In Outlook 2003, there was a choice on the actions menu to link an
object to a contact. That seems to be gone. One can choose in tools to
show contact info on all forms, but (a) that requires opening the
object to make the link and (b) it doesn't work for emails, or works
intermittently.

Is there a simple, no fuss way to link any object (email, task, to-do
created from an email) to a contact in outlook 2007?

TIA

MikeM

In Outlook 2007 Beta 2, the Contacts box for linking items to contacts does not appear by default. You will need to turn it on -- Tools | Options | Contact Options | Show Contact Activity Information on All Forms.

If, like me, you think that this is the wrong choice for the default option and that some users will perceive this as a data loss, you might want to provide feedback to Microsoft using the Send a Smile tool from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...F-7A677D55F274. This tool will transmit your comments and a screenshot back to Microsoft. For more information on this tool, see http://spaces.msn.com/turtleflock-ol...E3D8!135.entry

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"mikem" wrote in message oups.com...
In Outlook 2003, there was a choice on the actions menu to link an
object to a contact. That seems to be gone. One can choose in tools to
show contact info on all forms, but (a) that requires opening the
object to make the link and (b) it doesn't work for emails, or works
intermittently.

Is there a simple, no fuss way to link any object (email, task, to-do
created from an email) to a contact in outlook 2007?

TIA

MikeM

I agree that a different default behavior would be preferred, but I
think it's worse than that. At least for me, even with that "Show
Contact Activity" turned on, the contact box doesn't appear on emails,
nor does it appear when you use a flag to put the email into your
"to-do" list. If you drag the email over the tasks button, you get a
task with a contact box at the bottom, but not if you just use the
nifty linking feature that works through the flag. At least that is
true on my installation. I can't find any way to link an email to a
contact, period! Unless, of course, one uses the "outlook business
relations manager" thing.

But I could be missing something.

Mike

Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] wrote:
In Outlook 2007 Beta 2, the Contacts box for linking items to contacts does not appear by default. You will need to turn it on -- Tools | Options | Contact Options | Show Contact Activity Information on All Forms.

If, like me, you think that this is the wrong choice for the default option and that some users will perceive this as a data loss, you might want to provide feedback to Microsoft using the Send a Smile tool from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...F-7A677D55F274. This tool will transmit your comments and a screenshot back to Microsoft. For more information on this tool, see http://spaces.msn.com/turtleflock-ol...E3D8!135.entry

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"mikem" wrote in message oups.com...
In Outlook 2003, there was a choice on the actions menu to link an
object to a contact. That seems to be gone. One can choose in tools to
show contact info on all forms, but (a) that requires opening the
object to make the link and (b) it doesn't work for emails, or works
intermittently.

Is there a simple, no fuss way to link any object (email, task, to-do
created from an email) to a contact in outlook 2007?

TIA

MikeM

The Contacts field on email messages has always been located on the separate Options dialog. You can open that dialog from the Options tab, More Options group by clicking the small arrow at lower right. If you use that dialog often, customize the Quick Access Toolbar to add it.

Note, though, that one reason the Contacts box is buried for messages may be most users rarely a need to use it. Email messages are automatically linked to contacts through the email addresses of sender and recipients.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"mikem" wrote in message ups.com...
I agree that a different default behavior would be preferred, but I
think it's worse than that. At least for me, even with that "Show
Contact Activity" turned on, the contact box doesn't appear on emails,
nor does it appear when you use a flag to put the email into your
"to-do" list. If you drag the email over the tasks button, you get a
task with a contact box at the bottom, but not if you just use the
nifty linking feature that works through the flag. At least that is
true on my installation. I can't find any way to link an email to a
contact, period! Unless, of course, one uses the "outlook business
relations manager" thing.

Thanks so much. My eccentric reason for making such links is that I
follow this method of tracking tasks referred to as "contacts as
projects", taking advantage of outlook's contacts functionality to keep
a project list as a contact folder.

Very helpful and prompt response.

Thanks so much.

Mike

Sue Mosher [MVP-Outlook] wrote:
The Contacts field on email messages has always been located on the separate Options dialog. You can open that dialog from the Options tab, More Options group by clicking the small arrow at lower right. If you use that dialog often, customize the Quick Access Toolbar to add it.

Note, though, that one reason the Contacts box is buried for messages may be most users rarely a need to use it. Email messages are automatically linked to contacts through the email addresses of sender and recipients.

--
Sue Mosher, Outlook MVP
Author of Configuring Microsoft Outlook 2003
http://www.turtleflock.com/olconfig/index.htm
and Microsoft Outlook Programming - Jumpstart for
Administrators, Power Users, and Developers
http://www.outlookcode.com/jumpstart.aspx

"mikem" wrote in message ups.com...
I agree that a different default behavior would be preferred, but I
think it's worse than that. At least for me, even with that "Show
Contact Activity" turned on, the contact box doesn't appear on emails,
nor does it appear when you use a flag to put the email into your
"to-do" list. If you drag the email over the tasks button, you get a
task with a contact box at the bottom, but not if you just use the
nifty linking feature that works through the flag. At least that is
true on my installation. I can't find any way to link an email to a
contact, period! Unless, of course, one uses the "outlook business
relations manager" thing.