alex-n-bill
asked on
Custom Outlook Contacts fields and Search options
Hi,
I have a need to create a list of contacts with custom fields. Say, it is a list of subcontractors and custom fields would be their specialty (electrical, concrete, etc.), License number and a few others.
Now, I am thinking that the way to do it would be to create a custom contacts form with those fields.
The question is how to do a convinient search based on those fields and also some standard fields. The Outlook "Find" button from the toolbar is very limited and Ctrl-Shift-F Advanced Find is too "advanced" for my users. Is there a middle ground solution a third-party add-in maybe?
Thank you,
Alex.
I have a need to create a list of contacts with custom fields. Say, it is a list of subcontractors and custom fields would be their specialty (electrical, concrete, etc.), License number and a few others.
Now, I am thinking that the way to do it would be to create a custom contacts form with those fields.
The question is how to do a convinient search based on those fields and also some standard fields. The Outlook "Find" button from the toolbar is very limited and Ctrl-Shift-F Advanced Find is too "advanced" for my users. Is there a middle ground solution a third-party add-in maybe?
Thank you,
Alex.
ASKER
Thanks for the idea. But could you please be a little more specific about custom search form creation?
alex-n-bill,
Outlook 2002 and beyond has the ability to create user forms. A user form is a custom dialog-box. You could create a custom search dialog-box that would invoke a search in the background. All that's required is building the form (pretty simple) and writing the script (VBA code) to invoke the search.
Outlook 2002 and beyond has the ability to create user forms. A user form is a custom dialog-box. You could create a custom search dialog-box that would invoke a search in the background. All that's required is building the form (pretty simple) and writing the script (VBA code) to invoke the search.
ASKER
I created my new contact form. What about the search form -- do I create it from form design or from Visual Basic Editor?
Can you send me to some article or some info about how exactly to do it. Especially in regards to VBA code.
Thanks.
Can you send me to some article or some info about how exactly to do it. Especially in regards to VBA code.
Thanks.
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Any update, alex-n-bill?
ASKER
Yeah, sorry.
I just returned from vacation -- back to my problems. That seemed like a good answer so I am going to give you the points. It will just take me a while to figure out all the details of those artickles and the book (I have Mosher's book on Outlook programming).
Meanwhile I have another question:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21939103/Custom-Contacts-Form-in-Public-folder-accessed-by-Outlook-2003-problem.html
I just returned from vacation -- back to my problems. That seemed like a good answer so I am going to give you the points. It will just take me a while to figure out all the details of those artickles and the book (I have Mosher's book on Outlook programming).
Meanwhile I have another question:
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/21939103/Custom-Contacts-Form-in-Public-folder-accessed-by-Outlook-2003-problem.html
No problem. I hope you had a great vacation. If there'sanything else I can do just let me know.
I'll have a look at the other question.
Cheers!
I'll have a look at the other question.
Cheers!
A custom contact form sounds like a good solution. I'd recommend a pulldown for the specialty, unless there's a need to track multiple specialties for each contractor. If, so then checkboxes would make more sense. The search can be accomplished via a custom search form. I'm not aware of a third-party utility that does this, but there's an excellent list of third-party add-ins at Slipstick.com (http://slipstick.com).
Cheers!