Exchange Messaging Outlook
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Today's highlights:
Regular features:
It's not every week that a new product catches my eye enough to put it at the top of the EMO headlines, but this week is an exception. Not one, but three new products may make a difference in how we think about Microsoft Outlook. The first one is the CorporateTime Outlook Connector (http://www.steltor.com/outlook/) from CS&T. This product installs as a MAPI service in Outlook 2000 or Outlook 98 in Corporate/Workgroup mode and provides a connection to a CorporateTime server. CorporateTime takes a different approach from Exchange Server's scheduling. It does not depend on people exchanging meeting requests and acceptances. Therefore, it allows you to see what meetings have been tentatively scheduled even before all the attendees say yeah or nay -- what you might call real-time free/busy data. Another feature of the CorporateTime Outlook Connector is that it connects Outlook to IMAP4 servers -- a feature Microsoft left out of Outlook's Corporate/Workgroup mode. CS&T requires both an IMAP4 server and an LDAP server for use with CorporateTime Server, but you can pick any server -- you're not limited to one vendor. This makes it possible -- for the first time, to my knowledge -- to pick mail, address and calendar servers from different vendors and have them all work with Outlook. I have not seen how the pricing compares to Exchange Server, though. CorporateTime runs on several different server operating systems and offers a wide variety of clients -- the Outlook MAPI provider is just the newest -- so it may be a very appealing option in an organization with many different client platforms or a desire to have a choice of server operating systems. There are some significant limitations in this first release, so you'll want to be sure to read the product brochure at http://www.steltor.com/pdfs/steltor_outlookconnector.pdf. Automatic one-way sync The second intriguing product is Outlook Synchronizer 2000 (http://www.completesoftware.dk/Synchronizer2000/Synchronizer.htm). I think the "synchronizer" part of the name is a trifle misleading, because this product does not offer bi-directional synchronization between two different data sources. It does, however, fill a gap that's been missing in our Outlook toolkit -- an easy way to publish data in one direction from one folder to another, copying only changed items. It works both on demand and automatically at scheduled intervals. You can set it to work with a single user's folders or, in an Exchange Server environment with appropriate permissions, with the folders from several users' mailboxes. One application would be to publish data from several users' Calendar folders into a group calendar folder in Public Folders. Yes, you'll want to establish some consistent guidelines to tell the different users' appointments apart, but this tool could make that group calendar an easy chore. Another use might be to make a quick backup of your Contacts data in a folder in a separate PST file. Since this tool copies only changed items, the backup would take just seconds. Outlook Synchronizer 2000 does not do bi-directional field-by-field synchronization, but it's worth looking into if you need to collate Outlook data from several folders on a regular basis or you want to try a different method of backing up particular folders. Unix client for Exchange Server And number three on our list? Yes, there is a Unix client for Exchange Server, and its name is not Outlook Web Access. It's NEXOR Despatch (http://www.nexor.com/). NEXOR has had a military-grade client out for some time now, but this new one is a Unix client for general use, with the "look and feel" of Outlook. Thanks to our sponsors The improvements we've been making to the Slipstick Systems site would not be possible without our sponsors. These companies have been generous with their support, and we look forward to continuing our association for some time to come. Please check out the products and services they have to offer: http://www.antivirus.com/ |
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New Slipstick Site Features |
Project Management Tools http://www.slipstick.com/addins/project_management.htm We've started tracking tools that can provide project management capabilities within an Outlook framework. Saving and Publishing Microsoft Outlook Forms http:// www.slipstick.com/dev/formpub.htm Article explaining the different forms libraries, one-off forms and related issues. |
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New Utilities |
The BIG Number http://www.trh.co.uk/samsoft/bignum.htm Utility for converting United Kingdom telephone numbers in Contacts to use the new codes that go into effect April 22, 2000. CorporateTime Outlook Connector http://www.cst.ca/prod/outlook_index.html Provides calendar-sharing via CorporateTime calendar server and IMAP e-mail to Outlook 98 or 2000 in Corporate/Workgroup mode. Make sure you read the PDF brochure to see the limitations of the initial release. eBay Reminder http://www.schmidks.de/Klemens/ebayrem.htm Outlook 2000 VBA macro to create an Outlook appointment with a reminder for the eBay auction you're currently viewing in your browser. Free. NEXOR Despatch http://www.nexor.com/ General purpose UNIX client for Microsoft Exchange Server. Outlook "Big Number" Changer Free Outlook form for Outlook 97, 98 and 2000 to update United Kingdom telephone numbers in Contacts to use the new codes that go into effect April 22, 2000. Outlook Conflict Viewer Outlook Synchronizer 2000 http://www.completesoftware.dk/Synchronizer2000/Synchronizer.htm One-way publishing tool for copying data from one folder to another, e.g. from your personal Journal to a public Journal folder. Handles new, updated and deleted items. Can be set to publish automatically at a set interval. For Exchange Server users, can publish not just your own but other people's folders. Outlook 2000 only. Tracker Project Office for Team Folders http://www.acentre.com/bizcoweb.nsf/bc99378b6759c6ff072563e30083cd97/35b528458ab69cb407256882006650c7?OpenDocument Outlook 2000 front-end for Project Tracker, using Team Folders. WorldLook PE http://www.worldtrak.com/products/worldlookpe.htm Sales opportunity management in a downloadable application. Simple version of the full-blown WorldLook SFA application that melds Outlook with the web-based WorldTrak CRM. |
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Updated Utilities |
Microsoft Project 2000 http://www.microsoft.com/office/project/default.htm New version of project management software with tighter Outlook integration through Project Central Watch Your Back Version 3 of this utility for handling read receipt requests operates as an Outlook/Windows Messaging add-in, as well as a standalone application. New features allow you to set senders whose receipt requests you want to honor, remove receipts on a per-message basis as you go through the Inbox and create a hit-list to handle people who keep sending you receipt requests against your wishes. |
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More Information |
Click here to subscribe to the Exchange Messaging Outlook newsletter. Exchange Messaging Outlook Newsletter back issues ISSN 1523-7990 |
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Updated Jul 15 2008
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