The synchronization options for all target servers are now configured.
Configuring batch synchronization
The Enable periodic invocation of batch sync setup option in the Batch Sync Setuptab lets you configure a recurring batch job to set up synchronization for users in bulk. This option is disabled by default.
To configure batch synchronization:
In NexJ Admin Console, navigate to the Synchronization page.
Select a server in the Targets list of theSynchronizationtab.
Click Configure in the Global Optionsfield in the pane on the right side of the page. The Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog opens.
Info
These options are global and apply to all Exchange servers configured for synchronization with NexJ CRM.
Click the Batch Sync Setuptab and configure any of the following parameters:
Enable periodic invocation of batch sync setup Enables batch sync setup. For more information, see Periodic configuration of prospects. Default: Disabled Start Time Specifies the recurring time at which the Batch Sync Setup job will run. Default: midnight Period (in minutes) Specifies how frequently, in minutes, the batch job is executed. Default: 1440 minutes (24 hours) Number of activation attempts Specifies the maximum number of attempts to activate synchronization for a prospect. Default: 5 Days in Past (Initial Snapshot Properties section) Specifies how far back existing items should be snapped to and from Exchange (initial snapshot) when a user is newly configured for synchronization. Default: 0 days (hence, no existing items in the past are snapped) Days in Future (Initial Snapshot Properties section) Specifies how far into the future existing items should be snapped to and from Exchange (initial snapshot) when a user is newly configured for synchronization. Default: 0 days (hence, no existing items in the future are snapped)
Click OK.
You have configured batch synchronization.
Periodic configuration of prospects
When the Enable periodic invocation of batch sync setup option is enabled, a staging mechanism using the NJExchangeProspect table can be used to periodically configure synchronization for a large number of users. An integration component external to synchronization must populate the NJExchangeProspect table, where each prospect record has the NexJ ID of the Exchange server, the NexJ ID of the user's Entity record, and an Activate flag to indicate whether the prospect's synchronization should be activated or deactivated. Deactivation disables the synchronization links of the prospect but does not remove them.
The recurring batch job will process the prospect records and configure synchronization for each user on the specified server. Optionally, it can also initiate a filtered snapshot, known as the initial snapshot. The records for successfully configured users will be removed from the NJExchangeProspect table. Prospect records that could not be processed successfully will be retried on the next execution of the batch job, up to the maximum number of retries specified in the Batch Sync Setup screen. Records that reach the maximum number of processing attempts will be removed from the NJExchangeProspect table. For prospects that are already configured for synchronization, the batch job will attempt to re-enable synchronization if it is currently disabled. No snapshots will be initiated for such prospects.
Configuring expanding snapshots
Items outside the initial snapshot range can still be snapped through expanding snapshots. This can be enabled in the Expanding Snapshot Properties section by selecting Inbound, Outbound, or both. When enabled, the batch job will trigger a queued process upon submission of the initial snapshot that generates further snapshots in an expanding manner.
This option can be configured in the Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog on the Batch Sync Setuptab.
It is configurable only if the Enable periodic invocation of batch sync setup option is enabled. In addition, you can only configure the processing window information if Days in Future, Days in Past, or both are not 0 (that is, if the initial snapshot in not empty). The expanding snapshot option has the following configurable parameters:
Inbound Enables or disables inbound snapshots related to batch synchronization functionality, including both initial and expanding snapshots. Outbound Enables or disables outbound snapshots related to batch synchronization functionality, including both initial and expanding snapshots. Past Iterations Specifies the maximum number of expanding snapshots to execute in the past; if set to 0, no expanding snapshots will be executed in the past. Future Iterations Specifies the maximum number of expanding snapshots to execute in the future; if set to 0, no expanding snapshots will be executed in the future. Past Multiplier Determines the size of the past snapshot window compared to its size in the previous iteration; if set to 0, no expanding snapshots will be executed in the past. Future Multiplier Determines the size of the future snapshot window compared to its size in the previous iteration; if set to 0, no expanding snapshots will be executed in the future. Maximum number of snapshot iterations per minute Provides a throttling mechanism for the number of snapshot requests that can be processed per minute. Processing window Recurrence pattern used to specify the timing of the processing window during which expanding snapshots are executed; if the Weekly field is not enabled, then expanding snapshots will always be processed in-turn after submission. Specify days of the week, start and end times, and the time zone.
Expanding snapshots workflow
After an initial snapshot is executed, the schedule items and tasks during the snapshot window are synchronized for each contact. You can continue to synchronize schedule items and tasks outside the initial snapshot range by using expanding snapshots.
Define expanding snapshot settings on the Batch Sync Setuptab in the Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog.
