Introducing Improved Read-Only CardDAV Synchronization: Stay in sync with Contactzilla

Hey there, it’s Tom from Contactzilla. I’m excited to share with you some recent improvements we’ve made to our Read-Only CardDAV Sync feature. As a team, we’re always looking for ways to make contact management easier and more efficient for our users. That’s why we love getting feedback from you. It helps us understand what you need and how we can make Contactzilla even better.

One of our users recently reached out to us with some great suggestions about our Read-Only CardDAV Sync. We took that feedback to heart and have made an update.

So, what exactly did we change? Well, let me break it down for you. But first, for those who might not be familiar, let’s quickly go over what Read-Only CardDAV Sync is all about.

Tip: Contactzilla offers simple CardDAV contact management software. Learn more about how Contactzilla can streamline your CardDAV contact management without the technical overhead of self-hosting.

What is Read-Only CardDAV Sync?

So, what exactly is Read-Only CardDAV Sync? It’s a feature that allows users to sync contacts across devices using the CardDAV protocol, but with one important distinction: Users can view these contacts, but they can’t make any changes to them. This is particularly useful for teams or organizations where certain users only need to access contacts for reference, but shouldn’t be able to modify them.

Before our recent update, here’s how Read-Only CardDAV Sync worked:

Contacts were downloaded from the Contactzilla server to the user’s device (like an iPhone or Android phone) associated with their CardDAV account.
Users could view these contacts on their device, but any changes they made would only be stored locally.
If a user did make changes to a contact, those changes wouldn’t be pushed back to the server. This is because the server was set to read-only for these users.
Over time, this could lead to some confusion, as the contacts on the user’s device would become out of sync with the most up-to-date information on the server.

While this system has worked for many of our users, the request we received made it clear that there was room for improvement in how Read-Only CardDAV Sync functioned.

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How the updated Read-Only CardDAV Sync works

Now, let’s dive into the changes we’ve made to Read-Only CardDAV Sync based on your input. Our team worked hard to come up with a solution that we believe will significantly improve the experience for our users.

Here’s how the updated Read-Only CardDAV Sync works:

Just like before, contacts are downloaded from the Contactzilla server to the user’s device.
If a user makes changes to a contact on their device, those changes are temporarily stored locally (the native contacts app on most devices doesn’t have a way to prevent this.)
Here’s where the real improvement comes in: the next time the device syncs with the server (which usually happens every 5 minutes or so), any local changes are overwritten by the most up-to-date information from the server.
This means that the user’s device always has the most current version of the contacts, straight from the Contactzilla server.

We’ve also added a helpful little feature to make it easier for users to quickly identify which contacts are read-only. Now, when a contact is synced with read-only access, we automatically add a little lock emoji (🔒) to the end of their name. This way, users can easily see which contacts they can edit and which ones they can’t.

Enabling the New Read-Only CardDAV Sync Mode

Now that you’re familiar with the improvements we’ve made to Read-Only CardDAV Sync, let’s walk through how you can start using this new functionality.

Log in to your Contactzilla account and navigate to the address book settings for the address book you want to configure.
Look for the “Read-Only Sync Mode” section.
Select the “v2 – Full Refresh” option. This tells Contactzilla to use the new and improved Read-Only CardDAV Sync mode.
If you want to enable the lock emoji feature for read-only contacts, make sure to check the box next to “Add 🔒 emoji to read-only contact names.”
Save your settings, and you’re all set!

The next time your users sync their devices with Contactzilla, they’ll be using the updated Read-Only CardDAV Sync. They’ll always have access to the most up-to-date contact information.

Conclusion

We’ve designed this process with simplicity in mind, so you can focus on what matters most – managing your contacts efficiently. However, if you do encounter any issues or have questions along the way, our dedicated support team is here to assist you. Don’t hesitate to reach out!

FAQ’s

What is CardDAV sync?

CardDAV sync is a protocol enabling synchronization of contact data between clients (like smartphones or email apps) and servers. It uses the vCard format to store and transfer contacts, allowing users to access and manage their contacts from multiple devices while keeping the information consistently up-to-date across all connected clients.

How do I set up a CardDAV account on my iPhone?

To set up a CardDAV account on your iPhone, go to Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Add Account > Other > Add CardDAV Account. Enter your CardDAV server information, username, and password. Once verified, your contacts will sync automatically, keeping them up-to-date across your connected devices.

Tip: Looking for more ways to keep your iPhone contacts organized and up-to-date? Check out our comprehensive guide on how to organize contacts on your iPhone for tips on managing your contacts like a pro.