We have various shared mailboxes and public folders that we use to track
issues and processes electronically. As there are hundreds of users in the
company, providing documentation and training for using these resources in
Outlook is an ongoing need. Some users might not use the mailboxes or
folders for a long time after receiving training, so they forget how to get
started.

We have documentation, but you know how it can be to get people to use it.
What we have seen is that most users get as far as finding the folder or
mailbox and opening it, but get stuck at that point. Some will ask for
help, others will sit and spin their wheels for hours before asking or give
up. On top of that, we have a lot of mobile users who work after hours
while on the road.

What I would like to do is something that I see in many online forums, which
is to have a "sticky" posting that stays at the top of the message list
(when sorted by Received). This would be a README that stands out for the
new/casual user and contains information on how to use the public folder or
mailbox.

Since the received field is read-only, I don't know of a reliable way to
keep a post or message at the top of the list in the default view. I'd
appreciate any ideas on how to accomplish this.

Thanks,

Bill Le May

Bill, please download OutlookSpy from www.dimastr.com. With that tool you
can easily change the ReceivedTime property:

Select the message in the folder and click IMessage, select
PR_MESSAGE_DELIVERY_TIME and click 'Edit Property'.

--
Viele Gruesse / Best regards
Michael Bauer - MVP Outlook
Quick-Cats - Categorize Outlook data:
http://www.vboffice.net/product.html?id=2006063&cmd=detail&lang=en&pub=6

Am Wed, 30 May 2007 08:43:29 -0500 schrieb Bill:

We have various shared mailboxes and public folders that we use to track
issues and processes electronically. As there are hundreds of users in
the
company, providing documentation and training for using these resources in
Outlook is an ongoing need. Some users might not use the mailboxes or
folders for a long time after receiving training, so they forget how to
get
started.

We have documentation, but you know how it can be to get people to use it.
What we have seen is that most users get as far as finding the folder or
mailbox and opening it, but get stuck at that point. Some will ask for
help, others will sit and spin their wheels for hours before asking or
give
up. On top of that, we have a lot of mobile users who work after hours
while on the road.

What I would like to do is something that I see in many online forums,
which
is to have a "sticky" posting that stays at the top of the message list
(when sorted by Received). This would be a README that stands out for the
new/casual user and contains information on how to use the public folder
or
mailbox.

Since the received field is read-only, I don't know of a reliable way to
keep a post or message at the top of the list in the default view. I'd
appreciate any ideas on how to accomplish this.

Thanks,

Bill Le May

"Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]" wrote in message
.. .


Bill, please download OutlookSpy from www.dimastr.com. With that tool you
can easily change the ReceivedTime property:

Select the message in the folder and click IMessage, select
PR_MESSAGE_DELIVERY_TIME and click 'Edit Property'.

Thank you. I have modified the property on an item successfully, setting it
to a time earlier this morning.

Are there any dangers if I set it to a time in the future? If I use this
approach to keep it at the top of the message list, I would want it to
always stay at the top.

Thanks again,

Bill

do you mean, beside the possibilty that the user is confused and deletes
that message? No, I can't think of any other danger

--
Viele Gruesse / Best regards
Michael Bauer - MVP Outlook
Quick-Cats - Categorize Outlook data:
http://www.vboffice.net/product.html?id=2006063&cmd=detail&lang=en&pub=6

Am Thu, 31 May 2007 09:05:42 -0500 schrieb Bill:

"Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]" wrote in message
.. .


Bill, please download OutlookSpy from www.dimastr.com. With that tool you
can easily change the ReceivedTime property:

Select the message in the folder and click IMessage, select
PR_MESSAGE_DELIVERY_TIME and click 'Edit Property'.

Thank you. I have modified the property on an item successfully, setting
it
to a time earlier this morning.

Are there any dangers if I set it to a time in the future? If I use this
approach to keep it at the top of the message list, I would want it to
always stay at the top.

Thanks again,

Bill

"Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]" wrote...

do you mean, beside the possibilty that the user is confused and deletes
that message? No, I can't think of any other danger

Granted, it will be unusual to see a README in Outlook, but we use them
often enough in other places that people should know not to delete them.
: )

Hi Bill,

If you have corresponding permissions, you can customize their Outlook Today
to show the Readme, Company News, etc. If you decide to go this way,
consider also replacing Outlook Today with a custom .NET form as shown at
http://www.add-in-express.com/outloo...-views-net.php.
This approach also works for any other folder in Outlook.

Regards from Belarus,

Andrei Smolin
Add-in Express Team Leader
www.add-in-express.com


"Bill Le May" wrote in message
...
"Michael Bauer [MVP - Outlook]" wrote...

do you mean, beside the possibilty that the user is confused and deletes
that message? No, I can't think of any other danger

Granted, it will be unusual to see a README in Outlook, but we use them
often enough in other places that people should know not to delete them.
: )