keyw: MVP rules category outlook server none

[Guest]

Intro/general:
(A) I am proficient with outlook, as a user. Below is an annoying issue on
Outlook (known and I believe reported to Microsoft several years ago).
(B) A user-friendly solution within outlook menus is needed for us the
humble non-IT public, since it is an important gap/weakness in MS Outlook,
and I request that all MVPs would help vote to have Microsoft eventually
resolve it.
(C) Finally, Is this message the best means of passing this issue for action
by Microsoft?, If not then I ask any MVP to forward this problem to
"Microsoft decision
makers" on my behalf for full appropriate action, and let me know if he/she
did.
(D) In the meantime temporary help from an MVP to tackle this problem would
be appreciated:

The PROBLEM: Rules wizard dialog can set the category of an email ( on send
or on receive) to a given master list or user defined category. But
apparently there is no way to unset the category of an email (in order not to
impose one user’s choice of category on an email to the recipient and it is
not reasonable to expect all users to implement VBA's to null out our own
preferred categories !!).
Basically, With RulesWizard I can set “category†to anything, but I am
unable to reset it to “null/ or noneâ€.
Altern_re-phrased Q: What is the equivalent of “none†category to be input
in the appropriate field, within the the ruleswizard dialog, in order to
empty-out/reset the category to “none†?
---------
More info_ I have found today:
(1) that for outgoing emails from my company exchange server which are
forwarded to my home pc outlook (via another .org server), that the category
somehow resets to none. The latter hints to me that there must be a solution
to this at the Exchange server level.
If so, Please advise and I would suggest the solution to our company server
admin staff -- for our internal mail -- until such time as it is resolved in
outlook.

(2) from http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/olcat.htm
-!!!!!!!
Remove Categories From Messages
Rules wizard doesn't have an option to remove categories from messages you
send or receive, it can only add more categories. You'll need to use VBA to
remove categories.
Private Sub Application_ItemSend(ByVal Item As Object, Cancel As Boolean)
Item.Categories = ""
End Sub

Visit OutlookCode for assistance with Outlook programming.
- !!!!!!!

Whilst I pray for full Microsoft action on this, I need a robust yet simple
solution suitable for me (an IT amateur yet forever novice !) -- bearing in
mind i have never used VBA with outlook -- and would not know how to link it,
or make the above VBA solution unless I have a detailed step-by step
guidance, in the reply ( Sorry, visiting OutlookCode for assistance with
Outlook programming is a no-go ...too much for my level or time )

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

The VBA solution shouldn't take you more than a few minutes to implement, most of that time spent shutting down and restarting Outlook. Step-by-step:

1) Choose Tools | Macros | Security. Set security to Medium.

2) Shut down Outlook. Make sure it has really, really shut down by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del and checking in Task Manager.

3) Restart Outlook.

4) Press Alt+F11 to open the VBA code environment.

5) Expand the hierarchy at the upper left until you see the ThisOutlookSession module. Double-click it to open it.

6) Copy and paste this code into it:

Private Sub Application_ItemSend(ByVal Item As Object, Cancel As Boolean)
Item.Categories = ""
End Sub

7) In VBA, choose File | Save to save your code.

That's all there is to it.

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

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

 

[Guest]

Thanks Sue for the *taking me by the hand* temporary answer, requested.
At least now I have the nerve to possibly implement it on "MY ISLAND", ...
but I must say that this does not address the global issue - indicated in the
2nd sentence of my Problem Statement and elsewhere in my post; namely: not to
impose one user’s choice of category for an email to the recipient, and that
it is not reasonable to expect all users to implement VBA's to null out
preferred categories !

Does it make sense that Microsoft could expect all users to clean out other
users' categories ( as unsuitable to them) by having to use VBA, on send
and/or on receive ?? Most users of outlook hardly know the meaning of the
VBA acronym and would not want to tinker with it, and have to keep
maintaining it, at every install.

I think
(1) An Exchange server solution OPTION, that nulls the categories of all
incoming/outgoing mails needs to be clearly detailed out, beyond ambiguity. I
would appreciate receiving the latter, so that i can pass it to my Company
Server Admins -- with the hope that they would manage the nerve and approvals
to implement it.
AND thereafter:
(2) A radical packaged solution by Microsoft is NEEDED, later in the next
release of Outlook, simply to be integrated in outlook, and simply because
the fraction of outlook users that Do NOT use Exchange server is high, I bet .

Thanks again

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Exchange options might be better suggested in one of the Exchange groups.

FWIW, this issue comes up rarely in discussions here, leading me to conclude that most people don't categorize outgoing messages.

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

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

 

[Guest]

I have already passed it to the Exchange group. However, if your
data/conclusion in your 2nd sentence (FWIW...) is correct, then sadly, the
Microsoft community is under-using ... and Microsft is under-selling... ,
respectively a key useful facility of its mail management , namely the
category funtion -- due to many factors, among them the user weariness of it,
as such....
Also, for those who are using the categories AS IS -- it propagates back to
them in the email reply threads, and they cannot then
conveniently/immediately monitor and see the replies in their upper Main
Viewport of Inbox categorized list , namely the "None" category, and at the
same time they cannot set the incoming mail back to "none" via the Rules
wizard ( though, I suppose your VBA solution can also be adapted to succeed
also as Private Sub Application_ItemReceive ...?!...etc.)
Anyway.. I rest my case !