Maximum number of Outlook 2007 categories

[gougler]

In Outlook 2007 it is now not possible to assign email to a category
without first creating this category in the "Color Categories" window.
In all previous versions it was possible to assign email to a random
category by just typing category name in the box. This design is fine,
however it now brings a question how many categories at a time can be
added to the Color Categories and where exactly they are stored (server
or client and if on client where?). I am using 4 characted category
codes and have over 2000 of them. Thank you.

 

[Roady [MVP]]

I don't know the limited but the category list is being stored in the
mailbox itself so there is no need for additional things to back up (you had
to backup a registry key before).

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

The category list is stored as a hidden item in the user's default Calendar folder, similar to the way that category color labels were stored. The list itself is an XML blob maintained in a binary property on that hidden item, so theoretically, it could hold any number of categories.

Outlook items still support one-off categories, by the way. It's just that Outlook 2007 has no user interface for that functionality.

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

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