How should I configure WorkgroupShare to work with roaming users?

Symptoms

This is required when users will need to log onto different computers on the network such as when ‘hot desking’.

Summary

It is possible for users to ‘roam’ between different computers in an office and have their Outlook data follow them. To do this they need to either use roaming Windows profiles or they have to re-locate the Outlook PST file to a network share. This can be configured with Outlook and WorkgroupShare so that the Outlook data follows the user and Outlook will continue to synchronize with the WorkgroupShare server.

WorkgroupShare v2
WorkgroupShare v1

Detail

WorkgroupShare v2

1. Enable roaming profiles for the user.
2. Re-locate the Outlook PST file to be accessible across the network (in a network share) or move
   the PST file to be within a roaming part of the users’ profile.

3. You should now be able to roam and use WorkgroupShare.

Explanation: Outlook stores its data in the PST file and when configured to roam the same PST file will be accessed by Outlook on different computers. The WorkgroupShare client adds the shared information to the PST file through Outlook and at the same time stores its own record of the changes within hidden records in the PST file. This negates the need for separate data files and tightly binds the WorkgroupShare data with the PST file.

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WorkgroupShare v1

1. Enable roaming profiles for the user.
2. Re-locate the Outlook PST file to be accessible across the network (in a network share) or move the PST file to be within a roaming part of the users’ profile.
3. Re-locate the WorkgroupShare client data files to also be accessible over the network (in a network share or within a roaming part of the users’ profile). The WorkgroupShare client data files, WSClientData.dat and WSSettings.dat, are usually stored within the users profile in Local SettingsApplication DataSoftalkWorkgroupShareClient.
4. Change the following registry key to contain the new path to the WorkgroupShare client data files.

   HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareSoftalkWorkgroupShareClientSetupdataFolder

5. You should now be able to roam and use WorkgroupShare.

Explanation: Outlook stores its data in the PST file and when configured to roam the same PST file will be accessed by Outlook on different computers. The WorkgroupShare client keeps a record of the changes it has made, and changes made by the Outlook user, in the data files that must be accessible with the PST file. If the PST file roams the WorkgroupShare data files need to roam too. If using a network share for the PST file location, it is adviseable to make a separate folder for each user to contain the PST file and the two WorkgroupShare data files.

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