Saving Advanced Finds in Outlook 2007

[Dean]

When pressing "CTRL-Shift-F" in Outlook, you can open the advanced find
window. Our business creates complex search across multiple Outlook contact
folders, and it would be a nightmare to have to recreate these searches every
time that we wanted to run one. Pre-Outlook 2007, you could save your
searches as OSS files and run them. Outlook 2007 does not seem to support
this, but there must be some sort of work around. It seems ridiculous that
this major feature would be removed. I understand that OSS files had some
kind of security flaw, but I'm willing to take my chances and turn that
feature back on if possible. Does anyone know another work around for this
issue? Perhaps Microsoft will release an add-on or something.
Unfortunately, these kind of searches are business critical, so I guess it's
back to 2003 for us. Good thing I'm only on a trial of 2007.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

OSS-files have been replaced with Search Folders.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Except that the File | Save Search as Search Folder option is not available unless you're searching for messages.

Dean, if you have a retail version of Office/Outlook 2007 or a support contract, I suggest that you file a support incident on this issue. This is the best way to let Microsoft know that there's a problem with the application. Unlimited support for retail Office/Outlook 2007 is free for the first 90 days after activation. See http://support.microsoft.com/gp/vista_supoffnew for more information on this support policy.

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

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

OSS-files have been replaced with Search Folders.

--
Robert Sparnaaij [MVP-Outlook]
Coauthor, Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003


-----

When pressing "CTRL-Shift-F" in Outlook, you can open the advanced find
window. Our business creates complex search across multiple Outlook
contact
folders, and it would be a nightmare to have to recreate these searches
every
time that we wanted to run one. Pre-Outlook 2007, you could save your
searches as OSS files and run them. Outlook 2007 does not seem to support
this, but there must be some sort of work around. It seems ridiculous
that
this major feature would be removed. I understand that OSS files had some
kind of security flaw, but I'm willing to take my chances and turn that
feature back on if possible. Does anyone know another work around for
this
issue? Perhaps Microsoft will release an add-on or something.
Unfortunately, these kind of searches are business critical, so I guess
it's
back to 2003 for us. Good thing I'm only on a trial of 2007.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Does this solve your problem?

Only if it works for Contacts and all the other outlook item types. The
problem is that there is no option to create and save advanced finds or
search folder in non-mail folders.

When pressing "CTRL-Shift-F" in Outlook, you can open the advanced find
window. Our business creates complex search across multiple Outlook
contact folders, and it would be a nightmare to have to recreate these
searches every time that we wanted to run one. Pre-Outlook 2007, you
could save your searches as OSS files and run them. Outlook 2007 does
not seem to support this, but there must be some sort of work around.

You can do the same thing with a search folder. To illustrate:
1. Press Ctrl + Shift + F to launch the Advanced Find dialogue.
2. Create some sort of query
3. Click "Find Now" button to verify your query works as expected.
4. Click on File + Save Search as Search Folder

Your query is now saved as a search folder where you will be able to see
the results.

Does this solve your problem?

Benjamin Gay [MSFT]
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Can you do us a favor and add it to the list of things that need addressed
in SP1.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Thanks.

I have forwarded this thread to the owner of this feature!

 

[Dean]

Thanks Diane and Benjamin. Is there anyone else at Microsoft that I can send
a note to or get an update about this issue from? Search Folders are cool,
and I certainly don't mind replacing our OSS files with Search Folders.
However, we'd love to know if search folders that encompass all items (such
as contacts) are on the horizon. SP1 seems like it would be a pretty long
wait. It would be great if they released a patch or add-on in the
meantime... We'd really like to complete the upgrade to 2007 and wipe out
2003.

Thanks.