Version 5.x

Category: Installation, Version 5.x

Please check which major version of SimpleSYN Standard/Business you originally purchased.

If you purchased an older major version (e.g., version 5 or version 4), you probably have the current major version 6 installed. You can view the version number in the main window under "Information."

If this is the case:

Unfortunately, the old licenses are no longer valid for new major versions, hence the message.

Please note: Licenses are offered as a one time payment. There are no additional costs per month/year. The license entitles you to use the licensed version (e.g. version 5.0). Minor updates (eg version 5.0 to version 5.0.1 etc.) are included. Major upgrades to new versions (eg version 5.x to version 6) are subject to a fee, but optional.

If you wish to stay with your current version, first uninstall version 6. Then reinstall the major version you purchased.

You can download older major versions from the following page:
https://www.simplesyn.net/en-US/additional-downloads

After installation, your old license file will be accepted again.

Interested in version 6?

If you would like to upgrade to version 6, you will receive a 20% discount on the same number of licenses.

Simply send us an email to support@simplesyn.net with your order number and the purchase date.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x, SimpleSYN Mobile, Version 1.x, Version 2.x / 3.x

No, SimpleSYN does not currently support ARM based devices (e.g. Windows RT devices, Surface Pro X etc.). SimpleSYN requires an x86 or x64 version of Windows 10 or newer.

Category: Troubleshooting, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

The behavior can occur if Outlook was installed in a different bit version than the previous version during the new installation. In this case, the bit versions of Outlook and SimpleSYN no longer match and SimpleSYN can no longer be started.

Uninstall SimpleSYN under the Windows control panel (or under "Apps") and then reinstall SimpleSYN.

If the behavior occurs again afterwards, then install SimpleSYN in the correct bit version as follows:

1. First find out in which bit version (32 bit or 64 bit) Outlook was installed after the reinstallation. To do this, open Outlook and click on "File > Office Account > About Outlook". You can see the bit version behind the version number.
2. Uninstall SimpleSYN from the Windows control panel  (or under "Apps").
3. Then download SimpleSYN and navigate to the directory where the "SimpleSYN.exe" file (for the standard version) or "SimpleSYN_Business.exe" file (for the business version) is located (e.g. on the desktop or in the download folder) .
4. In this directory, press and hold the „shift" key on the keyboard and right click in a free area and select " Open PowerShell window here " from the context menu.

5. After that, the Windows PowerShell window will open.

   Now type in the following command and press the ENTER key (Note: Pay attention to the correct spelling. There is no space at the beginning of the command between ".\").

   With the standard version:

   When you have installed Outlook in 32-Bit, use the following command:
   .\SimpleSYN.exe Platform=x86

   When you have installed Outlook in 64-Bit, use the following command:
   .\SimpleSYN.exe Platform=x64

   With the business version:

   When you have installed Outlook in 32-Bit, use the following command:
   .\SimpleSYN_business.exe Platform=x86

   When you have installed Outlook in 64-Bit, use the following command:
   .\SimpleSYN_business.exe Platform=x64

6. You can then install SimpleSYN. After the installation, SimpleSYN is started correctly again.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN requires an active internet connection for its operation. The internet connection is required to connect to a central server operated by SimpleSYN. This server is used to help in the establishment of a direct connection between the SimpleSYN server and SimpleSYN client. Only data required for establishing the connection is transferred via this central server. After establishing an connection, SimpleSYN uses the best connectivity available.

In either case the connection between SimpleSYN will always  use an SSL/TLS encryption respectively. Your Outlook data is never transferred in clear-text nor stored permanently on our Internet servers (no Cloud).

As Internet flat rates are more and more common nowadays, we have decided to use the same connection technique for the standard version. The only difference is, that the standard version will only establish a connection in the local network.

If you would like to use SimpleSYN without an internet connection or without our central server, then there is the option of changing the connection configuration so that our central server is no longer necessary.

Please note:

If you are using the SimpleSYN business version, the synchronization will only work in the same local network after the changeover, but no longer between separate networks via the Internet. The option is therefore more suitable for the SimpleSYN standard version if you do not want our central server to be used.

You can activate the “Custom connection mode“ for SimpleSYN starting from version 5 as follows:

For this open the SimpleSYN main window> Options> Advanced Options.

