Reply arrow not syncing between Entourage andOutlook using Exchange

[ndc_77]

Version: 2008
Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard)
Processor: intel
Email Client: Exchange

I use both Entourage 2008 and Outlook 2003 using the same Exchange account. The reply flag that lets you visually know when you've replied to only shows up on the client you actually reply to the email from. For instance, I reply to an email in Entourage 2008 on my Macbook Pro, then later that day switch over to using Outlook 2003 on my work desktop computer, but I do not see the "reply" arrow indicating that I already replied to that email. And, vice versa... the same things happens if I reply from Outlook... the arrow does not show up in Entourage.

It would seem like this is an Exchange problem... does anyone have this same problem or a fix for this? It has been driving me and a lot of other people crazy in our company.

Thanks

 

[mandel23]

I have exactly the same issue, also with a Blackberry involved. If I respond on Outlook or my Blackberry to a message, it won't show up as replied to on Entourage (though it will show if the message has been opened or not, and sent mail is filed in the sent mail folder). If I reply to a message on Entourage, it won't show up as replied to in Outlook or the Blackberry.

This was an issue also with Entourage 2004, and I was hoping it would have been fixed by 2008. I may have to just use Outlook in Parallels if this can't be fixed, as it is a real problem.

 

[brettrandall]

I don't check this newsgroup ever so if anyone replies I probably
won't see it, but just so you're aware... I logged a support call with
Microsoft through my MSDN subscription and they said that Entourage is
designed to store flags like that in your user profile on a Mac. It is
not designed to sync them with your server. I am going to send a
"wishlist" entry to Microsoft for a future release but who knows if it
will ever get in. Interestingly, a colleague runs Mac Mail and that
synchronises fine with the Exchange server.

Just found this through a Google search while trying to figure out the
solution and thought future searchers might like to know the answer.

Brett.

 

[Matthew_R]

I have the same problem. Its infurtiating. Its very hard to accept that this is accidental. In the absence of any explanation it seems like a deliberate attempt to make Entourage difficult to work with.

Just out of courtesy it would be nice if someone from Mactopia could reply to indicate when this problem will be addressed.

The silence is not cool.

 

[William Smith]

I have the same problem. Its infurtiating. Its very hard to accept
that this is accidental. In the absence of any explanation it seems
like a deliberate attempt to make Entourage difficult to work with.

Pshaw! In the absence of any explanation all signs point to the Flying
Spaghetti Monster.

But seriously folks...

This feature has *never* been in Entourage, even Entourage 2004. You can
accuse Microsoft of any conspiracy theory you'd like but when I see new
Exchange features like those brought in with Entourage 2008 SP1 then I
have to say that Microsoft has its priorities straight. For example,
we've needed the ability to remove attachments far more than
synchronizing status arrows, IMHO.

Having seen constant Exchange improvements over the past few years I
feel that the MacBU folks are progressing well with their Exchange
support. Sure, I'd like to see more features faster but software
development isn't easy, especially when the Apple hardware architecture
changes, the Mac OS itself gets updated and you have to rewrite your
base code into XCode.

Please be sure to let Microsoft know you'd like to see this feature in
future versions by using the Help --> Send Feedback mechanism in any
Office application. Feedback gets counted, categorized and prioritized.
Expressing your opinions here doesn't count.

Hope this helps!

--

bill

William M. Smith, Microsoft Interop MVP - Mac/Windows
Entourage Help Page <http://entourage.mvps.org/>
Entourage Help Blog <http://blog.entourage.mvps.org/>