Print Emails with Custom Fields

[Guest]

I use Outlook 2003. When I print emails for filing, they print with my name
and the page numbers at the top. So far, so good. I also want emails to print
with the name of the file that the email relates to. I understand that this
is called a "custom field". I want to use the name of the "personal folder,"
that I am printing the email from, as the custom field. That would probably
be the most efficient. It would be even better if this custom field printed
at the top of each page instead of my name (but with the page number). If my
preferred method is not practical, an alternative suggestion would be
appreciated.

How do I create such a custom field that will print at the top (or bottom)
of each page of all emails?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

How does "the name of the file the email relates to" equate to a custom field? Is this a message sent with a custom form?

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

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

 

[Guest]

Thanks for responding. Based on my limited knowledge, I will try to answer
your two questions. First, the file names are currently available on my
computer, as the names I use to label the "Personal Folders" in Outlook
(where I move mails to, after reading them). Second, the email messages being
printed have not been created or sent with any custom form (the “Sent†emails
do include my standard “Signatureâ€, but the “Received†emails arrive in a
variety of styles, etc.).

I am hoping there is a way to create a custom field for printing emails,
that would pick up the “Personal Folder†name that I am printing an email
from, and print it on the top or bottom of each page.

If it's not practical for a custom field to be that automated, maybe it
could prompt me to cut-and-paste the applicable file name from a list I keep

 

[Gordon]

I use Outlook 2003. When I print emails for filing,

You are aware that Outlook is a FAR FAR superior "filing" system than ANY
paper-based one, aren't you?

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Do you mean that you want the printout to include the display name of the Personal Folders .pst file that contains the item being printed? The only way to accomplish that would be with either a custom form or with VBA or COM add-in code that adds a custom field at some point. To do it when the item is moved would be a very complicated piece of coding. It might be done with a macro that includes a PrintOut statement at the end to handle the printing.

I have to say that in nearly 10 years of working with Outlook, I've never heard a request like this.

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

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

 

[Guest]

Yes, I think that (the .pst) would be the best result. Sorry that this is
such an unusual request. Maybe no normal people need to do this, but
thousands of attorneys, paralegals, and legal clerks are hand-marking this
kind of information on printed emails for filing every day. The “file nameâ€
actually contains words and a string of numbers. When I read the following
description on the Microsoft website, I thought it might be possible to use a
custom field to make that filing work more efficient and accurate:

“About printing and print styles …In any folder, you can print individual
items … Items include e-mail messages ….The contents of an item are printed
with the most common fields visible, such as the From, Sent, and Subject
fields in an e-mail message. You can also print an item with custom fields
(custom field: A field that you can create. A custom field can be a blank,
combination, or formula field). you create.â€

If the .pst approach is too complicated, is there a way instead to add a
custom field that just prompts me to cut-and-paste the file name from a list
that I keep on my computer desktop? That would help. Thanks for responding.

 

[Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook]]

Adding the custom field is the easy part. Getting the data into the custom field is the hard part. Do you want the display name or the file name? Only the display name is directly exposed in the Outlook object model. To get the file path requires either a third-party programming library or a little hacking.

Making your users use a custom print button instead of the normal print button would be even harder.

Are you going to be the person writing the code? If not, you might have your coder ask whatever questions they have in the microsoft.public.outlook.program_vba newsgroup.

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

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

 

[Guest]

I want to use the display name, so that's good. However, from the rest of
your comments, it sounds like this would still be too complicated. I don’t
know anything about code. Thanks for trying, though.