Link to home
Start Free TrialLog in
Avatar of RSmura
RSmura

asked on

Forward emails to external address during specific time period

I have a user who wants to forward emails to an external email account during non business hours.  I have seen a vb script by BlueDevilFan that looks like it will work with a little modification.  Unfortunately, my vb is too weak to do the modifications myself.  Any help would be appreciated.

Times to forward emails are 5PM to 8AM.

From BlueDevilFan

Here's a VBA script, a macro, that'll do exactly what you've described.  To use it:
1.  Start Outlook
2.  Click Tools->Macro->Visual Basic Editor
3.  If not already expanded, expand Microsoft Outlook Objects in the Project pane, then click on ThisOutlookSession
4.  Copy the script below
5.  Paste the script into the right-hand pane of the VB Editor
6.  Edit the script making the changes as per the comments I included in the code
7.  Click the diskette icon on the toolbar to save the changes
8.  Close the VB Editor
9.  Click Tools->Macro->Security
10.  Set Security Level to Medium
11.  Close Outlook
12.  Start Outlook
13.  A dialog-box will appear telling you the ThisOutlookSession contains macros and asking if you want to enable them.  Say yes.
14.  Test the macro
15.  When the macro runs Outlook will present you with another dialog-box advising that a program is trying to access your mailbox and asking if you want to allow it to.  Say yes.
16.  If a message from the designated user, with the specified subject is in the mailbox, and if the time is currently between 9:00am and 5:00pm, then the message will be moved to the destination folder.  Otherwise, nothing will happen.
17.  Once you've verified that the macro works as expected, then you need to sign the macro to avoid having Outlook security warn you wach time the macro runs.  Here's a link to instructions on exactly how to go about doing that: http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnoxpta/html/odc_dsvba.asp



'Script begins here
Private WithEvents objInboxItems As Items

Private Sub Application_Startup()
    Dim objNS As NameSpace
    Set objNS = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI")
    ' instantiate Items collections for folders we want to monitor
    Set objInboxItems = objNS.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox).Items
    Set objNS = Nothing
End Sub

Private Sub Application_Quit()
    ' disassociate global objects declared WithEvents
    Set objInboxItems = Nothing
End Sub

Private Sub objInboxItems_ItemAdd(ByVal Item As Object)
    Dim olItems As Items, _
        olItem As Object, _
        olMailItem As MailItem, _
        olAttachmentItem As Attachment, _
        olDestinationFolder As Outlook.MAPIFolder, _
        bolSenderMatch As Boolean, _
        bolSubjectMatch As Boolean, _
        bolTimeMatch As Boolean
    'Change the MAPI folder path on the next line to that of your destination folder
    Set olDestinationFolder = OpenMAPIFolder("\eeBlueDevilFan\eeTesting")
    Set olItems = objInboxItems.Restrict("[Unread] = True")
    For Each olItem In olItems
        If olItem.Class = olMail Then
            Set olMailItem = olItem
            'Change the sender's name on the next line to the sender you want to key on
            bolSenderMatch = (olMailItem.SenderName = "eeBlueDevilFan")
            'Change eeTesting on the next line to the subject you want to key on
            bolSubjectMatch = (InStr(1, olMailItem.Subject, "eeTesting", vbTextCompare) > 0)
            'Change the times on the next line to those you want to use
            bolTimeMatch = (Time >= #9:00:00 AM#) And (Time <= #5:00:00 PM#)
            If bolSenderMatch And bolSubjectMatch And bolTimeMatch Then
                olMailItem.Move olDestinationFolder
            End If
        End If
    Next
End Sub

'Credit where credit is due.
'The code below is not mine.  I found it somewhere on the internet but do
'not remember where or who the author is.  The original author(s) deserves all
'the credit for these functions.
Function OpenMAPIFolder(szPath)
    Dim app, ns, flr, szDir, i
    Set flr = Nothing
    Set app = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
    If Left(szPath, Len("\")) = "\" Then
        szPath = Mid(szPath, Len("\") + 1)
    Else
        Set flr = app.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder
    End If
    While szPath <> ""
        i = InStr(szPath, "\")
        If i Then
            szDir = Left(szPath, i - 1)
            szPath = Mid(szPath, i + Len("\"))
        Else
            szDir = szPath
            szPath = ""
        End If
        If IsNothing(flr) Then
            Set ns = app.GetNamespace("MAPI")
            Set flr = ns.Folders(szDir)
        Else
            Set flr = flr.Folders(szDir)
        End If
    Wend
    Set OpenMAPIFolder = flr
End Function

Function IsNothing(Obj)
  If TypeName(Obj) = "Nothing" Then
    IsNothing = True
  Else
    IsNothing = False
  End If
End Function
'Script ends here
Avatar of Stacy Spear
Stacy Spear
Flag of United States of America image

The first question to ask before even looking at the script is if allow automatic forwarding is turned on for your organization?
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
Avatar of David Lee
David Lee
Flag of United States of America image

Link to home
membership
This solution is only available to members.
To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.
Start Free Trial
Avatar of RSmura
RSmura

ASKER

darkstar3d, BlueDevilFan is correct.  That feature is only for automatically generated emails, not for ones generated by users or scripts (which look like they were generated by the user to the server).  Secondly, the answer to that question does not preclude you from offering a solution, but simply pointing out that your solution might be dependent on that particular setting.

BlueDevilFan, I'll try the script and let you know later today.  Thanks for the suggested changes to your script.
Avatar of RSmura

ASKER

BDF, code works great with one modification.  The NEXT on line 16 of your code needs to be removed as there is no FOR statement before it.

I will absolutely accept this code as SOLVES THE PROBLEM.  I do however, have two additional requests.  Is there a way to execute the script so that the does NOT appear as a forwarded message in the inbox?  Second, is there a way to forward ALL emails when OOF is enabled?

Thanks much BDF!  Appreciate the code!
"does NOT appear as a forwarded message in the inbox"
Meaning that you don't want the "FW:" on the subject line or ...?

"Second, is there a way to forward ALL emails when OOF is enabled?"
So long as Outlook is running, yes.  It's not possible to do that via scripting if Outlook is not running.
Avatar of RSmura

ASKER

The message should not appear to be forwarded in the mailbox, not simply the FW removed from the subject line.

My impression was that Outlook had to be running all the time for the script to function.
Well, it's impossible to forward without the item appearing as forward.  The only alternative is to create a new message, copy and paste the body from the received message along with any attachments, and send it on.  The problem with this is that it'll lose the original sender information along with the date and time, etc.
Avatar of RSmura

ASKER

I agree.

I also just realized he can create a RULE under OOF that will forward his emails while OOF is on.  That covers everything.  Thanks much for the assistance!
Avatar of RSmura

ASKER

Thanks again for the help.  Really appreciate the code.
You're welcome.  Glad I could help out.