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Scheduling / Calendar Coordination in a PC/MAC Environment

Has anyone found a workable solution to coordinating schedules and/or calendars in a PC & Mac environment? Our PCs use MS Outlook 2000 and we are set up on an Exchange server. Our Macs use Outlook Express or Entourage. As far as I can tell Microsoft didn't develop the two products to work together.

Greg Weir COO/Project Management Bravo Zulu! Interactive

We had the same problem so we set up a J Stokes Yahoo calendar. This way everyone is responsible for updating their information and everyone has access to updated info.

Ann Adams Controller J. Stokes & Associates www.jstokes.com

There is a client for the Mac's, current version is 8.2 (Outlook for Macintosh 8.2) and then you use Outlook for the PC's and install the 'service' rather than internet only email......that is what I am doing here. If you have enough CAL's for Exchange then you can use Outlook free. It is downloadable from M$'s website, and should have been included for free on CD with your Exchange server purchase.

You will find remote access for the Mac's to be difficult because of the random port numbers Exchange uses when connecting to a client. So rather than map ports on your router I would suggest that they use Outlook Web Access while away from the office. Or you set up dual accounts on the client side, one Exchange and one POP/SMTP.

Also, not all of the PC Outlook functions are available for the Mac's. There is a new Mac version in Beta, I have a copy and it solves all of the above problems. It is due out early this summer.

If you want a third party solution then look at a product called Team Agenda, they are in Quebec, CA. Good company, good support. Cross platform is identical in look feel and function. There is server software that needs to be installed and they have a version for both NT or Mac servers. It is about 90 dollars per user, depending upon how many you buy. I have never tried to set that up for remote but it should be doable as it is single port connection.

Jim Kennedy Manager Information Systems Bill Brokaw Advertising Inc.

There is an Outlook client for Mac. Version 8.2.2 is current, and 2001 is in beta, scheduled for release in June or July. 2001 would be the way to go for you if you don't already have Macs using Outlook, because you won't have to worry about converting their old 8.2.2 Schedule+ calendars to the Outlook format. It's a very easy drag install, and the setup is simple. You'll like it!

Luis Antezana

There is an Outlook version for Mac that will run over an NT environment like you have. It has some limitations to it. But for email and the like it works very nicely. They say that they're in the process of creating a Outlook for Mac that's as elegant as the PC side but I haven't looked lately. Go to Mactopia on the Microsoft site, then look for the section on Outlook for Mac. Good luck.

Frank Merriam

You should not have any problem. You need to install Microsoft 2000 for the Macs and Microsoft 2001 for the PC's and they talk to each other great after that.

Melissa Jewell