Custom Forms and OWA

[Gary Newport]

Hi again

I am working in a mixed environment, where we use Outlook within work and
OWA outside. The issue, as it is with most people I believe, is that I would
like people to be able to view the forms within either environment.

I do understand that OWA 2003 cannot view standard custom forms, is this
different with 2007?

Equally, I understand that I can make HTML, ASPX or other types of custom
forms to work in OWA but does this mean that I need two different forms
(unworkable) or that I should create all forms using HTML, ASPX or something
similar? Or can I add HTML to make the custom form be converted for OWA usage?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No. OWA is a Web-based application. It uses a completely different mechanism
for generating its interface -- all server-based and having nothing
whatsoever to do with Outlook custom forms. For Outlook 2007, you would need
two different forms, in the two different formats. For Outlook 2003, I think
there is a setting to force users to use the OWA version if one exists, but
that may not make Outlook users very happy.

 

[Gary Newport]

Thanks again. Thought as much.

So, will organisational forms work through POP3/SMTP? If the staff log onto
their laptops as normal (using cached network profiles) will the
Organisational Forms Library be available or are Outlook Forms only possible
whilst locally connected to the Exchange server?

Are there other mechanisms I am missing that would enable remote workers to
access Organisational forms, except for Remote Access log in (which we have
but is always a poor relative).

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, forms published to the Organizational Forms library are available only to
users who connect with an Exchange account. Those who connect with POP3/SMTP
would need to publish those forms to their Personal Folders library.
Furthermore, if your Exchange server is stripping TNEF content, the data
contained in custom fields may not be available to POP3 users. Test
thoroughly (and, if you need to, ask further about this in the
microsoft.public.exchange.admin newsgroup).

There is a setting in the send/receive settings for synchronizing forms in
Cached Exchange mode, but my recollection is that it works better in Outlook
2007 than 2003.
--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54