Lost ability to re-order tasks

[Gregg Hill]

Hello!

When I have my Outlook 2003 calendar open (Outlook connects to SBS 2003
Exchange server, everything fully patched), I have the TaskPad open on the
right side of the screen. Up until a day or two ago, I was able to drag and
drop a task to move it up or down the list in order to prioritize my task
list.

Suddenly, and without any known changes on my part, I can no longer do that.
It used to give me a red line when I dragged a task so I could tell where to
drop it, but now it does not do that and I cannot move a task. They stay
sorted by subject.

I could do it just fine a few days ago.

Any ideas?

Gregg Hill

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

the TaskPad is no longer grouped by Priority as the Arrange by function
takes over the grouping when you click a column header. Click the Priority
Column header and then you can drag items from low to high etc.


--
I hope this is what you needed.

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook
Outlook trainer and author of Productiv_IT with Outlook
www.acorntraining.com.au

 

[Gregg Hill]

Judy,

The Column header for Priority was not even showing. I added it, clicked on
it, and I still cannot sort manually, no matter which column header I
choose. I could do it just fine a week or so ago!

Let me give you some more information. Normally, I use Outlook with the
buttons (Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, etc) collapsed in the lower-left
corner. I also use Folder List view. At the top of the Folder List view, I
click on Calendar and it opens my calendar, at which point I clicked on View

TaskPad to place the TaskPad on the right side of the Outlook window. It

is in this view that I cannot re-order my list, yet I could do so before. I
get a small grey box when I drag a task, but I do not get the red line I had
before. If I drag and drop with that grey box showing near the cursor,
nothing happens when I drop. It just stays in the old order.

What is especially strange is that if I use the Tasks button from the
selections in the lower-left corner, so that the only thing open is the
TaskPad (without the calendar), then I can re-order the list. I just
discovered this method a few minutes ago. However, when I go back to Folder
List view and click on my calendar, the TaskPad is not in the order it was
when viewed with the Tasks button.

Very strange! Do you have any other suggestions?

Gregg Hill

 

[Judy Gleeson \(MVP Outlook\)]

Firstly let me explain that you are a long way from understanding what
you're looking at and I'll do my best to set you straight!!

Use the Folder list so that you are clear about which folder you are in at
any time. It's at the left bottom of screen on 2003.

Select the Calendar and you will see a TaskPad on the right side. The
TaskPad is a sub-set of Tasks that are actually in the Tasks Folder. There
are various settings you can use on the TaskPad - columns, grouping, sorting
etc. Right click the grey header of the TaskPad and you'll find the menu
bar to customise it.

Moving away from the Calendar, go to the Tasks FOLDER and you will find a
completely different view of Tasks. This is not the TaskPad - it's ALL of
your Tasks shown in whatever manner you customise in this folder. You can
Group by Category etc. When you have items grouped, you can drag them from
one group to another and re-order them that way. You can also click a
column header and sort by a column.


I think you should also turn on the Advanced Toolbar and use the Current
View window in it to try some other views - it's a white box that says which
View you are in. Each folder has many views.

I hope this helps you at least a little bit!

Judy Gleeson
MVP Outlook
Outlook trainer and author of Productiv_IT with Outlook
www.acorntraining.com.au


"I not only use all the brains I have, but all I can borrow." (Woodrow
Wilson)

 

[Gregg Hill]

Judy,

I always use the Folder List view and I understand the difference between
the two view of tasks. What I could not figure out until now was why the
sort ability died. I don't how this one got by me, but your suggestion to
right-click the header is where I found the problem. It was set to sort by
subject. I set that to None and I have my sorting back.

I must be getting old...I swear I looked at that before!

Thank you!

Gregg Hill