No Tree Structure in OL 2003 Folder List for Contacts

[JDJ]

No Tree Structure in Folder List for Contacts

In the Outlook 2003 Folder List (left hand pane) I can set icons at
the bottom to quickly skip back & forth.

The only way to get a Tree Structure for Contacts is to Select the
Folders List Icon which shows all items, Emails, Contacts etc. in the
tree structure that I have set up just like Outlook 2000.

If I select the Mail Icon, I see my mail folders only as expected and
they are in the tree structure I have set up as expected.

If I select the Contacts Icon, I see only Contacts as expected HOWEVER
they are in one long list in no obvious order (not alphabetical)
although it does look like I can choose to arrange them myself by
moving them up the list or down the list. That's fine, but how come I
don't get a view option with tree structure like I had in Outlook
2000, or like I get when I look at all types of items from the Folder
List Icon, or like the tree structure I see when I mouse on the Mail
Icon.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

This is by design. Presumably Microsoft's extensive usablity testing during the development of Outlook 2003 found that few people used the folder list except for mail folders or that few people had multiple folders of any given type, other than mail folders.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003

and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

the tree structure in 2000 is the folder is in 2003. There is no tree in the
other folder modules because there really isn't a need - you shouldn't have
a boatload of folders and sub folders - and if there is, use folder list.

 

[JDJ]

you shouldn't have
a boatload of folders and sub folders - and if there is, use folder list.

I don't have Outlook 2000 installed anymore so I can't compare, but
ever since I installed 2003 I have been frustrated by having a long
NON-tree list of my contacts. I can see far more reason for a boatload
of folders amongst contacts than among email.

IMHO MS has made a design mistake here.

Why allow you to setup a hierarchy of contacts & then not display them
in a tree except if you display them along with all your other emails
etc. etc. etc.

I take it there is no solution, not even a registry tweak or freeware
ad don.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Use Ctrl+6 to get the folder list back that you had in Outlook 2000.

 

[JDJ]

Use Ctrl+6 to get the folder list back that you had in Outlook 2000.

OK, here is how it works I think.

The Folder List Icon or as you say CTRL+6 both show a tree'd view of
all types of objects, email, contacts, tasks, etc. I think this may
have been the only view available on the left hand pane of Outlook
2000.

Then MS has added (I think), the icons to allow you to only look at
one type of object, e.g. emails (in a tree'd view but initially
collapsed), but all the other types do not seem to be tree'd.

Now the icon Shortcuts... If I set up a shortcut to Contacts, it
doesn't work like the shortcuts in Outlook 2000. It doesn't take me to
the Contacts TREE, it just takes me to the top folder in my Contacts
Hierarchy.

I think the Shortcuts in Outlook 2000 merely positioned you to the
right place in the tree'd folder list hierarchy. But that wasn't all
bad.

Does not look like I can set up a shortcut to the Contacts Hierarchy
with a tree'd view.