A user wanted to know how to mark messages they had responded to. One method is flagging the items complete.
Another is to add a custom field to add check boxes to the row so that you can mark the messages. Then you can use automatic formatting and filters to show or hide the marked messages.
You can even create a custom text field and write notes about the message.
To create a custom field:
- Open the Customize View dialog. Right click on the header row above the message list and choose Custom or Customize View (Outlook 2007 and older) from the bottom of the menu. In Outlook 2010/2013, it's called View Settings.
- Click Fields (Columns in Outlook 2010/2013) to open the Show Fields (Show Columns) dialog
- Click New Field button (It's called New Column in Outlook 2010/2013).
- Create a custom field of the Yes/No type and add it to the view.
- Click Other Settings.
- Enable in-cell editing so you can check (or uncheck) it to mark an item.
- Return to Outlook.
- Click in the column you just added to mark a message
Note: The actual checkbox may not be visible in the column until you click it.
In Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013, you need to turn off Show as Conversation on View tab. When Show as conversation is checked, the field won't work when there is only 1 message in a conversation.
Create and use a Yes/No field tutorial
This tutorial shows how to create and use the Yes/No field, including creating custom views or filters using the custom field. This video was recorded in Outlook 2003. The steps vary a little in Outlook 2010/2013.
Create a notes field for messages
To create a field so you can add notes to the messages, you need to create a Text field and enable in-cell editing. Use the same steps as above, choosing the Text field type instead.
The following video tutorial shows how to create a custom field in Outlook 2010 or 2013.
Use a Macro to add a Notes Field
This macro brings up an Inputbox for you type the note in then adds it to the selected message. If the field already exists, the contents are shown in the inputbox, so you can edit it or type over it to replace.
Public Sub EditField()
Dim obj As Object
Dim objProp As Outlook.UserProperty
Dim strNote As String, strAcct As String, strCurrent As String
Dim propertyAccessor As Outlook.propertyAccessor
Set obj = Application.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
On Error Resume Next
Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Find("MyNotes")
If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then
strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("MyNotes").Value
End If
Debug.Print strCurrent
strNote = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the Notes field", strCurrent)
Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("MyNotes", olText, True)
objProp.Value = strNote
obj.Save
Err.Clear
Set obj = Nothing
End Sub
How to use the Macro
First: You will need macro security set to low during testing.
To check your macro security in Outlook 2010 or 2013, go to File, Options, Trust Center and open Trust Center Settings, and change the Macro Settings. In Outlook 2007 and older, it’s at Tools, Macro Security. If Outlook tells you it needs to be restarted, close and reopen Outlook. Note: after you test the macro and see that it works, you can either leave macro security set to low or sign the macro.
Now open the VBA Editor by pressing Alt+F11 on your keyboard.
To put the code in a module:
- Right click on Project1 and choose Insert > Module
- Copy and paste the macro into the new module.
More information as well as screenshots are at How to use the VBA Editor.
More Information
Because of the way Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 handle Conversation group headers, you need to turn off Show as Conversation on View tab to use in-cell editing. When Show as conversation is checked, the custom field won’t work when there is only one message in a conversation.
This is awesome. I love the notes field, and have wanted something like this for a long time. I should have found this sooner! You say you need to turn off Show as Conversations to add notes to a 1 message conversation. I live by Conversation View. A better alternative is to keep Show as Conversations turned on, and simply sort by a column other than Received. So if you are on a 1 message conversation, click the top of your notes field, to sort by that, which takes it out of conversation mode. The message you want to edit will still be highlighted. Add you comments, then click the header for Received, and it will go back into Converation Mode, and you will still have your comments on that message.
Great article, thank you Diane.
We have 5 people accessing shared mailbox but only the person who creates the new YES/NO custom field can see it and use it.
I can see from previous comments below that you have suggested the same fields be set up on the other users outlook programs but this doesn't work.... presumably because each time you're setting up a 'new' bespoke YES/NO field and the server doesn't know they're all wanting the same data.
How do we set up other PC/Outlooks to list the new fields and also to update if the YES/NO has been toggled?
Incidentally, when I create the same "new field" on a second/third/fourth computer, I would expect to see the new field as an available once the original person had created it... but it doesn't seem to be listed on the available fields...
