Making sense of EPIM Cloud

[paulvp]

A few months ago I signed up to EPIM Cloud in the hope that it would obviate the need for manual syncing between my computer and Android phone. I cancelled the service almost immediately as I was thoroughly confused about the whole set up. This post is not to complain about EPIM cloud but rather to get a better understanding of it, as I would like to try again.

The thing that confused me was that, after setting up EPIM Cloud, there were new calendar and tasks lists in my EPIM database (as viewed in the desktop program). I had no idea if this was/is expected behaviour or not. This led to a couple of questions:
- which calendar/task list am I supposed to use and edit when using the desktop program (assuming having two of each is what is supposed to happen)?
- are the two calendars/task lists synchronised?

I've done plenty of searching but haven't really found any clear or definitive answers. Possibly the answers are out there but I haven't found them. Based on what I have been able to find, I *think* the creation of the additional/duplicate calendar and tasks is what is supposed to happen. I'd like to be sure though. And assuming this is correct, how do I manage my database(s) once EPIM Cloud has been set up?

The EPIM help and knowledge base have good information on how to set up EPIM Cloud but nothing about what happens next. More detail about this would be useful.

So, can anyone provided a *detailed* description of how EPIM Cloud works from a user point of view and what I can expect after setting it up? Assume I know nothing! I really like using EPIM and I'm keen to give EPIM Cloud another go but I'm not prepared to do so until I understand it. All information welcome.

Thanks
Paul

[admin]

When you add an EPIM Cloud sync account you have the option to choose whether to synchronize your data with the current Local account in EPIM or to create a new account named EPIM Cloud. In the latter case, only the data (calendars, tasks, etc.) from that account will be synchronized with EPIM Cloud.

Please let us know if you require any additional information.

[paulvp]

OK, thanks very much for the information. Presumably I chose the option to create a new account (I can't remember for sure) which explains why I had two of everything. But what happens next?

If I were to sign up to EPIM cloud again and create a new EPIM Cloud account again:

• Would my existing database be imported into the EPIM Cloud account? (I can't remember if this is what happened last time. Apologies).

• I assume that on my phone (Android), syncing with EPIM Cloud would only sync this new account, not the existing/local account?

• Would I need to reset EPIM on my phone (i.e. delete all existing information) before attempting to sync with EPIM Cloud?

• Is there a way to sync the local account and the cloud account? Presumably if I choose the option to sync with my local account when setting up EPIM cloud I wouldn't need to worry about this (I would have only one database?).

Finally, the EPIM help file states: "the main purpose of EPIM Cloud is to share data between Windows versions of EssentialPIM...". Can you confirm that syncing with an Android phone via EPIM Cloud is officially supported?

Thank you again.
Paul

[admin]

- Your local database remains intact. Only your data is synchronized with the EPIM Cloud account once you add it to EPIM.
- Your Android phone will synchronize data that is in Android EPIM with the EPIM Cloud.
- You do not need to take any action with your data in AEPIM before logging into EPIM Cloud on your phone.
- There is a way to synchronize data with EPIM Cloud and your local accounts in Windows EPIM. Please refer to my previous response regarding this.

Android EPIM is also capable of synchronizing the EPIM Cloud.

[paulvp]

Hello admin and thanks again for your response. My apologies for taking so long with this reply.

I have to confess that I've been struggling to understand the points you made and I don't feel much clearer about the way EPIM cloud behaves or how it would effect my current local database. I should perhaps have mentioned that I currently sync my desktop EPIM to my Android EPIM every day via wifi. This is a one-way sync from Windows EPIM to AEPIM.

I know I'm being pedantic about all this and I'm reluctant to waste more of your time on it but I'm trying to understand how this works. A couple more questions if I may:
- From your first reply, when setting up an EPIM Cloud account I "have the option to choose whether to synchronize your data with the current Local account in EPIM or to create a new account named EPIM Cloud". What are the pros and cons of each option?
- Once I have synced/copied/transferred (again, I don't understand the process so I don't know what terminology is appropriate) my local database to EPIM Cloud, it seems to me that the wisest thing to do with my AEPIM would be to delete all the data in it prior to syncing with EPIM Cloud. That way I would avoid the possibility of corruption (duplicate entries, missing data). Or will EPIM Cloud simply overwrite and replace all of the current data (that has previously synced by wifi) and replace it with the data from EPIM Cloud?

[admin]

- There are no pros or cons to choosing one option over the other. These are simply different options, and you can choose the one that best suits your needs.
- Syncing with EPIM Cloud should work as expected. There's no need to take any precautionary steps such as deleting your data before adding the sync.

Please let us know if you have additional questions.

[paulvp]

... different options, and you can choose the one that best suits your needs.

This goes to the heart of my problem. How can I choose the one that best suits my needs when I don't understand how the two different options work?
I think perhaps that further discussion on this may be fruitless as there seems to be something fundamental that I'm just not understanding. So I'll leave the discussion here. Thank you though for taking the time to address my enquiry.

-P