as well as the company's "suspicious" request for too much personal data when creating an account.

I hope you don't mind answering some questions.

1- Has the product been totally reliable for you
2- How many contacts do you have?
3- How long does each backup take with a good connection?
4- Do you know if they are able to preserve the groups to which each of your contacts are assigned?
5- Do they preserve multiple group assignments for each single contact? (The Mac does, but other windows sync apps, like MS Outlook, don't)
6- Do they do incremental backups or do they need to backup the entire contact DB on every backup. (I have more than a thousand contacts, and it can take a long time)
7- What personal data did they require from you when creating your account, or at any other time?

Thanks Very much for your time on this.

Pete

 

[terrycyber]

Terry

Thanks for responding. I'm a little nervous about trying this, given the number of reviews that speak about crashes, as well as the company's "suspicious" request for too much personal data when creating an account.

I hope you don't mind answering some questions.

1- Has the product been totally reliable for you
2- How many contacts do you have?
3- How long does each backup take with a good connection?
4- Do you know if they are able to preserve the groups to which each of your contacts are assigned?
5- Do they preserve multiple group assignments for each single contact? (The Mac does, but other windows sync apps, like MS Outlook, don't)
6- Do they do incremental backups or do they need to backup the entire contact DB on every backup. (I have more than a thousand contacts, and it can take a long time)
7- What personal data did they require from you when creating your account, or at any other time?

Thanks Very much for your time on this.

Pete

Answers:
1. Yes.
2. More than a hundred.
3. About 10-30 seconds on 'edge'. I guess this varies with the number of contacts and the amount of details u have for the your various contacts.
4. No I don't. My contacts are not grouped so i can't figure that out.
5. Again, like I said, my contacts are not grouped so i can't figure that out either.
6. I guess they do incremental backups since my first backup has been my longest so far.
7. I can't remember the specifics, but i can remember that of all the information that was required of me, the only one i had to be honest with was my email address.

 

[PeteLP]

Terry

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer all of my questions. I'll be looking into this solution.

Pete

 

[PeteLP]

I suspect there are many folks still looking for a good solution for this problem. Well I believe I've found it.

"Contacts Sync for Google GMail" is an app in the Apple iPhone App Store that does everything I've been wanting.

- It syncs contacts in two directions with gmail contacts, even when using iCloud on the iphone
- It gets ALL of my custom labels (and I have a lot of them)
- It correctly creates and assigns all of my Groups even if such groups never existed on gmail
- Its gotten all of my data absolutely right
- it merges changes from both directions
- If desired, it allows for replacing all data on gmail with your data from the iphone or visa versa
- It allows for syncing only selected groups or contacts
- Its got an average 5 star rating on the app store
- It's been totally reliable in the short time I've used it.
- The developer is said to be very responsive
- It's been tested with up to 10,000 contacts in a single account.

It's a godsend. THANK YOU

(BTW I had LOTS of problems with "iDrive Lite", an earlier suggestion above, and they've been anything BUT responsive)

 

[NIGHTMARE^]

I suspect there are many folks still looking for a good solution for this problem. Well I believe I've found it.

"Contacts Sync for Google GMail" is an app in the Apple iPhone App Store that does everything I've been wanting.

- It syncs contacts in two directions with gmail contacts, even when using iCloud on the iphone
- It gets ALL of my custom labels (and I have a lot of them)
- It correctly creates and assigns all of my Groups even if such groups never existed on gmail
- Its gotten all of my data absolutely right
- it merges changes from both directions
- If desired, it allows for replacing all data on gmail with your data from the iphone or visa versa
- It allows for syncing only selected groups or contacts
- Its got an average 5 star rating on the app store
- It's been totally reliable in the short time I've used it.
- The developer is said to be very responsive
- It's been tested with up to 10,000 contacts in a single account.

It's a godsend. THANK YOU

(BTW I had LOTS of problems with "iDrive Lite", an earlier suggestion above, and they've been anything BUT responsive)

Well this great app and that's what I'm looking for all over google, I loss many contact in outlook due to this custom label. Well is there any good app for sync the notes ?

 

[PeteLP]

Well this great app and that's what I'm looking for all over google, I loss many contact in outlook due to this custom label. Well is there any good app for sync the notes ?

I could never find anything that does. Let me know if you do.

Pete

 

[StevenPalaci]

It's hard enough with the regular address books programming.

 

[PeteLP]

It's hard enough with the regular address books programming.Image

I have no idea what you mean by that. Can you elaborate?