How to automatically add the Outlook Address Book to users profile.

[Alan]

Hello,

Looking for some advice please. We introduced Exchange 2003 to a new
site and deployed Outlook 2003 using the CIW but the Outlook Address
Book wasn't added to users profiles.

That means users can't select recipients from their Contacts folders
via the To button when composing a message, plus any messages sent to
private distribution lists are bounced. Doh.

We've given the users easy-to-follow instructions to add the OAB where
it's causing problems. Is there any way to automatically add it by
getting the user to click on a file, or on Outllok startup? We don't
have logon scripts or SMS but we do have a GPO configured.

Fortunately, it's a very little-used network and few people have
groups; most will only ever select recipients from the GAL.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

- Alan.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Under some circumstances, the Outlook Address Book service will not get added to a new mail profile, even though the .mst file includes a .prf file that should add it. We don't really know why that happens. One solution is to use the CIW to create another .prf file and just export it from the CIW; don't include it in the .mst file. In the second .prf file , you'll want to set it to modify the existing profile, not create an Exchange account, and add the Outlook Address Book. You can deploy that .prf file as an additional file with the CIW installation, post in on your intranet, etc. and tell users to run it if they have problems getting their Contacts to show up in the Outlook Address Book.

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

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

 

[Alan]

Thanks very much, Sue.

I've used the example in your wonderful book on Configuring Outlook
2003 to edit a standard PRF file and create one which adds the OAB to
the existing default profile.

When's the book on Outlook 2007 due out?! Although at very first
glance the the changes appear largly cosmetic, I have noticed it
doesn't support PRF files anymore? Doh!

- Alan.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No plans at present for an Outlook 2007 configuration book. It will probably take some time to see just what people need documented beyond what's in the ORK. PRF files are still supported; they're just not needed as much -- very rarely in an Exchange environment, given the new GPO settings and AutoDiscovery.

I just finished the last chapter for my Outlook 2007 programming book a couple of days ago. It has an interesting chapter that talks about Outlook admin scripting in general, including how to deploy settings with a folder home page and how to work with rules and views.

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

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