Outlook and Shared Address Books

[Guest]

We have just moved to Outlook and few things don't seem to be working. One
thing is multiple people share an address book, say JDOE. The main folder
for JDOE is shared, then contacts, then JDOE.

We see the address book in our contacts now, but when we create a message
and click TO, we see our contacts in the dropdown, but do not see the shared
address book under Contacts. Is this some special thing we need to do on a
workstation to enable utilizing shared address books when utilizing the TO
button to email someone?

Thanks.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

The process of adding another user's Contacts folder to your own address book display is somewhat involved. You will need to be able to create -- at least temporarily -- an Outlook profile that opens another user's mailbox as the primary mailbox. Proceed with these steps while logged in under your own Windows account, not the other user's:

1. Create an Outlook profile that connects directly to the other user's mailbox, not your own. If you are using Outlook 2003, do not select the option to use Cached Exchange mode. Start Outlook with that profile.

2. On the Properties dialog for the other user's Contacts folder, make sure that it's set to display in the Outlook Address Book and give it a display name other than contacts, such as Joe's Contacts.

3. Close Outlook.

4. In Control Panel | Mail, edit the *same profile* (i.e. the one from Step 1) to change the mailbox from the other user's to your own.

5. Still working with the same profile, on the Advanced tab of the Exchange Server service, add the other user's mailbox as a secondary mailbox.

6. Restart Outlook, and you should see the Joe's Contacts in your Outlook Address Book as well as your own Contacts folder.

7. (Optional) If you are using Outlook 2003, you can now change the settings for your Exchange account to use Cached Exchange mode.


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

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

 

[Guest]

Well, I saw this and thought I had the answer to my problem... but it didn't
work. We use Exchange 2003 and Outlook 2003. An assistant in one of our
departments needs to be able to click on the address book and select people
from her supervisors Contacts. I can get the Contacts to show up in her
folders list, but not in the Address Book. The properties are set to view it
as an address book. She has all the rights she needs in the delegate
settings, and the rights on the mailbox and contacts folder. Any other
suggestions on this? --
S Thomas

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

This is the correct procedure, but you must follow all the steps exactly. #4 is the one that usually trips people up.

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

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

 

[Guest]

Yes, I did that, and this is what I did to complete step 4
In the Email accounts window I clicked on Change and then under "type the
name of the mailbox setup for you by by the administrator" I changed it to
my own mailbox name, then clicked on more settings and then the Advanced tab
added the other users mailbox as a secondary mailbox.

The results are that I can get it everywhere accept in the address book. I
don't think I missed anything, but I am wondering, is there any overrides on
the Exchange server that might be setup that would prevent us from doing this?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

No, there are no settings on the server that I know of that would affect this functionality. I'd suggest that you start over with a new profile.

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

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