Transmitting Outlook data to a web server

[Polaris431]

I am looking for a solution on how to publish data in Outlook to a web
server. A custom web app will be written to access the data published
to its server and and display it in some special way. I will either
need to write custom VBA for Outlook that transmits the data to the
web server or use some third-party tool that integrates into Outlook
that will transmit the data for me. The data is sent in only one
direction - from client to server. The data on the server is read-
only. Whenever the user changes data in Outlook, either it gets sent
to the server automatically (the preferred way) or they would be
required to press some button within Outlook on the toolbar to
initiate sending changes.

What possible solutions do I have available? If I have to write custom
VBA, I was thinking of transmitting the data in JSON format to a web
service. Any libraries that you know of that handle this? Or does
Microsoft have tools that can publish the data to the server? Keep in
mind that all I am interested in on the server is just the data and
not the in displaying the data. My web app is responsible for
displaying the data. If I have to store the data in my own database, I
have no problem with that. If some third party tool can transmit the
data, it would have to be possible to access the data from whatever
data store it uses.

 

[Ken Slovak - [MVP - Outlook]]

VBA is not the tool to use, that's for prototyping and not for deployment.
You would be far better off using a COM addin and a programming language
such as C#, VB.NET or even VB6.

You can check to see if what you want exists at all now and does what you
want by looking at the Utilities pages at www.slipstick.com. If nothing does
what you want you're looking at custom software. How you transfer any data
and in what format or with what transport is entirely up to you. You have to
decide what you're most comfortable with. Since you never mention the
Outlook versions you want to support, if Exchange server is involved, or
even what type of server you're talking about, it's impossible to more
specific about anything.

 

[Polaris431]

Hi Ken,

I can program in VBA or C#. I prefer C# though. The latest version of
Outlook would be used. I could develop an Add-in as I've done that
before. No Exchange server. The server is irrelevant. Communications
will be done over the Internet via typical protocols such as HTTP.

Thanks
Johann