Configuring global Exchange synchronization options
The options described in this section can be configured from the Synchronization page of NexJ Admin Console.
To configure global options:
- To configure batch synchronization, such as recurring batch jobs for bulk user synchronization, see Configuring batch synchronization.
- To configure a recurring batch job that triggers the Autodiscover service, see Configuring auto discovery settings.
- To configure restrictions that disable synchronization between NexJ CRM and Exchange for schedule items exceeding a customizable threshold, see Configuring restrictions on schedule item synchronization.
- To configure how contacts included in the For field of a schedule item are synchronized, see Configuring inbound contact synchronization for schedule items.
- [Optional] To pause or resume synchronization, see Pausing and resuming real-time synchronization.
- [Optional] To configure an email blacklist that prevents individual email addresses or email domains from being included during inbound synchronization, see Configuring the email blacklist for inbound contact synchronization.
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 Setup tab 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:
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.
You have configured batch synchronization.
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 Setup tab.
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 Setup tab 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 Iterations and 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 Iterations and Future Iterations.
- Repeat steps 5 to 7 until both Past Iterations and Future Iterations are 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 Discover tab 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:
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:
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 deletes in NexJ CRM are always synchronized outbound.
Configuring inbound contact synchronization for schedule items
In the For Contact Inbound Sync tab, you can configure how contacts included in the For field of a schedule item are synchronized.
Info
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 For field 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:
You have configured inbound contact synchronization for schedule items.
Related links
Managing inbound synchronization privacy concerns
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 journal 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 journal 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:
- To add a pattern to the blacklist:
- Click the Add button
.
- Click the Add button
- To delete a pattern from the blacklist:
- Click the Action button
for the pattern you want to delete.
- Click the Action button
You have configured the email blacklist for inbound contact synchronization.
You have configured auto discovery settings.