Access not detecting correct version of Outlook (1 Viewer)

Alc

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I have Access 2010 installed.
I also have Outlook 2016 installed.
The different versions are a company decision and I have no say in it.

I'm making an attempt at creating a data collection form that will let me gather information received via emails directly into a new db. I've found a tutorial online and I'm working through it, but when I click on 'Create E-mail' in the 'Collect Data' area of the toolbar, I get a message that says:

"You must have Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 or later on this computer to enable this feature"

I Googled that message and found links to a now defunct page on the Microsoft website. Probably because the most recent link was from 2011.

Has anyone else encountered this problem? How did you resolve it?
 

theDBguy

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Hi. Unfortunately, you are trying to use an old feature that's been discontinued. I can only guess Access 2010 can only recognize Outlook 2007 or 2010, but not 2016.
 

Alc

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Damn. Thanks for that.
 

theDBguy

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Damn. Thanks for that.
You may just have to come up with a different solution to gather your data. Do you have access to SharePoint, for example?
 

Alc

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You may just have to come up with a different solution to gather your data. Do you have access to SharePoint, for example?
The reason I was asked to look into this is that our IT dept have been involved in a project for some time, trying to get sharepoint to do what we need it to, without success.
My manager found an article about using Outlook and asked me if it could be done that way.
It's mainly to store the date and time when people sign off on changes made to documents.
 

theDBguy

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The reason I was asked to look into this is that our IT dept have been involved in a project for some time, trying to get sharepoint to do what we need it to, without success.
My manager found an article about using Outlook and asked me if it could be done that way.
It's mainly to store the date and time when people sign off on changes made to documents.
A basic requirement of logging date and time when people sign off sounds very doable in SharePoint. Does your SharePoint portal have Nintex Workflow installed?
 

Alc

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A basic requirement of logging date and time when people sign off sounds very doable in SharePoint. Does your SharePoint portal have Nintex Workflow installed?
I have no idea, sorry. :(

My 'technical' work solely involves Access. They just told me that the SharePoint thing wasn't working and asked about Outlook.
 

theDBguy

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I have no idea, sorry. :(

My 'technical' work solely involves Access. They just told me that the SharePoint thing wasn't working and asked about Outlook.
Okay, but why Outlook, specifically. You are familiar with the requirement, you should be able to tell if Access and SharePoint, together, can answer the call, without getting Outlook involved, right? I just feel like there's a lot of options available and you're not stuck. For example, you can also use a combination of Access, SharePoint, and Outlook to come up with something. Or, even if you don't want to use SharePoint and simply use Access with Outlook, I think it's still possible, only not by using the Collect Data approach.
 

Alc

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Okay, but why Outlook, specifically. You are familiar with the requirement, you should be able to tell if Access and SharePoint, together, can answer the call, without getting Outlook involved, right? I just feel like there's a lot of options available and you're not stuck. For example, you can also use a combination of Access, SharePoint, and Outlook to come up with something. Or, even if you don't want to use SharePoint and simply use Access with Outlook, I think it's still possible, only not by using the Collect Data approach.
We already have Outlook, is the short answer. The manager found an article about collecting data using it and the idea stuck with him.

I'll keep looking into it, today's only day one. I just wondered if I was missing something obvious regarding the erroneous version message.

Thanks a lot for the help.
 

theDBguy

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We already have Outlook, is the short answer. The manager found an article about collecting data using it and the idea stuck with him.

I'll keep looking into it, today's only day one. I just wondered if I was missing something obvious regarding the erroneous version message.

Thanks a lot for the help.
Okay, sounds good. Please let us know what you end up using, just in case it helps someone else. Good luck!
 

Pat Hartman

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This is very confusing. Outlook is an email app that also has a calendar and a task list and contacts manager. It is NOT a database and storing data other than what I listed is probably not a good idea.

Since you are using Access and plan to implement an Access-Outlook solution, why not just use Access? Or Access - SharePoint?

Trying to automate newer versions of Outlook from Access should work as long as the feature hasn't been deprecated so I'm not sure what is causing the error. When you wrote the code, did you also select a reference to the Outlook 2016 object library? If you selected the wrong reference library, you may not actually have a reference to Outlook at all.
 

