Getting organized by PC: personal software to keep you on time and on budget.

Personal software to keep you on time and on budget

Have you ever misplaced important business cards? Showed up late for appointments? Forgotten to return phone calls? Then you're a prime candidate for organizational tools.

Gone are the days when the office floor was an extension of your file cabinet. And yes, those color - coordinated planners you carry in your briefcase are great for keeping track of appointments, phone numbers and daily activities. But an ideal way to organize your time and contacts is to adopt a computer - management style.

By equipping yourself with the right products, you can improve overall productivity. In fact, sales for personal productivity tools are expected to reach $500 million (hardware) and $150 million (software) by the year 2000, according to the Norwell, Mass.. - based research firm BIS Strategic Decisions.

You want to retool yourself, but you just don't know what to buy. To help you better organize your work life, BE's test lab reviewed the latest in software technology.

ACT!

If you're a stickler for details, then ACT! version 1.1 is for you. This contact - management software is powerful and easy to use. Our reviewer loaded the program on a Apple Powerbook while commuting home one evening. In less time than it took the conductor to announce her commuter train stop, the reviewer had loaded the program and put together a list of clients with todo's for each of them.

With a few clicks of the mouse, ACT! creates a to - do list that merges into a daily, weekly and monthly calendar. There are built - in alarms, allowing ACT! to automatically and intuitively document every detail of each contact and activity.

Let's say you're talking with a client. You can record notes, establish follow - up calls or meetings, generate activity reports and produce custom business letters.

This is the first ACT! product released by Symantec Corp. since its acquisition of Contact Software International. It includes some wonderful new features: new data - integration that allows users to exchange information between ACT! files and other software developers' applications. And it now takes one second, instead of eight seconds, to search a database of 800 records.

ACT! also includes a simple word processor with a spell checker, weekly scheduler and expense recorder. All features are linked with the contact file. With a few customized keystrokes, ACT! will automatically insert all your contact names and addresses into 200 salutation letters or categorize weekly meetings in a 9 AM time slot from now until 1998. It's so easy to go between these programs, it's almost seductive.

ACT! comes in Mac, DOS and Windows versions. To run the program, you'll need 640K of RAM on PCs and 2MB on Macs. ACT! retails for $399.

DYNODEX

Okay, you now have a program that effectively schedules your calls and appointments with contacts. But what about your card file?

If you've just ordered a new Rolodex to hold your 1,000 - plus names, then you're due for a manageable and transportable system.

Dynodex version 1.0 to the rescue. This electronic card file lets you store all these names, addresses and phone numbers (up to two pages of notes per entry). Sorting is a breeze, and more importantly, Dynodex prints your database in any category that you choose.

If you're constantly on the go, Dynodex will organize the database, allowing you to print a list of potential clients. It's not only easy to print out a list, but you can actually print out Rolodex cards in a few steps.

Dynodex from Portfolio Software is available in Windows and Mac versions and lists for $59.95.

GOLDEN RETRIEVER 

Now that you are armed with a contact manager and card filer, what better companion to have than a file retriever. The Golden Retriever from Above Software pops up on your screen in the guise of a file cabinet. This gem of a program will find any document you create.

You don't have to remember what program a document is created in to find it. No more navigating through different applications or checking the hard drive, or wondering where a program is hiding. Everything is filed away much like it is in your office. In fact, all documents are filed in little computer - generated drawers. There are six drawers, which you can name, anything from "letters" to "bills."

Let's say you're looking for all documents that have the sales projections through 1998. You know that this spreadsheet was placed in at least 20 documents - all created in different applications or merged into different reports. Well, there's a sure bet that you'll find each of them quickly by simply clicking on the file cabinet icons.

Worth every nickel, the Golden Retriever retails for $99. Its minimum system requirements include Windows 3.0, DOS 3.1, 2MB of RAM and IMB of hard disk space.

Of course, there are other software programs and gadgets that are great for getting organized - calendar/scheduler programs, database management systems and electronic organizers, to name a few.

Whatever you choose, just think of the time and money you'll save. So much that you could spend more time roadbound than deskbound.