Many thanks in advance
>> you have suggested the same fields be set up on the other users outlook programs I don't remember saying that (and have not reviewed the comments to see what i meant) - but if I did, its wrong or not what I meant. If two people create the same field, the names will be field, field1, field2 etc. assuming outlook lets them create the fields - it should complain that the name exists. The fields sync with the items but it can take 15 min or so for these things to sync.. Views will sync too, and should be for 'this folder available to everyone' views. Hopefully the first screenshot won't be too confusing. It is from "lois lane" profile. Bo created a field and a view - lois can change the field and created one of her own. If she wants to create a new view, all of the fields not yet used in that view will be listed in the field chooser, under user-defined fields in [folder]. (The field chooser screenshot was taken before the ll-yesno field was created). the second screenshot is from bo's computer. I needed to restart outlook to see the field and view… Read more »
BTW, the software switched my screenshots. The "first" one has the field chooser, the "second" one, with the Copy of B... view, is from Bo's computer.
I’m very impressed with the content on your site. Very helpful. I’ve a question, hope you can help. I’m using Microsoft Outlook Professional Plus 2010. I’ve created a quick step. Clicking it creates an appointment in my calendar with the email as an attachment. I want to view the calendar link next to the corresponding email. Is it possible to do it through “New Column” and “Formula”?
No, sorry. You could do it using a vba macro - the macro would need to replicate the quick step then get the appointment's entry id to add it to a custom field.
Hi Diane
I have added a custom, editable text field in my outlook inbox, I would like to see this field when I look in my Task List for any emails I have flagged for followup - is this possible?. It doesn't appear under any drop down as a choosable field when I am in the task list view
If the field was in a form (or a CFG), you could add it, but you can't add folder fields. (I don't think you can create CFG files for custom fields, but if you could that would be the way to go.)
i was able to add a custom field to a CFG, but its not displaying the data. :( Not sure if its a user error or it doesn't support custom fields.
Hello Diane,
Would there be any way to add a hyperlink (that could be followed) on a Outlook custom field?
Thank you!
Kind regards,
Mário Santos
AFAIK< only with code behind it - http://www.outlookcode.com/d/tips/formhyperlink.htm
Hi Diane, great reading. If I missed this somewhere in the comments please accept my apologies. Is there anyway you know of to use a custom filed in Outlook 2016 that will display the name of the attachment file?
You could do it using a macro - you'd use the basic macro at https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/email/sort-messages-sender-domain/ and look for the attachnemt name - if you have more than one attachment, the names would be entered as name;name2;name3.
This would get the attachment names, skipping most signature images - then write it to the field.
Dim oAtt As Attachment
Dim strAtt As String
strAtt = ""
For Each oAtt In objMail.Attachments
If oAtt.Size > 5200 Then
strAtt = strAtt & "; "
End If
Next oAtt
Hi Diane,
could you please guide me how to do same to several selected emails into the same folder?
For the notes custom field example? Samples are at https://www.slipstick.com/developer/code-samples/working-items-folder-selected-items/ - it actually merges together pertty good, as both use obj as the variabloe name for the current message. this should work (i didn't test it though). Public Sub DoSomethingSelection() Dim Session As Outlook.NameSpace Dim currentExplorer As Explorer Dim Selection As Selection Dim objProp As Outlook.UserProperty Dim strNote As String, strAcct As String, strCurrent As String Dim propertyAccessor As Outlook.propertyAccessor Dim obj As Object Set currentExplorer = Application.ActiveExplorer Set Selection = currentExplorer.Selection For Each obj In Selection With obj On Error Resume Next Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Find("Index") If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("Index").Value End If Debug.Print strCurrent strNote = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the Notes field", strCurrent) Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("Index", olText, True) objProp.Value = strNote obj.Save Err.Clear End With Next Set Session = Nothing Set currentExplorer = Nothing Set obj = Nothing Set Selection = Nothing End Sub
Thank you Diane but it does not work!
please also note that i'm using a custom form and my custom field i want to change for selected emails is called "PERSON to do"
Thank you in advance for your help
what happened when you tried it? Did you change the field name to the name you are using?
Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Find("your field name")
If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then
strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("your field name").Value
End If
Debug.Print strCurrent
strNote = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the Notes field", strCurrent)
Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("your field name", olText, True)
as I thought that maybe the problem was caused by my field's name so i've tried-as test-another field named "PERSON". STILL receiving the message: " to help prevent malicious code from running one or more objects in this form were not loaded" my code is as foll: Public Sub DoSomethingSelectionNEWperson() Dim Session As Outlook.NameSpace Dim currentExplorer As Explorer Dim Selection As Selection Dim objProp As Outlook.UserProperty Dim strPERSON to do As String, strAcct As String, strCurrent As String Dim propertyAccessor As Outlook.propertyAccessor Dim obj As Object Set currentExplorer = Application.ActiveExplorer Set Selection = currentExplorer.Selection For Each obj In Selection With obj On Error Resume Next Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Find("Index") If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("Index").Value End If Debug.Print strCurrent strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent) Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("Index", olText, True) objProp.Value = strPERSON obj.Save Err.Clear End With Next Set Session = Nothing Set currentExplorer = Nothing Set obj = Nothing Set Selection = Nothing End Sub -----------------------------------
This: "to help prevent malicious code from running one or more objects in this form were not loaded"
is likely due to the security bug introduced in June and fixed in the august update. Make sure all updates are installed.