The expanding snapshots workflow is as follows.
Configure synchronization for a new prospect.
Submit and execute an initial snapshot based on X Days in Past and Y Days in Future.
Initiate the expanding snapshots workflow which submits a request for:
A past snapshot before the initial snapshot window with size = Past Multiplier x X
A future snapshot after the initial snapshot window with size = Future Multiplier x Y
Increment Past Iterationsand Future Iterations.
Execute the submitted snapshot request during the processing window.
Submit a request for another iteration with:
A past snapshot before the previous past snapshot window with size = Past Multiplier x Size of Previous Past Snapshot.
A future snapshot after the previous future snapshot window with size = Future Multiplier x Size of Previous Future Snapshot.
Increment Past Iterationsand Future Iterations.
Repeat steps 5 to 7 until both Past Iterationsand Future Iterationsare reached.
For tracking purposes, this feature leverages existing Process Queues functionality. Process queues can be accessed using the Process Queue page in NexJ Admin Console. The queue name for expanding snapshots is ExchangeExpandingSnapshots. The queue can be configured for different concurrency values, priority, and timeout values. The processing window defined previously can also be configured from this page.
When the first iteration of expanding snapshots is executed, it creates a process in the process queue and is visible in the Queue section with either Waiting or Running status. Once the process finishes, it moves to the History section with a Completed status and spawns another process that is responsible for executing the next iteration of expanding snapshots. Each process represents a single iteration and is responsible for up to four snapshots in total: inbound future and past snapshots, as well as outbound future and past snapshots.
Configuring auto discovery settings
In the Auto Discovertab you can configure a recurring batch job to trigger the Autodiscover service. The service will be triggered only for servers configured with the Use Autodiscover Service option selected. The Autodiscover service will supply the optimal Client Access Server (CAS) address for a given mailbox.
Info
The CAS is an Exchange server that handles NexJ CRM requests and acts as an intermediary to the server assigned the Mailbox Store role which hosts the mailbox NexJ CRM is attempting to access.
The Autodiscover response may contain one CAS for internal use and/or one CAS for external use. The decision to use one of the returned addresses is based on the Use Internal Client Access Servers flag which is configured per server from the Synchronization page. The returned CAS will be cached in NexJ CRM for future use and refreshed periodically, or when an unsuccessful response from a CAS indicates that a refresh might be necessary.
When the Use Autodiscover Service option is enabled for a specific server, the Autodiscover service is called for all users configured for synchronization on the server every time the global Autodiscover batch job is run. The service will also be called during any first-time set up of synchronization for a user on the server.
To configure auto discovery settings:
In NexJ Admin Console, navigate to the Synchronization page.
Select a server in the Targets list of the Synchronization tab.
Click Configure in the Global Optionsfield in the pane on the right side of the page. The Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog opens.
Info
These options are global and apply to all Exchange servers configured for synchronization with NexJ CRM.
Click the Auto Discovertab and configure any of the following parameters: Start Time Specifies the recurring time at which the Autodiscover job will run. Default: midnight Period (in days) Specifies how frequently the batch job is executed. Default: 3 days
Click OK.
You have configured auto discovery settings.
Configuring restrictions on schedule item synchronization
In the Restrictions tab, in the Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog, you can set the option to automatically disable synchronization between NexJ CRM and Exchange for schedule items exceeding a customizable threshold.
To configure restrictions on schedule item synchronization:
In NexJ Admin Console, navigate to the Synchronization page.
Select a server in the Targets list of the Synchronization tab.
Click Configure in theGlobal Optionsfield in the pane on the right side of the page. The Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog opens.
Info
These options are global and apply to all Exchange servers configured for synchronization with NexJ CRM.
Click the Restrictions tab and configure any of the following parameters:
Do not send invitations for customized occurrences of recurring Schedule Items exceeding If this option is not enabled, Microsoft Outlook will send an invitation for the series and for each customized occurrence to every meeting participant when an update to the schedule item is made. Use this option to limit the number of invitations sent out when a large number of changes are made to the schedule item using NexJ CRM.
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This field only applies to delegated invitations, which are issued or updated by a user who is not the schedule item owner.
Customized Occurrences The maximum number of customized occurrences of a recurring schedule item for which invitation updates will be sent.
Info
This field only applies to delegated invitations, which are issued or updated by a user who is not the schedule item owner.