Activate the option "Custom connection mode" on all PCs (server and clients).

On your clients enter in the filed “Custom server name / address” the computer name or static IP address from your SimpleSYN server.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

First, empty the Deleted Items folder in Outlook if you no longer need the items.

Also check in the SimpleSYN main window under “Options > Advanced Options” how the “Remove backed up items” selection is set under “Backup”. If the entry is set to “never”, then set a different selection (e.g. after 14 days). Save the changes.

The SimpleSYN backup folder in Outlook is then automatically reduced in size in the background and the old backups are deleted.

Category: Troubleshooting, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

Please make a Outlook repair installation on this computer. Please follow this instruction:
https://support.office.com/en-us/Article/Repair-an-Office-application-7821d4b6-7c1d-4205-aa0e-a6b40c5bb88b

Important:

Choose a full online Outlook repair installation and NOT a quick repair.

Category: Installation, Troubleshooting, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

Open the SimpleSYN main window and go to "Options -> Advanced Options". Under "Outlook Version", select the version of Outlook you are using and save the settings.

Then close SimpleSYN by right-clicking on the SimpleSYN icon in the notification area of the Windows taskbar and restart SimpleSYN.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN Standard/Business synchronizes Outlook only between Windows PCs.

If you want to synchronize your iPhone or Android device with Outlook, then use SimpleSYN Mobile.

Category: Operation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

To automatically close SimpleSYN when Outlook is closed and to start it again automatically when Outlook is started, make the following settings:

1. Right-click on the SimpleSYN icon in the Windows notification area and choose “Exit”
2. Close any Outlook window
3. Open the SimpleSYN Add-In configuration file with a text editor like notepad. The configuration file can be found in:
   
   At Version 4:
   C:\Users\[User name]\AppData\Local\SimpleSYN\4.0.0.0\[Outlook profile name].addin.config
   
   At Version 5:
   C:\Users\[User name]\AppData\Local\SimpleSYN\5.0.0.0\[Outlook profile name].addin.config
   
   At Version 6:
   C:\Users\[User name]\AppData\Local\SimpleSYN\Add-In\6.0.0.0\[Outlook profile name].addin.config
   
   
4. Add the following code in the section between <appSettings> and </appSettings>:
   
   <!-- SimpleSYN is exited when Outlook is being closed. -->
   <add key="AutoExitSimpleSyn" value="true" />
   <!-- SimpleSYN is started if the Add-In is being loaded. -->
   <add key="AutoStartSimpleSyn" value="true" />
   
   
5. Open Outlook again.

Category: Operation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

The SimpleSYN business version can be started by a Windows service. If the option "Start as Windows service" is activated in the advanced options, then SimpleSYN automatically starts in the background when the Windows starts, without a Windows user having to log on to the system.

The SimpleSYN standard version 4 and all older versions do not support Windows service. The synchronization takes place here only if a user is logged on to the computer and SimpleSYN is executed.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN requires a unique configuration and a unique certificate for each PC.

SimpleSYN must be completely reset to one of the clients. Then SimpleSYN can be reinstalled and set up.

Follow these steps:

• Uninstall SimpleSYN first under the Windows Control Panel "Programs / Features" or under Apps on Windows 10
• Then enter the following line in Windows Explorer:
  %localappdata%
• Find the folder SimpleSYN here and delete this folder.

Then delete the SimpleSYN certificate as follows:

• Open the Internet Explorer
• Go to "Internet Options"
• Click the "Content" tab
• Click on "Certificates"
• In the next window under "Display name" search for the SimpleSYN entries, mark the respective entry and click on "Remove"

Then you can reinstall SimpleSYN and set it up again. The initial synchronization will be run once again.

Category: Troubleshooting, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

Close Outlook and SimpleSYN on the PC and then restart both applications.

If the behavior persists after that, check the following points:

1. Select the right Outlook version in SimpleSYN under Options -> Advanced Options under “Outlook version”. Save the settings and restart SimpleSYN again.
2. Make sure neither Outlook nor SimpleSYN is started with administrator rights..
3. Check if SimpleSYN and Outlook are using the same Outlook profile. You can see the Outlook profil in SimpleSYN in the main window > Options.

