Designing A Form And Making Changes Later?

[Guest]

Using Outlook 2003 Small Business Edt.

A Contact form has been designed, and it is now going to be in use for
contacts. I think we may be running into a problem. Can we build our client
database with this form, save the clients, etc, and later on down the road
add fields to a blank form (the same one that has been created) and have the
changes/added fields move to all of the forms?

please help if you can, thanks!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Yes, that's very common. You'll put the form into design mode, add the fields and controls to display them, ensuring that the fields are listed on the All Fields page under User-defined Fields in This Item (this is critical). Then increment the version number and republish the form using the same message class as the original form.

Terminology note: "move to all of the forms" should be "move to all of the items." There is only one form -- the published template. What contain the data are individual items stored in Outlook folders.

 

[Guest]

Yes, that's essentially how custom forms work. Any item that is based on the
custom form's message class (eg. IPM.Contact.Client) will always load the
latest published version of your form design when you open it. You can even
convert regular Contacts to use your custom form by changing its message
class from IPM.Contact to IPM.Contact.Client using a simple VBA procedure.

 

[Guest]

Eric-

Makes perfect sense, however, I added contacts and saved them. This morning
I just updated the form, and add the contacts still have the old version of
the form displaying when I open them. ?? why do you think this is?

Only newly added contacts display the new form...

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Did you publish the form using the same message class? Can affected users create new items using the same form? Does the Help | About This Form dialog show the old or the new form version number?

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Guest]

Not sure what you mean by: "Then increment the version number and republish
the form using the same message class as the original form."

Can you please clearify? thanks so much!

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

In design mode, look on the (Properties) page. There is a box on the right to enter a version number. Changing the version number each time you publish the form can help you troubleshoot problems later.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Guest]

awesome thanks again!

In design mode, look on the (Properties) page. There is a box on the right to enter a version number. Changing the version number each time you publish the form can help you troubleshoot problems later.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Microsoft Outlook 2007 Programming:
Jumpstart for Power Users and Administrators
http://www.outlookcode.com/article.aspx?id=54

 

[Hollis Paul]

Makes perfect sense, however, I added contacts and saved them. This morning
I just updated the form, and add the contacts still have the old version of
the form displaying when I open them. ?? why do you think this is?

Only newly added contacts display the new form...

In truth, what we have learned in the past is that the only way to guarantee
that you will coerce the file management system to get the latest form design
is to include the version number in the form name. So, you should always use
the "publish as" button and use a form name in the following format:
MyForm_VerNNNN. Yes, you do have to manage the burgeoning list of form
versions in the Exchange Forms Library, but, like the Mounties, you always get
your man. Do you design in small steps, publish as each step, and keep at
least 3 generations because the next step could always blow up in your face.