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Using Companion Synchronization with the Handheld Client

If you are using Companion Sync, you must follow a three-step process to synchronize handheld, remote, and server databases. Immediately before and after every Siebel Remote sync, you must perform a Companion Sync. This process can be time consuming for the end user and difficult for the administrator to enforce.

Integrated Sync eliminates the need for you to initiate three separate sync sessions for each Siebel Remote sync.

Before using Integrated Sync, if you are using a CFG file other than siebel.cfg to invoke Siebel Remote Sync, you must specify or add the parameter RemoteCfgName in the [pda] section of

salesce.cfg (for Sales Handheld)

siasalesce.cfg (for SIA Sales Handheld)

For example, RemoteCfgName=<anyname>.cfg. If you do not specify this parameter, it will default to siebel.cfg. This parameter is used by Siebel Handheld Sync to invoke Siebel Remote. It applies only when synchronizing using the Integrated Sync option.

Integrated Sync automatically initiates each of the following synchronization steps:

1. Handheld Upload and Processing - Handheld transactions are uploaded to the companion PC and processed.
2. Siebel Remote Synchronization - The Siebel Mobile Client is synchronized with the Siebel server. Transactions on the mobile client database are uploaded to the Siebel server, and changes to the Siebel server are downloaded to the mobile client database.

   CAUTION:  If there is a handheld patch staged on the server, synchronization terminates and the patch is installed. After the patch installation is completed, you are prompted to synchronize again (using either Integrated Sync or Companion Sync) to complete the data extraction and download (that is, move to Step 3). It is critical that you synchronize a second time after the patch installation is completed. If you fail to do so, you will not be able to start the Siebel Handheld application.

3. Handheld Data Extract and Download - Data is extracted from the mobile client database to the handheld device database.

You may use Companion Sync to synchronize your handheld with Siebel Mobile Client as many times as you wish between Integrated Sync sessions. However, it is recommended that you conduct Integrated Sync sessions frequently so that the Siebel Remote synchronization process does not take long periods of time to complete and update conflicts are minimized.

To perform Companion Sync from the PC

1. From the companion PC, establish a Microsoft ActiveSync connection to the handheld device.
2. From the companion PC, choose Start > Programs > Siebel Handheld Sync.

   The Siebel Handheld Sync dialog box appears.

   1. Enter your name and password.
   2. Select the Perform Remote Sync check box to perform an Integrated Sync.

      If you want to do Companion Sync only, then unselect the Perform Remote Sync check box.

      Selected Bypass Set Filters skips the step of selecting the filters and immediately starts the synchronization process. If you select Bypass Set Filters, then the filters that you selected the last time you synchronized are used. If this is the first time you are synchronize, then the default filters are used.

3. Tap Start.

   NOTE:  Tap Default Filters to restore the filter selection to the default setting.

4. Tap OK and tap Start to begin synchronization.
   1. The Siebel Handheld Sync dialog box appears. If "Perform Remote Sync" was selected, this is followed by the Siebel Remote dialog box. When synchronization has successfully completed, the Finished dialog box appears.
   2. If a handheld patch needs to be installed, the synchronization process is interrupted and the patch is installed. After the patch is installed, you must restart Siebel Handheld Sync to complete the data extract process. If you fail to do so, you cannot start your application.
   3. The Finished dialog box appears indicated that the synchronization has successfully completed.
5. Tap OK to exit Siebel Handheld Sync.

   NOTE:  If synchronization errors occur, an error dialog box appears.

Companion Sync can also be performed in the method described for Direct Server Sync via Proxy in Using Direct Server Synchronization with the Handheld Client.

To perform Companion Sync from the handheld device

1. From the application-level menu, choose File->Synchronization.
2. In the Sync window select the "Enable Remote Sync" checkbox. It is disabled by default.

   For information on changing the parameter value for EnableRemote in the setup.ini file, see Siebel Handheld setup.ini Parameters.

3. See the steps for synchronizing using DSSvP in the procedure To synchronize with the Siebel application server.