Category: Troubleshooting, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

The message "destination folder was not found" appears if the top folder level in Outlook (eg "Personal folders") has been named differently on the SimpleSYN client and SimpleSYN server. In this case, SimpleSYN can not assign the destination folders automatically because no new PST files are created by SimpleSYN.

Click on the "Select a different target folder" link and select the folder where you want to sync.

Alternatively, you can name the highest folder level identically on all computers in advance.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

You can easily upgrade Outlook (or Office). The previous version does not need to be uninstalled. SimpleSYN automatically detects the new Outlook version.

Note:
Install Outlook in the same bit version as the previous version, either in 32-bit or 64-bit.

If you want to install Outlook in a different bit version than the previous version, first uninstall SimpleSYN and reinstall SimpleSYN after the Outlook update.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

No, the versions are not compatible with each other. All installations must have the same major version (e.g. version 6). The minor version (e.g. 6.x or 6.0.x) can be different.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

Yes, SimpleSYN can be used on networks that already use a Microsoft Exchange server.

Note: Exchange ActiveSync accounts cannot be synchronized.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN synchronizes all local accounts. External data sources such as the Google Calendar, Apple iCloud or Outlook.com accounts can not be synced

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

Press on your server computer inside of SimpleSYN’s main window once the “Alt” key to open the main menu and choose the menu item “View > State Properties.

If you open the state database properties (Tab “General”) on the server, do you see any old client that is not synchronized anymore (you can see this from the last synchronization date)? 

If yes, please click on this client and click on “remove”. This will delete the status for the selected client will make some space available in the status database.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

No, a Windows Live Hotmail account or Outlook Business Contact Manager are not supported by SimpleSYN.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN Standard is fully compatible with the Business Version. You can only synchronize over a local network with the standard version, however.

Please note: The SimpleSYN server has to be in the same local network as the client.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

The SimpleSYN symbol is shown in the Windows system tray. On the SimpleSYN client computer the symbol becomes multi-colored when the SimpleSYN client establishes a connection with the SimpleSYN server and is ready for synchronization.

Category: Operation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

To call up the Configuration Wizard again, please follow these steps:

1. Open the SimpleSYN user interface
2. Press the “Alt“ key to show the SimpleSYN menu 
3. In the menu under “Help” activate the entry “Show Configuration Wizard on next startup“
4. Exit SimpleSYN. To do so right-click on the SimpleSYN symbol in the Windows system tray and choose “Exit”

The next time SimpleSYN is opened the configuration window will be displayed again.

Category: General, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

If you have made changes to the Outlook default color categories, you must ensure that the color category list (formerly the "Main Category List") is manually configured identically on all PCs. SimpleSYN does not automatically synchronize this list. The categories assigned to the items are retained and correctly synchronized by SimpleSYN.

Starting with version 6, the "Add new categories to the main category list" function is available.

If this option is enabled, SimpleSYN checks during synchronization whether all categories used in the items are also present in the main category list. If a category is missing, it is automatically added to the list with a default color. You can then manually adjust the color to ensure a consistent display across all devices

Category: Operation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

In the user interface under the menu point “Status” you will find a permanently accessible status overview. Here you can see which Outlook folders are being synchronized in which direction.

Category: Installation, Version 5.x, Version 6.x

SimpleSYN requires an active internet connection for its operation. The internet connection is required to connect to a central server operated by SimpleSYN. This server is used to help in the establishment of a direct connection between the SimpleSYN server and SimpleSYN client. Only data required for establishing the connection is transferred via this central server. After establishing an connection, SimpleSYN uses the best connectivity available.

If SimpleSYN Business is used to synchronize via the Internet and it is impossible to create a direct connection between SimpleSYN server and SimpleSYN client, e.g. because of Firewalls NAT or Routers are blocking the direct connection, SimpleSYN uses a relay server as a last resort. This relay server allows SimpleSYN to communicate even if only outgoing traffic is allowed from your networks.

In either case the connection between SimpleSYN will always  use an SSL/TLS encryption respectively.

Your Outlook data is never transferred in clear-text nor stored permanently on our Internet servers (no Cloud).

Note: SimpleSYN only supports proxy servers as of version 5. In all previous versions, SimpleSYN must communicate with our servers located at services.simplesyn.net.

SimpleSYN requires the following outbound TCP connections.

For version 4:

Starting from version 5: