How to synch your BlackBerry to your PC calendar and address book

One of the primary benefits to owning a BlackBerry is having the ability to synchronize it with your desktop computer and outlook. It is extremely important to be able to access your email, address book, calendar, tasks throughout the day. Here is how you synch your BlackBerry to Outlook on a PC.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• BlackBerry
• Wireless Data Plan
• BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software Installed

1. This article assumes that you have already installed the BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software. You need to use this software in order to synch the data from your computer to your BlackBerry, so if you have not already installed this software, please visit the link below in the resources section to download this software. Once you have installed and set up the software by following the prompts on the screen, plesae proceed to Step 2.

2. Open up the BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software using the shortcut on your desktop. Once the software is up and running, connect your BlackBerry to your computer using the USB data cable.

3. 
   BlackBerry Desktop Manager Menu

   You should now see the Desktop Manager Menu screen, and your BlackBerry should show that it is connected to your computer. You can also check to make sure that your BlackBerry has connected by looking at the bottom of the menu where it says "Device connected (PIN)", and "Active Device". It should show your device info there. (Mine is not shown in the image attached).

4. 

   Click on the menu item that says "Synchronize".

5. 

   Within the Synchronize menu, select the following checkboxes:
   1) Reconcile Messages
   2) Synchronize organizer data
   3) Update Device date and time
   4) Synchronize the selected items when device is connected....
   
   (see image)

6. 

   On the left hand side of the menu is a category called "Configure" with three subcategories under it. Click on the Click on the "Synchronization" link as shown in the image attached to this step.

7. 

   This will now give you the Synchronization configuration screen. On this screen you want to press the top grey button that says "Synchronization". This will read the items in Outlook, and connect your device to Outlook. It will also give you a pop up box that looks like the one shown in the next step.

8. 

   In this popup, you should see your Outlook Calendar, MemoPad, Address Book, and your Tasks. If you want all of these items to synch with your BlackBerry device, select the checkbox for all of them. You will still need to actually set them up so you may notice that they "setup" tab is greyed out. Don't worry, just click on the icon to get the "setup" button to activate.

9. 

   So as you can see, I have selected all of the boxes, and then when I clicked on Calendar (highlighted in Blue in the image attached), the "setup" button is now active. Go ahead and click the "setup" button.

10. A dialog box will open, and then you should click:
    
    1) Outlook
    2) Next
    3) Two way sync
    4) Next
    5) Transfer all scheduled items (calendar radio button)
    6) Next
    7) Finish

11. Now go back through and do the same thing to the MemoPad, Address Book, and Tasks to set them up as well. Click "Ok" when you are done setting each of the items up. This will close out that menu and take you back to the "Synchronization configuration" screen.

12. 

    Now click on the "Reconciliation" link to go to the next menu items to setup. I recommend that you select the radio button that says "Synchronize moved messaged or deleted messaged between my computer.....
    
    and I also recommend that you select the radio button that says "computer wins". This way, your device will not overwrite data on your computer, but info in your device will be overwritten by your computer. This helps with version control of data, and keeps your computer the master keeper. IF you need to update your compuer files with new info you added to your phone, when you synch up, an error message will ask you if you want to override your computer info - so it watches out for differences in data. You will see what I mean when we synch.

13. 

    When you are done doing this, click on the "Main Menu" button down in the lower right corner. Then click on the "Synchronize" icon button again. You should now be back to the menu as shown in the image attached to this step.

14. 

    Now, click the grey "Synchronize" button circled in the image attached to this step. This will begin the process of updating your files on your BlackBerry with what is on your computer. Be patient, as this may take a while, so do not worry about how long it is taking. You will see a status bar that shows the progress.

15. Your device will now be synched up with your Outlook information. You can take a look at your contact lists, calendar, and email inbox to make sure that everything is all set. If you want your BlackBerry to synch up every time you connect it to your desktop computer make sure that the "Synchronize the selected items when your device is connected..." box is selected. Your done!

Tips & Warnings

• When you are done, close out the BlackBerry Desktop Manger program. This will allow you to move files in Outlook. When the program is still on, it sometimes locks up these files.

Resources

• BlackBerry Desktop Manager Software Download
• Set up BIS email on your BlackBerry
• Use your BlackBerry as a computer modem