We get this question so often I thought I'd post a blog article showing the main differences. ACT for Windows has more options because it runs on the Windows platform. The web version, being accessed via a browser will have limitations because of the browser interface. Quite a bit of functionality is in the Web version - it's amazing how much it looks and reacts just like the Windows version. However, when you understand that you are on a browser it makes sense that functions that are driven by Windows operations (think right mouse clicks) won't work on the web.
Following are the feature differences:
Features Unavailable in Sage ACT! Premium (access via web) via Web Browser:
- Add additional user licenses to the database
- Add or modify database fields or layouts
- Menu and Toolbar customization
- Edit Smart Tasks
- Right click functionality (presents browser options)
- Create Activity Series
- Setup and use field triggers
- Import or export data (you can use the Export to Excel function from the list view)
- Create new report templates
- Sage E-marketing for ACT!* functionality
- Add document attachments as shortcuts
- Manage Opportunity Product and Process Lists
- Synchronize Sage ACT! data with a handheld device
- Integrate Sage ACT! with a supported accounting program
- E-Mail Document option on Document tab
- No Sage ACT! Email client installed locally for viewing or managing email (can integrate with locally installed Microsoft® Outlook® or send through an Internet mail account)
- Email Message (from template)
- Backup and restore databases
- Replace, copy, or swap field data for multiple contacts
- Duplicate Checking settings, scan for duplicate records
- Edit Contact Access (Make Public, Make Private, Create Access List, Add or Remove Users/Teams) for multiple contacts
- Copy or move contact data (merge)
- Database maintenance (check, repair, reindex, delete)
- Use of Sage ACT! Diagnostics utility
- Remote database synchronization panel (create, edit, delete remote databases and sync sets)
- Sage ACT! Dialer
- Fax integration
- Timer
- Sage ACT! Scheduler
- History recorded when printing a document (Mail merge directly to printer does create history).
- No option to "Open each view in its own window" in Preferences
- Social Updates
New functions Added to the Web Interface in Sage ACT! Premium (access via web) (2012 and later versions):
- Manage Users
- Manage Teams
- Password Policy
- Database Maintenance - Lock/Unlock Database
- Synchronize Calendar and Contacts with Google®
- Gmail™ integration
Features Only Available in the Web Interface in Sage ACT! Premium (access via web) (2012 and later versions):
- Expanded Startup View options
- Alternating background colors for rows in List views
- Specify date and time format and time zone
That's the list. Hopefully this will come up in searches and people will find it helpful.