Outlook form with validation via server request

[willwong]

Hi I'm wondering if its possible to create a form within Outlook that will
allow the user to specify additional rows as required via an icon.

Once the form is completed the contents will need to be verified with a
database before it can be sent off.

Is this at all possible? If not could you please suggest an effective
alternative. I have knowledge of C# but other platform suggestions are
welcome.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

If you're referring to a traditional Outlook custom form, the published form needs to contain all the custom properties that will be required to store the data for individual items. And it needs to contain all the controls that will display that data; adding controls at runtime is not a viable option. There are several ways to handle these requirements. In Outlook 2002 and 2003, you can use the Office spreadsheet control to display data, storing the entire contents of the spreadsheet in a single Outlook text property. Or, you can use one set of unbound controls to display each row, with a drop-down selector to switch between rows, and put data into custom text properties, using delimiters to keep the "rows" and "columns" separate.

In any case, it's going to be complicated, and you might want to look at using InfoPath instead, depending on your exact project requirements and the Outlook/Office version(s) you're planning to support.

 

[willwong]

Thanks for the reply Sue.

I'll be creating the form under Outlook 2003. I have been asked to explore
the possibility of creating a form in Outlook that will help ensure
consistency/accuracy for data that we receive in.

validation with our server is vital to reduce human error, e.g. returning an
error msg if an account number doesn't exist since it was mistyped.

I am currently building a form with 5 textboxes per row to accommodate one
line of data with the rest hidden and revealed via a combobox.

I have never used InfoPath but having just read what is possible with it I
may look into it depending on
a) the ability to email a finished form
b) whether you need infopath installed to use the form, all our account
managers are only guaranteed to have Outlook. Using a form that requires a
browser is less desirable due to some people working offline.
c)validation with a server is possible in the manner I have specified

Really appreciate your help so far!

Will