Alc

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This is very confusing. Outlook is an email app that also has a calendar and a task list and contacts manager. It is NOT a database and storing data other than what I listed is probably not a good idea.

Since you are using Access and plan to implement an Access-Outlook solution, why not just use Access? Or Access - SharePoint?

Trying to automate newer versions of Outlook from Access should work as long as the feature hasn't been deprecated so I'm not sure what is causing the error. When you wrote the code, did you also select a reference to the Outlook 2016 object library? If you selected the wrong reference library, you may not actually have a reference to Outlook at all.
We're not just using Access because some of the users, although within the same company, don't have access to the database.

The Sharepoint option isn't working. I have no idea why, I've never used it and haven't been involved with the project until today.

The database in question already send emails via Outlook, so I know the reference is set.

I was asked to look into it and hoped that Access could somehow read the results from a custom Outlook form. If it turns out that this can't be done, then it can't be done.

The support people may decide to upgrade our version of Access to 2016 at some point. If this happens, using the 'Create Email' from within Access may be an option.
 

theDBguy

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I was asked to look into it and hoped that Access could somehow read the results from a custom Outlook form. If it turns out that this can't be done, then it can't be done.

The support people may decide to upgrade our version of Access to 2016 at some point. If this happens, using the 'Create Email' from within Access may be an option.
Hi. I have good news and bad news. The good news is, Access can definitely read data from a custom Outlook form, you just have to do all the coding for it without the Collect Data From Email feature available anymore. The bad news is, as already mentioned earlier, Access 2016 doesn't have this option anymore. So, you might as well start coding it now, don't have to wait for Access 2016.


PS. One other option is to go back to Outlook 2010, which is probably not possible.
 

Alc

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Hi. I have good news and bad news. The good news is, Access can definitely read data from a custom Outlook form, you just have to do all the coding for it without the Collect Data From Email feature available anymore. The bad news is, as already mentioned earlier, Access 2016 doesn't have this option anymore. So, you might as well start coding it now, don't have to wait for Access 2016.
Funny how often that seems to be true - one hand giveth....

I had a feeling that was going to be the case. In your opinion, would it be advisable to sort out code to 'pull' the data into Access from the form or 'push' it from the form into Access?
 

theDBguy

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Funny how often that seems to be true - one hand giveth....

I had a feeling that was going to be the case. In your opinion, would it be advisable to sort out code to 'pull' the data into Access from the form or 'push' it from the form into Access?
It all depends, it could be both ways. It's also possible Access is just a tool for this where the data is pushed to Outlook from SharePoint and Access pulls it from Outlook and pushes it back into SharePoint. Or, Access pulls it out of SharePoint, pushes it to Outlook, pulls back the data from Outlook, and then pushes it back into SharePoint.
 

Alc

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It all depends, it could be both ways. It's also possible Access is just a tool for this where the data is pushed to Outlook from SharePoint and Access pulls it from Outlook and pushes it back into SharePoint. Or, Access pulls it out of SharePoint, pushes it to Outlook, pulls back the data from Outlook, and then pushes it back into SharePoint.
I get the distinct impression that I'm expected to try to find a solution that won't involve SharePoint at all. The manager's a little disenchanted with it at present, so I need to start in that direction.

The initial test is to see if I can send an email to someone, have them complete a field or two(in some way) and hit reply, then read the response into a db.
 

isladogs

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I've only skim read this thread. Would a solution sending email using CDO direct from Access without using Outlook be any use?
 

Alc

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I've only skim read this thread. Would a solution sending email using CDO direct from Access without using Outlook be any use?
Thanks for asking. I don't have any experience of doing that, but I'm open to any method that may work.
 

isladogs

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See my sample database CDO Email tester

I first used CDO when I had a newer version of Outlook than Access. I've used it ever since. Its possible to send emails without opening or even having Outlook.
 

Alc

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See my sample database CDO Email tester

I first used CDO when I had a newer version of Outlook than Access. I've used it ever since. Its possible to send emails without opening or even having Outlook.

Thanks a lot. That's exactly the situation we're in.

I'll have to set aside a bit of time and work through that.
 

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