Forms, Items, and Message Classes

A form is a custom e-mail message that, because of its distinct appearance and functionality, is displayed differently than a standard e-mail message. This difference reflects the addition of custom fields used to provide the added functionality.

The way a message is displayed is determined by its message class. In Microsoft Exchange Server, standard e-mail messages have the class IPM.Note, and every new message is assigned this class by default. (This message class defines the "New Message" form, on which Microsoft Outlook bases all new mail messages.)

Most of the things you work with when you use Microsoft Outlook are called items. Items include messages (to be posted or sent), appointments, contacts, tasks, notes, and journal entries. Not all kinds of Outlook items can be converted. The Outlook HTML Form Converter can convert only forms, specifically forms based on the following three message classes:

• IPM.Note Message class of a standard e-mail message.
• IPM.Post Message class of a message you post to a folder.
• IPM.Contact Message class of an item in which you store information about a person or organization you correspond with.

The message class of a converted form relates directly to the folder path on disk where its files reside. For more information, see Choosing the Form Destination.