Outlook public contact lists

[NigelW]

Hi all. I have what I hope is a simple question - I just can't find a
simple answer.

We have Exchange and Outlook 2003. In the Exchange public folders, we have
a number of shared contact lists which contain address information for
external suppliers, etc. If I want to address an email to someone in these
lists, I can bring up the shared contact list and browse to the name and
select it.
I can also go to the properties of that folder, and select "Show this folder
as an e-mail address book", which then adds that to my address lookup and I
can just type the persons name in and do a check-names. This all works very
well.

Here's the problem. We have several hunded users, most of whom have enough
trouble understanding what a public folder is, nevermind knowing how to go
in and select "Show this folder as an e-mail address book". We then get
swamped with complaints that they can't find the address for so and so. We
do not want to include all of these names in the Global address list, which
is why we have elected to use the public folders.

Is there not a way at the server level to globally include certain shared
public contact lists in the search list? (instead of expecting every user to
remember to go in and do it themselves?)

Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, the server knows nothing about client configuration. All that configuration must take place on the client.

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

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