OL97: Custom Field Values Lost When Sending Request Form

• Microsoft Outlook 97

SYMPTOMS

If you store user-defined field values in a Microsoft Outlook 97 Task Request or Meeting Request, you lose the values when you send an item based on the form to another person.

CAUSE

This is a limitation of Outlook 97's request forms.

WORKAROUND

Store the value in a standard, unused Outlook field for the item, such as a Mileage field. Using the Field Chooser, you can drag this field onto the form and change the caption of the field (the label that is displayed on the form) to suit the form's needs.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Microsoft Outlook 97. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps to Reproduce Problem

1. Open a new Task Request form.

2. On the form's Tools menu, click "Design Outlook Form" to enter the design mode.

3. Click the (P.3) page of the form.

4. At the bottom of the Field Chooser, click New.

5. In the Name box, type a name for the user-defined field and then click OK.

6. Drag the new field from the Field Chooser to the P.3 form page.

7. Click the form's background to deselect the field.

8. Click the field's blank value box once and then click a second time so you can type a value in the field. Type a value in the field.

9. On the form's Tools menu, click "Design Outlook Form" to exit the design mode.

10. Click the Task page. In the To field, type an e-mail name to address the form to someone, and then click Send.

11. On the recipient's computer, open the item.

12. Click to view the P3 form page.

13. Note that the user-defined value is empty.