auto format phone number fields in Outlook 2003

[Guest]

With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into one of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight 10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between prefix and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.

 

[Guest]

How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight 10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between prefix and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Guest]

I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to
end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats must
be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write programs
if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use
hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

:

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number
into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between
prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto
a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the
phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Guest]

You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a
synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't distinguish a
phone number if it is not hard wired with "( )"? Give me a break, will you
please. How come I can synchronize with other programs and the phone numbers
retain whatever format I had them in originally?

Real hard to program something to check for format:
IF "(" then do whatever
ELSE IF "-" the do whatever
END IF

Like I said, I synchronize with other programs and they all have no problem
with whatever format I have input initially. Only the Microsoft product
hardwires it to "( )". Which I might add is an old way to format a phone
number. You see "( )" less and less. So when is Microsoft going to get with
it?

Disgruntled user

Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to
end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats must
be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write programs
if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use
hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

:

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number
into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between
prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto
a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the
phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Just think about what you've posted.
You think Outlook is supposed to anticipate how every possible
synchronization program might need its phone numbers formatted and
accommodate that?
Bzzzzt. Wrong.
Outlook is the database. Outlook's job is to present one consistent format.
It is up to your synchronization software to know what that is and deal with
it if it want to use Outlook as its data source.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a
synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't distinguish a
phone number if it is not hard wired with "( )"? Give me a break, will
you
please. How come I can synchronize with other programs and the phone
numbers
retain whatever format I had them in originally?

Real hard to program something to check for format:
IF "(" then do whatever
ELSE IF "-" the do whatever
END IF

Like I said, I synchronize with other programs and they all have no
problem
with whatever format I have input initially. Only the Microsoft product
hardwires it to "( )". Which I might add is an old way to format a phone
number. You see "( )" less and less. So when is Microsoft going to get
with
it?

Disgruntled user

Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject
to
end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats
must
be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write
programs
if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use
hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format
to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

:

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

:

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number
into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between
prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field,
Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003
onto
a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the
phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Guest]

I want to list 10 digit phone numbers in Outlook 2000. Each time I try to
type (xxx) yyy-zzzz, Outlook changes the format to 1+ (xxx) yyy-zzzz. My
cell phone recognizes 10 digits only for local and long distance calling.
How do I elimanate the 1+ ???

Just think about what you've posted.
You think Outlook is supposed to anticipate how every possible
synchronization program might need its phone numbers formatted and
accommodate that?
Bzzzzt. Wrong.
Outlook is the database. Outlook's job is to present one consistent format.
It is up to your synchronization software to know what that is and deal with
it if it want to use Outlook as its data source.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a
synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't distinguish a
phone number if it is not hard wired with "( )"? Give me a break, will
you
please. How come I can synchronize with other programs and the phone
numbers
retain whatever format I had them in originally?

Real hard to program something to check for format:
IF "(" then do whatever
ELSE IF "-" the do whatever
END IF

Like I said, I synchronize with other programs and they all have no
problem
with whatever format I have input initially. Only the Microsoft product
hardwires it to "( )". Which I might add is an old way to format a phone
number. You see "( )" less and less. So when is Microsoft going to get
with
it?

Disgruntled user

Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject
to
end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats
must
be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write
programs
if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use
hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format
to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

:

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

:

Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number
into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between
prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field,
Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003
onto
a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the
phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

Tell Outlook not to add it in Outlook's dialing options:
Contacts > Actions > Call Contact > New Call...
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

I want to list 10 digit phone numbers in Outlook 2000. Each time I try to
type (xxx) yyy-zzzz, Outlook changes the format to 1+ (xxx) yyy-zzzz. My
cell phone recognizes 10 digits only for local and long distance calling.
How do I elimanate the 1+ ???

Just think about what you've posted.
You think Outlook is supposed to anticipate how every possible
synchronization program might need its phone numbers formatted and
accommodate that?
Bzzzzt. Wrong.
Outlook is the database. Outlook's job is to present one consistent
format.
It is up to your synchronization software to know what that is and deal
with
it if it want to use Outlook as its data source.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a
synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't
distinguish a
phone number if it is not hard wired with "( )"? Give me a break, will
you
please. How come I can synchronize with other programs and the phone
numbers
retain whatever format I had them in originally?

Real hard to program something to check for format:
IF "(" then do whatever
ELSE IF "-" the do whatever
END IF

Like I said, I synchronize with other programs and they all have no
problem
with whatever format I have input initially. Only the Microsoft
product
hardwires it to "( )". Which I might add is an old way to format a
phone
number. You see "( )" less and less. So when is Microsoft going to
get
with
it?

Disgruntled user

:

Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not
subject
to
end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats
must
be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write
programs
if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be?
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use
hyphens
("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook
then
defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY?

I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my
format
to
parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows
hyphens
X-XXX-XXX-XXXX).

:

That would depend on your OS.
Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
How do you set the default dialing location for OS?

:

Just set your default dialing location for your operating
system.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone
number
into
one
of
the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a
straight
10-digit
string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and
between
prefix
and
the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field,
Outlook
would
format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office
2003
onto
a
replacement notebook, and this installation does not format
the
phone
numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw?

 

[gorgoroth3]

I am working on a synchronization client that expects data to be
returned the same way it was entered originally. It is easy to format
the phone number before adding to Outlook, but there are other fields
such as if BusinessHomePage is not a complete URL, http:// is added.
Is there documentation for all fields that Outlook automatically
formats?