Automatically disable synchronization for Schedule Items exceeding any of these limits Specifies whether you want to automatically disable synchronization between NexJ CRM and Exchange for schedule items exceeding a customizable threshold. Default: Enabled Attachment Threshold Specifies the threshold limit for how many attachments should be synchronized for each schedule item. Default: 50 Assigned To Users For outbound synchronization, this field represents the number of users in the Assign To field of the schedule item, excluding the users receiving meeting notifications on the current update. For inbound synchronization, this field represents the total number of recipients in an Outlook meeting, including users, contacts, and external participants. Default: 200 Customized Occurrences Specifies the threshold limit for how many customized occurrences should be synchronized. This threshold applies to recurring items only. A customized occurrence is an occurrence of a recurring schedule item that has been individually modified after the recurring item has been created. Default: 150 Assigned To Users x Customized Occurrences Specifies the threshold limit for how many attending users multiplied by customized occurrences should be synchronized. This threshold applies to recurring items only. Default: 700
You have configured restrictions on schedule item synchronization.
When the Restrictions option is enabled, any schedule items that exceed the specified threshold are automatically added to a block list during outbound synchronization of the items, causing their synchronization to be abandoned.
When the Restrictions option is disabled, no schedule items are automatically added to the list. Any items already on the block list continue to be blocked from inbound and outbound synchronization, even if the Restrictions option is disabled or if the threshold is no longer being exceeded. If an item is blocked from synchronization, a warning message is displayed to the user when they access the schedule item Detail screen in NexJ CRM.
Schedule item deleted in NexJ CRM are always synchronized outbound.
Configuring inbound contact synchronization for schedule items
In the For Contact Inbound Synctab, you can configure how contacts included in the Forfield of a schedule item are synchronized.
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This setting only affects users who have the Enable Security Check on Inbound For Contact Synchronization user option enabled.
If the Enable Inbound For Contact Synchronization user option is enabled for the user, then the system automatically tries to match the email addresses of attendees in a Microsoft Outlook meeting with contacts visible to the meeting creator in NexJ CRM. If any matches are identified, the matching contacts are included in the Forfield of the schedule item. If a single email address matches multiple contacts, all contacts are included.
To prevent performance issues, use this option to avoid matching the email addresses to existing contacts for meetings with a large number of attendees. In this case, meeting attendees will be treated as external contacts.
To configure inbound contact synchronization for schedule items:
In NexJ Admin Console, navigate to the Synchronization page.
Select a server in the Targets list of the Synchronization tab. Click Configure in the Global Optionsfield in the pane on the right side of the page. The Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog opens.
Info
These options are global and apply to all Exchange servers configured for synchronization with NexJ CRM.
Click the For Contact Inbound Synctab and configure the following parameter: Number of Assigned To Users If the number of users in the Assigned To field in a schedule item exceeds this threshold, then all contacts in the For field will be synchronized as external contacts.
ClickOK.
You have configured inbound contact synchronization for schedule items.
Configuring the email blacklist for inbound contact synchronization
By default, when you create a task or schedule item in Microsoft Outlook, if the email address of the task participant or meeting attendee is associated with a contact in NexJ CRM, then the task or schedule item will be added to the contact's record in NexJ CRM during synchronization.
However, you can now identify email addresses to exclude from synchronization, so that the contacts with which they are associated do not have the task or schedule item added to their record in NexJ CRM. For example, your organization might maintain NexJ CRM records for its employees, including their work email addresses. Even if they are not NexJ CRM users, some tasks and schedule items related to the employee's work activities can become associated with their contact records. You may not want this information to be exposed.
To configure the email blacklist:
In NexJ Admin Console, navigate to the Synchronization page.
Select a server in the Targets list of the Synchronization tab.
Click Configure in the Global Optionsfield in the pane on the right side of the page. The Global Exchange Synchronization Options dialog opens.
Info
These options are global and apply to all Exchange servers configured for synchronization with NexJ CRM.
Click the Contact Email Blacklisttab.
If the name of the tab is not visible in the dialog, click the down arrow to the right of the Pause/Resume Real-time Sync tab.
To add a pattern to the blacklist:
Click theAddbutton .
Double-click in the new row that appears in the pattern list, then enter the pattern.
You can use regular expressions (RegEx) to specify the email patterns to exclude. For example:
email@domain.com excludes all email addresses that contain the text email@domain.com.
^email@domain.com$ excludes just the email address email@domain.com.
.*@domain.com excludes all email addresses that end in @domain.com. Entering only *@domain.com is invalid, because the asterisk (*) represents 0 or more characters and an email address requires at least one character before the at sign (@).
To delete a pattern from the blacklist:
Click the Action button for the pattern you want to delete.
Select Delete. A confirmation dialog opens asking you to confirm that you want to delete the pattern.
Accept the confirmation dialog message to delete the pattern.
You have configured the email blacklist for inbound contact synchronization.