Hi again Diane, After i've received your suggestions, i've changed the code as foll: Public Sub DoSomethingSelectionNEWpersonTEST() Dim Session As Outlook.NameSpace Dim currentExplorer As Explorer Dim Selection As Selection Dim objProp As Outlook.UserProperty Dim strPERSON As String, strAcct As String, strCurrent As String Dim propertyAccessor As Outlook.propertyAccessor Dim obj As Object Set currentExplorer = Application.ActiveExplorer Set Selection = currentExplorer.Selection For Each obj In Selection With obj On Error Resume Next Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Find("PERSON") If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("PERSON").Value End If Debug.Print strCurrent strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent) Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("PERSON", olText, True) objProp.Value = strPERSON obj.Save Err.Clear End With Next Set Session = Nothing Set currentExplorer = Nothing Set obj = Nothing Set Selection = Nothing End Sub -------------------- Above code works fine but only for the first one of selected messages. For the next ones, i have to write again -so, I'm afraid there is no use. Any other suggestions please?
>> For the next ones, i have to write again -so, I'm afraid there is no use.
Not sure what you mean by this... but if you want the value in the inputbox added to each entry in the selection, move it out of the loop
strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent)
For Each obj In Selection
With obj
............
Hi Diane,
what do you mean by "move it out of the loop"?
could you please tell me how exactly should be my code?
thank you in advance
Copy then delete the strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent) line and move it ahead of the For Each line:
-- snip--
strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent)
For Each obj In Selection
With obj
-- snip--
This sets the value before it starts updating each item in the selection. When it's inside the For Each/Next loop, it applies to each item individually.
hi Diane- Thank you so much. (I had also to put "Next" after "For each Line" Now works fine as below: Public Sub aaDoSomethingSelectionNEWpersonTEST() Dim Session As Outlook.NameSpace Dim currentExplorer As Explorer Dim Selection As Selection Dim objProp As Outlook.UserProperty Dim strPERSON As String, strAcct As String, strCurrent As String Dim propertyAccessor As Outlook.propertyAccessor Dim obj As Object Set currentExplorer = Application.ActiveExplorer Set Selection = currentExplorer.Selection strPERSON = InputBox("Current Value: " & strCurrent, "Edit the PERSON field", strCurrent) For Each Line In Selection Next For Each obj In Selection With obj On Error Resume Next Set UserProp = obj.UserProperties.Edit("PERSON") If Not UserProp Is Nothing Then strCurrent = obj.UserProperties("PERSON").Value End If Debug.Print strCurrent Set objProp = obj.UserProperties.Add("PERSON", olText, True) objProp.Value = strPERSON obj.Save Err.Clear End With Next Set Session = Nothing Set currentExplorer = Nothing Set obj = Nothing Set Selection = Nothing
Hi, thanks for the great post, I already have a note field, and show it on the message list view,
I was wonder if there is a way to also show that field in the message detailed pane (when I click the message to see all the details I want to see the note field and be able to change it
thanks
No, you can't show it in the reading pane (or opened message), at least not using a simple macro. if you need to show the value, you could use a macro to bring up a message box with the value, but it wouldn't show all the time. If you are a good programmer, you could add a pane to the right that displays it all the time.
thanks, thats too bad,
I was looking at your macro, to open a dialog and edit (instead of in-cellediting right?)
the note, Im not sure how does it work, where do I choose in the macro the name of the field to show ? (it only look for "index" but my field name is something else)
please explain - thanks
You can change the word Index to anything you want (make sure you change each instance in the macro) - Note or Message is already used (for the item body) - it can be "My Notes". (I changed it in the macro - it was index because I used the code in another macro that added an index field.)
Thanks, thats what I thought, its working now, although adding a button to run this is a bit messy, any way to add this as an action that will run when I click (or right click) the note field itself ?
also my rename button (or right click menu item to rename) does not work, strange right ? any idea ?
i don't think you can on right click (unless you make an addin) or when you click on a specific field, but could use selection change or other actions- but it would get annoying if it came up all the time.