Using my custom form with a public folder

[cmonroe21 via OfficeKB.com]

I have canned my rather extensive task form due to functionality issues (huge
bummer!) and decided to try to use a message form instead. But since I
completely created my task only to find out it can't be used in the capacity
I need it, I would like to set up the message folders and such with a simple
test message form BEFORE I create it! So I created a folder in my "All
Public Folders" (actually, in a sub-folder in the All Public Folders) as a
message/post folder. This has led me to two questions:

1.) When I go in to change the default form to use to a standard message
rather than the default which is a standard post (by selecting it out of the
Standard Forms Library) it says I cannot create an item of this type in this
folder. But it is set up as a Mail/Post Items folder? And there is no other
option even close to an email/message folder option (???) If it won't let me
set a standard message form as the default then it probably won't let me set
my custom message form with it, either? Where is the option to set up a
message/email-based folder?

2.) Also, can I set up an email address for my public folder? I was dinking
around in the Outlook directory to try to find my new mail/post item folder,
and instead of searching the Global Address List I chose Public Folders to
search for my new folder. It did not show up, and niether did any of the
other public folders I work out of every day. But quite a few others did. I
did not recognize any of them though, have never seen any of them before.
And the icon for the folders has a mail envelope on them... my new mail/post
item folder has a double-headed blue arrow... not the same. I'm guessing
that to be able to associate an email address to my folder I would have to
create a folder like this, with the envelope icon? But when I go to create a
new public folder the closest option I have is the mail/post item folder?

Basically I wanted to initially create a custom task form that others could
have access to and post to a default task list (did this by just setting the
'assign to' field value myself and making it unmodifiable). Can I create
something like this with a custom email form and a public folder instead? If
I make the custom email form the default item for this folder, will they be
able to use it in it's full functionality? If not, where should I publish it
so that they can access it and it will retain it's full custom functionality?
(Obviously can't "save" it anywhere on the network drive where I can preserve
the functionality of my custom form, and am running into huge road-blocks as
far as publishing custom forms in places where others can access and use them.
)

Do you have any input??? I want to figure out the functionality before I
create the form this time!

 

[cmonroe21 via OfficeKB.com]

I might have just figured out that what I thought was a standard message form
is actually a standard note form? I should create a folder that contains
"notes" and not "mail and posts"???

 

[cmonroe21 via OfficeKB.com]

Nope, that's not right either. Can't seem to find out how to create a folder
for emails (the folder I created for "mail and post items" will only accept
posts).

I might have just figured out that what I thought was a standard message form
is actually a standard note form? I should create a folder that contains
"notes" and not "mail and posts"???

I have canned my rather extensive task form due to functionality issues (huge
bummer!) and decided to try to use a message form instead. But since I

[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]

Do you have any input??? I want to figure out the functionality before I
create the form this time!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

1) Message forms are designed to be sent, not to post data in a folder, and
cannot be used as a folder's default form.

2) Mail-enabling a public folder is a task for the Exchange administrator.

To be fully functional, a messsage form needs to be published to the
Organizational Forms library or each user's Personal Forms library. See
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=61

What exactly do you mean by "post to a default task list"? Is that a task
folder in the Public Folders hierarchy? In a mailbox?

 

[cmonroe21 via OfficeKB.com]

Thank you so much for reading that novel and responding! Thanks for the info
about folders. So, we created a folder for appointments and created a custom
appointment form and made it the default form for that folder. Now all
anyone has to do is go to that public folder and create a new appointment,
and my custom appointment comes up and when they save it it saves directly to
the calendar in that folder. We were thinking we could do the same with a
task... create a task folder, make the custom task the default form for that
folder, then anytime someone wanted that particular task done they just go to
the folder and my custom task pops up and it saves directly to the task list
in that folder. But from the research I've done I'm seeing that's not
possible?? So my next option was to try an email folder... create an email
folder and make my custom email template the default form for that folder,
someone goes to the folder and opens a new email and my custom email pops and
when they send it it populates in that folder. But now I'm finding that
folders aren't for email?? And an email can't be the default form for a
public folder? Or, we could even publish the custom email it in the
Organizational forms library and they could open it from there and just send
it to the folder's address? But I'm hearing that won't work either because
folders don't have addresses anymore and I can't publish to the
Organizational Forms Library due to a MAPI error? What form can I use in the
capacity I've described above? (Like the calendar folder with the default
custom appointment form?)

