Access and Outlook integration without import/export

[cclambie]

Hi all,

I have an access Db that I use to manage contacts etc. I regularily send out newsletters and emails to the contacts in that Db.

I want to know if there is a way I can essentially track the emails from access in outlook.
eg. based on field "email" it can see the emails incoming and outgoing in Outlook and makes a new record in my table "communications" that also tracks phone calls and other comm's.

Tbls - Contacts, Communications, Company

It would be great if all email communications could just automatically be listed in the access table communications with a link to the email in outlook (not the actual email, only the subject line and a hyperlink to the email)

I have been scouring the web for something to do this and have found lots of kinda's or not quite's. I don't want to import my outlook email to a table if possible.

I run Outlook and Access 2003 (Office 2003) on XP SP2 box.

Thanks Heaps if you have any idea what I am after!

C

 

[Hayley Baxter]

Just an idea, I realise you do not want to import your emails into access but have you tried linking access to outlook instead? This may work for you as you can specify which fields to include in your table so you don't have to take across the email itself. You could say only to include who the mail is from, subject line (only the items you need)

HTH
Hay

 

[richary]

Wouldn't it make more sense to write a small app in Outlook to handle this?

After all, you have an Access db with contact info (Outlook can do that) email those contacts (Outlook can do that) and keep a record of who you have emailed with name and subject line (Outlook can do that).

 

[cclambie]

Hayley,

That is essentially what I want to do thanks. If you could tell me how I would really appreciate it


Richary,
I would use Outlook, but I don't like its lack of customisation, queries, forms designs and general usability. I would ultimately use something else like Thunderbird (and will when mail merge is standard). Thanks though!

 

[Hayley Baxter]

If you go through the following steps you will be able to link an access table to outlook.

File >>>> Get External Data >>>> Import
Files of Type >>>>> Exchange
Choose the folder you wish to include (probably your inbox folder rather than an archive folder)
For any fields you do not wish to include simply highlight the column and tick the box that says skip (do not include)

Hay

 

[cclambie]

thanks Hayley!! That works, is there a way to get sub folders listed in the table too, maybe with a field like folder name?

Also I have noticed a mish match in the "From" field as Outlook shows a mish-match. Would be great if a field was From Email as then i could link it using a query?

Cheers

 

[Hayley Baxter]

Sorry I actually made a small mistake in my above post it should have read

File >>>> Get External Data >>>> Link Tables

You can include the contents of sub folders in your table but as far as having a field called folder name with the sub folders listed under this..I am not sure that this can be done.

Regarding the "From" Field, you can edit the field names in the wizard to something of your choice.

Hay

 

[cclambie]

I actually worked that one out myself, thanks!

It is not the name of the field I want to change (from) it is the contents stored in it? Ie. currently I have contents like

From Subject
Hayley baxter Access Stuff
hayley@baxter.com Access Stuff

I would like to have all the contents of the fields as the second one, I think it might be a control thing in Outlook?

I don't seem to have an option to include sub folders at all? I run Office 2003? i tried linking Outlook and exchange type files.

 

[Hayley Baxter]

It would appear that the contents of the From field are displayed as you have it stored in outlook ie the display as setting for an email address. I think you would need to change it in outlook as opposed to Access as you can't change the field data type in a linked table, there's only a small number of changes that can be made to linked tables. It looks as though you want this stored as a hyperlink though, I still don't think it would store it as a hyperlink field. If you used the import method, you could change it to a hyperlink field.

I'm also using office 2003 and I have sub folders available to me to be imported / linked so no idea why you don't have this option.

Hay

 

[cclambie]

Hi Hayley!!

Was wondering if you could solve this one....or anyone else really!

I have now linked my Outlook table to my Db, did not find the sub folder option, so just put it all into one folder in Outlook and will let Access sort them out.

Problem now is this:
Outlook doesn't have a field that displays the email address, the from field shows an email, but not always, sometimes a name, sometimes a combination.
This is the case in Sent Items too.
I am not the only one with that issue, you will see at http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/1035492877 - this doesn't work either.

So the issue is this:
I want to link each email with my contacts, having a list of emails sent to clients etc under each client (ie linking via emial address in email), so my only solution is to find them according to the random shite that Outlook outputs in the "From" field, basically that means
If it has a @ symbol, lookup the email address
If it has a , then lookup surname, firstname
If none of above lookup either the firstname, surname or the company name (as could be either)

I was thinking some pretty hefty SQL would do it, I have no idea how to use "if" functions in SQL, v limited in that capacity.

I have also tried the "Reply to" field, but it isn't always there.

Appreciate any comments you might have.

Cheers Thanks

Craig