ACT architecture

Rex

Database Layer

ACT! leverages a full Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) at the back end to support scalability and stability. As a result, the ACT! database does not suffer from multiple user limitations or related database corruption issues traditionally associated with a flat-file database system. ACT! uses Microsoft SQL Server® as a database platform: specifically, Microsoft SQL Express Edition for the ACT! product, and the option of Microsoft SQL Express Edition or Microsoft SQL Server Standard Edition for the ACT! Premium and ACT! Premium for Web products.

The ACT! Business Logic layer is insulated from database-specific access via the Data Access layer, which can be viewed as an object persistence layer, servicing any requesting object that requires database operations.

The Business Logic Layer

Core ACT! functionality, logic, rules, and access to business entities are encapsulated in the ACT! Framework. This Framework supports scalability in its design by keeping a disconnected model between the Business Logic and Data tier and through its advanced fetching and caching architecture.
The ACT! Framework is the Business Logic layer for the ACT! platform and a crucial component of the ACT! SDK, which is leveraged across ACT! product lines. ACT!, ACT! Premium, and ACT! Premium for Web product lines were built on the ACT! Framework; ACT! for Palm OS® and all the handheld and accounting links leverage the Framework.

The ACT! Framework was designed using the principles of object-oriented design. This allows for complex base infrastructural components to be created, which benefit several features of the product. One such area is the Smart Lists base component.

High-level entities in ACT! are managed, retrieved, edited, and created using entity managers, such as Contacts Manager, Opportunities Manager, etc. These managers are all built on a base component called Smart Lists. The Smart Lists component is an intelligent agent mediating access of the database by the application. It includes several advanced features that enhance ACT! scalability and performance, such as:

Collection Management: Smart Lists mediate the data access, handling all data source interactions • and returning a collection of high-level objects that the application can manage and manipulate.
Predictive Data Fetching: The Smart Lists pre-fetch data in the region of the window that is • currently being viewed, based on scrolling and user interaction.
Cache Management: Smart Lists manage the “staleness” of information in the list using advanced • heuristical and deterministic algorithms.

Presentation Layer

The ACT! platform contains a familiar presentation layer across ACT!, ACT! Premium, and ACT! Premium for Web. ACT! and ACT! Premium continue to provide rich client capabilities for the end user. ACT! Premium for Web presents the ACT! Framework’s capabilities via a Web browser.
ACT! lets you fully customize the database fields according to your needs. It offers enhanced viewing of data by customizing layouts and customizations via the Report Designer, as well as many other customizations, data manipulation, and filtering – all built into the product.1
Furthermore, the ACT! product line supports extending the Presentation layer via custom functionality by third-party add-ons, custom controls, and custom tabs.