[2003] Mass remove "Reply to all" from Outlook 2003 clients

[Bob Flaminio]

Is there any way to remove the "Reply to All" button en masse from about
1000 Outlook 2003 clients? We have SMS, if that helps -- or perhaps via
a logon script. We have a VP screaming that our users keep
replying-to-all and passing along confidential information (intended
only for the original sender, but inadvertantly sent to everybody).

I don't think the intention is to remove the functionality entirely --
just the button, so as to make it harder to reply-to-all.

TIA for any advice here!

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

"There are seldom technological solutions for behavioral problems.'

User education is the only long term solution.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. Due to
the (insert latest virus name here) virus, all mail sent to my personal
account will be deleted without reading.

After furious head scratching, Bob Flaminio asked:

| Is there any way to remove the "Reply to All" button en masse from
| about 1000 Outlook 2003 clients? We have SMS, if that helps -- or
| perhaps via a logon script. We have a VP screaming that our users keep
| replying-to-all and passing along confidential information (intended
| only for the original sender, but inadvertantly sent to everybody).
|
| I don't think the intention is to remove the functionality entirely --
| just the button, so as to make it harder to reply-to-all.
|
| TIA for any advice here!

 

[anthony]

Modify the default form for a message (ipm.note). Remove the button, save
the form. I think you have to push the form to each desktop and modify
outlook to use that form for messages. I didnt implement it, but researched
it. Maybe an Outlook MVP can pick up where I was uncertain.

This article might help.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;241235

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Unfortunately, forms substitution has a major bug in it that makes it
unsuitable for this application in Outlook 2003. The alternative would be to
install a COM add-in on every machine to convert every incoming message to
the custom class.

 

[Bob Flaminio]

I don't think I'd want to go this route anyway. I haven't researched it
too far, but I'm guessing that replacing the default email form in
Outlook would probably break all of our other custom email enabled
applications.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

I had a better idea: Use a group policy object to disable the Reply to All
button.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of
Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers