Removing User-defined fields

[Bronson]

I have created a new form based on the email message. During the development
process, I added a few user-defined fields. Some of them I decided not to
use and deleted them from the Compose and Reading views. However, when I
look at the All fields tab, I still see them listed under User defined fields
in this item. Furthermore, when I print the form out, some of these deleted
fields are showing up, while they are not visible via either the edit page or
compose page.

I admit I am new to working with forms in Outlook. Can anyone advise me on
how to get rid of these fields? Thanks in advance!

 

[Bronson]

Sorry, minor edit on this...

....Furthermore, when I print the form out, some of these deleted
fields are showing up, while they are not visible via either the READ page or
compose page.

 

[Hollis Paul]

I admit I am new to working with forms in Outlook. Can anyone advise me on
how to get rid of these fields? Thanks in advance!

Getting rid of UDF's is a real nasty problem. Since you are seeing them in
the UDFs in the form, I think you have to go to the All Fields tab, display
them there, and delete them from there. Remember, that this only deletes the
fields from this one data item, not all data items with the same custom form.
You have to go to each data item that you created with the custom form, and
drive an oaken stake through its heart by deleting the fields from the All
Fields tab. Then you have to look at the fields in the Folder design, and see
if they have been created there, and delete them there, also.

 

[Bronson]

Thanks for the response. One thing I should have mentioned in my original
post is from the All Fields tab in the design view, it won't let me delete
any of the user fields. So that led me to my question of how do you delete
them...

1. Is this something that needs to be done from the administrator side or
can a "power-user" like myself do this?

"You have to go to each data item that you created with the custom form, and
drive an oaken stake through its heart by deleting the fields from the All
Fields tab."

2. So, for example, I created an Approval email form for people to use.
So, for each time this was used, we need to go into each form and delete the
fields? That oaken stake might be a little expensive for me

3. This superscedes the first 2 questions...but I think it might be better
if I just created a new form template with the correct fields and delete the
old one from the server. That should mitigate my issue, right?

Thanks again...

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

1. You certainly should be able to delete user-defined fields in the All Fields page. Bear in mind that there are two lists -- in folder, and in this item.

2. Why? I don't see the point of adding fields if you're just going to remove them.

3. At this point, I'm not sure what the real issue is here, in other words what specific problem you're trying to solve.

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

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

 

[Hollis Paul]

One thing I should have mentioned in my original
post is from the All Fields tab in the design view, it won't let me delete
any of the user fields. So that led me to my question of how do you delete
them...

Well, I know I was deleting the values from my UDFs and also from some
standard fields. My memory is certainly hazy about deleting the actual field.

I just did a test on one of my old forms which had been published to the
Organization Forms Library. When I opened the form, and clicked to All
Fields, two fields were showing from the UDFs in the form category. Down at
the bottom, it was showing controls that would let me create a field and give
it a type and another control to delete the field.

You really do need to make sure that you have not one-offed your form, because
things are not behaving as they should in Outlook 2003/Exchange 2003. By the
way, what version of Outlook/Exchange are you using?

 

[Hollis Paul]

3. This superscedes the first 2 questions...but I think it might be better
if I just created a new form template with the correct fields and delete the
old one from the server. That should mitigate my issue, right?

And delete all existing items created with the old form. Also, only if none of
the fields wound up a fields in the folder.