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How Siebel CRM Desktop Synchronizes Data During an Incremental Synchronization

An incremental synchronization is a synchronization session that occurs any time after the initial synchronization. To determine the differences that exist in the data that is available to the user, Siebel CRM Desktop compares data in the Microsoft Outlook data storage to data in the Siebel database. Siebel CRM Desktop then does the following work:

• Inserts, updates, or deletes data on the Siebel Server according to changes that occurred in Microsoft Outlook since the prior synchronization
• Inserts, updates, or deletes data in Microsoft Outlook according to changes that occurred on the Siebel Server since the prior synchronization

Siebel CRM Desktop does this work for each difference until all data in the Microsoft Outlook data storage is synchronized with data in the Siebel database. In all situations, the user works with data locally in Microsoft Outlook and Siebel CRM Desktop sends those changes to the Siebel Server during an incremental synchronization, but not at the same time that it makes the change in Microsoft Outlook. Depending on the frequency of the process, a change might not appear on the server immediately.

To complete an incremental synchronization, Siebel CRM Desktop does the following work:

1. Connects to the Siebel Server to establish a synchronization session.
2. Authenticates the user.
3. Passes the values of the packageId and responsibilityId arguments that it caches in Microsoft Outlook to the Siebel Server. Siebel CRM Desktop cached these values during the prior synchronization. This is done to avoid expensive iterative operations through all responsibilities and customization packages every time Siebel CRM Desktop calls the Web service.
4. Receives a reply from the Siebel Server. This reply indicates whether new metadata is available for the user.
5. If new metadata is available, then it does the following work:
   • Determines if the customization package changed.
   • If the package changed, then it downloads the new package to a temporary folder in Microsoft Outlook.
   • If the package is not changed, then it proceeds to Step 9.
6. If the downloaded package is not compatible with the current version of Siebel CRM Desktop, then Siebel CRM Desktop does the following:
   1. Determines if the currently applied package is compatible with the downloaded package, and then does one of the following:
      • If it is compatible, then Siebel CRM Desktop synchronizes the current data.
      • If it is not compatible, then Siebel CRM Desktop stops the synchronization.
   2. Displays a product incompatibility error message, and does not apply the downloaded package.
   3. Exits this process.
7. If the downloaded package is compatible with the current version of Siebel CRM Desktop, then Siebel CRM Desktop does the following work:
   1. Synchronizes the data to the Siebel Server.
   2. Determines if the data schema in the downloaded package changed, and then does the following:
      • If the data schema has not changed, then it applies the new package.
      • If the data schema has changed, then it prompts the user to remove the current customization and the current data. If the user agrees, then it removes the old customization package and the Siebel data, and then applies the new package. If the user does not agree, then it does not apply the new package.
8. If the customization packages are identical, then Siebel CRM Desktop does the following work:
   1. Sends a reply which indicates that it is not necessary to download the customization package because the package that is on the Siebel Server is the same as the package that is in Microsoft Outlook.
   2. Exits this process.
9. Downloads Siebel CRM data.

   For more information, see How Siebel CRM Desktop Synchronizes Siebel CRM Data.

   The user can now view the newly downloaded data.

10. Logs out of the synchronization session that it established in Step 1.

How Siebel CRM Desktop Handles Changes to Login Credentials

If the user name or the server URL changes, then Siebel CRM Desktop reinitializes the data structure. It does this to remove any personal user data that might exist, and to provide the user with an opportunity to synchronize data. Before Siebel CRM Desktop begins the reinitialization, it displays a warning to the user that any data that is not synchronized might be lost. If the user agrees to proceed, then the following occurs:

1. Siebel CRM Desktop removes the current customization.
2. The user logs in with new credentials.
3. Siebel CRM Desktop downloads the package from the Siebel Server and then starts the First Run Assistant.