cmuir
asked on
AD Group Policy - GPO - Applying Outlook 2003 settings without locking down so users can still change
Hi
I have been playing with AD Group Policy settings for Outlook 2003 and have managed to create settings and apply OK to the Outlook client. The issue I have is that when I create a setting in GP it sets it and locks the setting so that it cant be changed by the user. Is there a way to change and apply the setting via Group Policy but still allow the user to change it if they want?
For example: I can set GPO to amend the tracking options on Outlook to the standard settings we want but it then grey's out the option so that the user cant then change it. We would like to be able to change the default setting but then allow the user to change the setting if they want.
I assume that Im not the 1st person to hit this and GPO may not be the way forward - any guidance woudl be appreciated.
Cheers
C
PS - my concerns are Outlook 2003 specific connecting to Exchange 2003
I have been playing with AD Group Policy settings for Outlook 2003 and have managed to create settings and apply OK to the Outlook client. The issue I have is that when I create a setting in GP it sets it and locks the setting so that it cant be changed by the user. Is there a way to change and apply the setting via Group Policy but still allow the user to change it if they want?
For example: I can set GPO to amend the tracking options on Outlook to the standard settings we want but it then grey's out the option so that the user cant then change it. We would like to be able to change the default setting but then allow the user to change the setting if they want.
I assume that Im not the 1st person to hit this and GPO may not be the way forward - any guidance woudl be appreciated.
Cheers
C
PS - my concerns are Outlook 2003 specific connecting to Exchange 2003
Brian Pierce
The purpose of GPOs is to enforce settings so what you are experiencing is normal behaviour and is by design. GPO settings are not designed to be overriden
ASKER
I understand that and am looking for a way to change the default settings on multiple machines while still allowing users to change.
I should have added that if you use the Office Resource Kit you can create a transform file to be used when office is installed that can be used to set many of the default options - but you can only do this during an install - more details at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=4bb7cb10-a6e5-4334-8925-3bcf308cfbaf&displaylang=en
ASKER
Nailed it - you can amend exactly the same settings as an after thought to install via creating a Custom Maintenance Wizard then running the CMW file that is created in this rough format.
Worked for me and allows us to tweak so many more settings
MaintWiz.exe /c \\filepath\CMTEST.CMW /qb-
Worked for me and allows us to tweak so many more settings
MaintWiz.exe /c \\filepath\CMTEST.CMW /qb-
I've leaned something new too !
ASKER
Yeah it looks great - exactly the same settings available as in GPO but they can be run at any time - ideal companion to Group Policies. Whole thing becoming much more clear now - kind of makes sense now
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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