Problem Using Outlook 2003 with Word & Excel 2000 1

[ScottCGI]

We recently upgraded from Outlook 2000 to 2003 but are still on Word and Excel 2000 for the time being. Apparently there is an issue within word and excel of sending the file to a mail recipient (file, send to, mail recipient). I get an error message saying it cannot start the e-mail program (for word it says it cannot load the envelope). It will send it as an attachment but I still have people complaining because they cannot send just a worksheet as before, they have to e-mail an entire spreadsheet. Has anyone else run into this and is there a fix?

 

[jimp56]

did you check the default email client settings under internet options? Is email still pointing to outlook? (tools->internet options->programs tab in IE)

 

[ScottCGI]

Yes, still pointing to outlook. I found an excel add-in someone created for this very issue but in testing it on laptop so far it doesn't seem to work very well.

 

[jimp56]

Hmm, I wonder if creating a new test MAPI profile for outlook, and setting it to the default, would change anything? Im assuming you did an upgrade install, which retained the original profile.....just reaching here, may not help at all....

 

[tf1]

There is no compatibility using Outlook 2003 with Office 2000 applications. That is the one great disadvantage of upgrading Outlook client when exchange is upgraded. We do now recommend our clients do this as they lose too much functionlity.

This will be resolved with Office 2007 as Outlook uses a trimmed down version of Word that is wrapped in a single dll file. So you get the functionality and advantages of having Word as the email editor without the drawbacks.

Upgrading the Outlook client becomes an easy decision.

Regards: tf1

 

[ScottCGI]

yeah, i thought that was the case. i did stumble on an excel add-in some guy created to solve this issue. it's not perfect but still gets the job done (allows you to e-mail single worksheets) so i might go with it. i'm still stuck with word though.

 

[moco3]

- tfi

Thanks for the info. My company just upgraded to exchange and we are only upgrading outlook 2000 to 2003. I came across and issue this morning during an upgrade which may fall under the compatibility issue between 2000 and 2003. You cannot use Word 2000 as a mail editor in Outlook 2003. This is going to be a big problem and was doing some research when I came across this thread. Are we SOL on this issue unless we upgrade to Word 2003?

Thanks

 

[cmeagan656]

Moco3:

You cannot use Word 2000 as a mail editor in Outlook 2003.

We have the same issue with OL2K and Word XP. However, for us it wasn't a big deal as most of the users either used HTML (which in OL2K won't allow Word to be used as the mail editor) or were using plain text without Word as the mail editor.

If your users are really dependent on using Word as their mail editor then yes, it will be a big problem and you are SOL uless you upgrade to Word 2003.

Cheers.

 

[tf1]

It is difficult to advise the best action right now. I am tempted to say roll back to OL2k until the next version of Office is available (Jan 2007)

If you go ahead with upgrading now, make sure that you get Software Assurance so that you qualify to Off2007 when it is ready.

WIthout knowing more about your company (financial position, how many users, how automated is your software distribution, availability of local training/support and impact that a new version will have regarding compatibility), it is difficult to provide the correct advise.


Regards: tf1