The History of Act! CRM

July 3, 2018 | Josh Noonan

Act! is a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software application which is used to keep track of client and prospect details in a single database that can be shared by multiple users.

How it all began

The company Conductor Software was founded 1986 in Dallas, Texas by Pat Sullivan and Mike Muhney. Its product, Act!, was released in 1987. The original name for the software was “Activity Control Technology” then “Automated Contact Tracking” before finally just using the acronym. The name of the company was then changed to Contact Software International. In 1993, Contact Software International was sold to Symantec Corporation, who then sold it to SalesLogix (later renamed to Interact Commerce) in 1999.

The Sage Group, plc purchased Interact Commerce in 2001, through Best Software, then its North American software division. In 2004, the name was revised to Act! by Sage and later changed to Sage Act!. In 2012, Sage handed over the Australia/New Zealand distribution to Melbourne based company, Act! CRM Pty Ltd for a period of 2 years. This was in preparation for the changeover of ownership to Swiftpage in 2013. Act! CRM was directed and managed by Act Today CEO Michael Bryant to ensure a seamless transition from Sage to Swiftpage. Swiftpage had been a partner of Sage for over 10 years and it was their love of Act! that lead them to invest and further develop the product line. They re-branded the product back to Act! and have since introduced many improvements and new features. Act! has a user base of over 2.8 million registered users with the Act! version 22 being the current release.

Over 30 years later

In 2020, there are four editions of Act!:

Pro: Limited to 10 active users and utilises Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 Express. Pro is no longer available for sale after June 30, 2020.

Act! CRM: A self-hosted full-featured CRM offering a deployment via Windows, Cloud or a combination. It is designed for small to medium-sized businesses. 

Act! Growth Suite: Act! Growth Suite offers a feature-rich set of customer management tools with mobile access, marketing automation, connectivity with your other business systems enabling you to easily integrate CRM into your business. Act! Growth Suite is available in 4 tiers – Starter, Professional, Premier and Ultimate.

Act! Starter: A very basic cloud version of Act! designed for single users. It does not have all the features of Act! CRM or Act! Growth Suite and your data is stored off-shore. 

Act! CRM Features and Deployment

Act! CRM features include contact, company and opportunity management, a calendar, communication tools and the ability to track prospective customers.

Reports and interactive dashboards offer graphical representations of key activity that allows users to spot new business opportunities, and can generate a wide variety of statistical reports.

Act!’s in-built Marketing Automation software enables users to create, send and track email campaigns directly from within Act!. This feature empowers small businesses to manage their own e-marketing in-house and resulting in better communication with their customers and savings in marketing budget.

One of Act! most powerful benefits is it’s multiple deployment options. User can access data from one; or a combination of the following methods:

  • Windows desktops (Windows 7 and later) with local or network shared database
  • Synchronised to laptops or remote offices (using Citrix or Remote Desktop)
  • Via Web browsers with self-hosted or vendor-hosted (Act! Cloud)
  • Smartphones and Tablets

Act! integrates with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Google Contacts, Gmail, and other loads of other popular applications via Zapier. For custom integrations, Act! has a in-built API.

With hundreds of third-party AddOns, Act! can provide additional functionality required by a specific business.  

Act! has been a long-standing popular choice for small businesses due to its ease of use and ability to customise and implement in a short period of time. Find out more about the Act! Product Suite

SEE WHAT’S NEW IN Act! 

Act! Reviews

Act! was also ranked in the Top 20 Most Popular CRM and Top 20 Most Affordable CRM solution by Capterra in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

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A final word from Act Today

If this page made you pause and think about how you manage your client relationships, that’s a good start.

Most businesses don’t struggle because they lack effort. They struggle because their systems don’t quite support the way they actually work. That’s where the right CRM setup can make a real difference.

Everything we share about Act! Advantage comes from working with businesses across Australia and New Zealand who want to retain clients, improve communication, and make better decisions from their data.

If you’d like more practical insights about CRM, client retention, and running a smarter client database, you’re welcome to explore the Act Today resources and articles.

And if you’d like to see how Act! Advantage could work in your business, we’d be glad to walk you through it.

14 Day Free Trial
Explore Act! Advantage at your own pace.
28-Day Guided Trial
Work with an Act Today consultant to set up three key CRM functions for your business.

28-Day Guided Trial

Set Up Properly, Decide with Confidence

The 28-day extended trial is designed for businesses that want to experience Act! Advantage working inside their business, not just explore features.

To access the extended trial, you’ll book an initial session with an Act Today consultant based in Australia or New Zealand. During this session, we’ll help you set up three key CRM functions that matter most to your business, such as client follow-ups, communication workflows, retention tracking, or referral visibility.

At the 14-day mark, you’ll have a second check-in with your consultant to answer questions, refine your setup, and remove any roadblocks. This ensures you’re not left guessing and that the system is actually supporting your work.

By the end of the 28 days, you’ll know exactly how Act! Advantage fits your business and whether it delivers real value.

What you’ll get from the 28-day extended trial:

  • Guided setup by a local Act Today CRM consultant
  • Three high-impact CRM functions configured for your business
  • A mid-trial review to answer questions and fine-tune usage
  • A realistic view of outcomes, not just features
  • Confidence to decide based on real experience
START YOUR EXTENDED TRIAL

14-Day Free Trial

Get Hands-On with Act! Advantage CRM

The 14-day free trial gives you full access to Act! Advantage CRM so you can explore how it works in your own time. This is the standard Act! trial used by businesses across Australia and New Zealand who want to see the platform before making a decision.

During the trial, you can add contacts, explore client records, test communication tools, and see how Act! Advantage handles day-to-day client management. It’s a straightforward way to understand how the system is structured and whether it feels right for how you run your business.

This option suits businesses that are comfortable exploring software independently and already have a clear idea of what they want from a CRM. There’s no obligation, no setup required, and no pressure,  just time to assess fit.

What you’ll get from the 14-day free trial:

  • Full access to Act! Advantage CRM features
  • A clear look at how contacts, activities, and communication are managed
  • The ability to test the system across desktop and mobile
  • A simple, no-commitment way to assess fit
  • Confidence before taking the next step
START YOUR TRIAL

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How to Choose the Best CRM for Your Business