(And to answer your question, yes, I was thinking that if a folder was set up
to accept tasks, that in essence the folder would actually house a task list,
much like a folder that is set up to accept appointments is essentially
housing a calendar.)

1) Message forms are designed to be sent, not to post data in a folder, and
cannot be used as a folder's default form.

2) Mail-enabling a public folder is a task for the Exchange administrator.

To be fully functional, a messsage form needs to be published to the
Organizational Forms library or each user's Personal Forms library. See
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=61

What exactly do you mean by "post to a default task list"? Is that a task
folder in the Public Folders hierarchy? In a mailbox?

I have canned my rather extensive task form due to functionality issues
(huge

[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]

far as publishing custom forms in places where others can access and use
them.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP]]

There's no reason a task folder wouldn't work like that . Creating a task in
a folder uses the default form for that folder (unless the user specifically
invokes a different form).

Thank you so much for reading that novel and responding! Thanks for the info
about folders. So, we created a folder for appointments and created a custom
appointment form and made it the default form for that folder. Now all
anyone has to do is go to that public folder and create a new appointment,
and my custom appointment comes up and when they save it it saves directly to
the calendar in that folder. We were thinking we could do the same with a
task... create a task folder, make the custom task the default form for that
folder, then anytime someone wanted that particular task done they just go to
the folder and my custom task pops up and it saves directly to the task list
in that folder. But from the research I've done I'm seeing that's not
possible?? So my next option was to try an email folder... create an email
folder and make my custom email template the default form for that folder,
someone goes to the folder and opens a new email and my custom email pops and
when they send it it populates in that folder. But now I'm finding that
folders aren't for email?? And an email can't be the default form for a
public folder? Or, we could even publish the custom email it in the
Organizational forms library and they could open it from there and just send
it to the folder's address? But I'm hearing that won't work either because
folders don't have addresses anymore and I can't publish to the
Organizational Forms Library due to a MAPI error? What form can I use in the
capacity I've described above? (Like the calendar folder with the default
custom appointment form?)

(And to answer your question, yes, I was thinking that if a folder was set up
to accept tasks, that in essence the folder would actually house a task list,
much like a folder that is set up to accept appointments is essentially
housing a calendar.)

1) Message forms are designed to be sent, not to post data in a folder, and
cannot be used as a folder's default form.

2) Mail-enabling a public folder is a task for the Exchange administrator.

To be fully functional, a messsage form needs to be published to the
Organizational Forms library or each user's Personal Forms library. See
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=61

What exactly do you mean by "post to a default task list"? Is that a task
folder in the Public Folders hierarchy? In a mailbox?

I have canned my rather extensive task form due to functionality issues
(huge

[quoted text clipped - 57 lines]

far as publishing custom forms in places where others can access and use
them.

 

[cmonroe21 via OfficeKB.com]

I tried that, but I recreated the "Assign to" button and "send" button on my
task, and so I was getting the "Cannot create a form of this type from a
public folder" when I clicked send. Just now had an epiphany and realized
that on a regular task form you would click "Save and Close," so I tried that
with my custom task and it worked... hm, go figure. Thanks so much for your
patience! You are amazing!

There's no reason a task folder wouldn't work like that . Creating a task in
a folder uses the default form for that folder (unless the user specifically
invokes a different form).

Thank you so much for reading that novel and responding! Thanks for the info
about folders. So, we created a folder for appointments and created a custom

[quoted text clipped - 41 lines]