I'm trying to get my users to use Outlook to schedule meetings.While I was preparing a training presentation, I noticed that while I can send meeting invitations (Outlook 2003) internally and get the Accept/Decline/Propose... etc. buttons, but when I sent to outside users I do not get the buttons.I tried sending from home on my (non-Exchange server) Outlook 2002 client and received the invite correctly with buttons, here behind my Exchange 2007 server. I tried a Propose new time, but the reply came back with plain text.I tried setting the recipient to force Rich Text instead of HTML but it made no difference.I also tried setting up the meeting through OWA thinking my Outlook client was somehow buggered up but I get the same result.On the off-chance my home email client was causing the problem (I use AVG which stamps something at the bottom of every sent and received message, this functionality has been blamed in the past) I sent a meeting request to myself, which came through with buttons on the email.Also I should add that we do not pop our mail from a third-party provider. We host our own mail service with Exchange 2007.Is there something in Exchange 2007 I need to configure to allow meeting requests (and replies for that matter) to be properly sent? Thanks in advance!

How about using a .ics file attachment ?

Yes, a separately attached .ics file would work, but creating an appt. and attaching it was a bit tedious. I did find my solution though: As part of my continuing research, I believe I have found a workaround, but the consequences of it are unknown.For testing purposes I created a Remote Domain under Hub Transport for the address I'm sending to.I made the settings for this domain identical to my * domain, with the exception that under Message Format, I chose Always use Rich text format.The next Meeting Request I sent from my Outlook 2003 client, through my Exchange 2007 to the Remote Domain's Outlook 2002 client arrived correctly with the appropriate meeting buttons.So, theoretically if I set my Message Format to always use Rich Text on my * remote domain, meetings should be handled appropriately.This could be problematic, since most of my users use HTML as the default to send messages. What's interesting is that further testing revealed that messages sent from an Outlook client configured to use HTML through an Exchange server which forces Rich text, ended up arriving as HTML anyway.More confusing is the terminology in the referenced Technetlink below. TNEF is the real root of the problem, however Microsoft calls it two different things if you use the Exchange Management Shell or the Exchange Management Console. One is TNEF the other is Rich Text message format.Consistency please!In any event, looks like my problem is solved, but I am concerned about what impact forcing Rich Text (or not as testing showed) will have.Supporting Info: Technethttp://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb310786.aspx Tip that led me to the solution http://qlist1.quest.com/read/messages?id=25140

also, what if your recipient's domains are only set to use plain text? .ics is the only consistent method.

That is true, it would consistently work. There are just too many steps. Create the appt, save it as ics, then start an email and attach it. I have VERY lazy users though. They don't even use the Calendar at this point. At very best I'll be able to get them to start doing meeting requests, and by virtue of that, they'll start to add items to their own calendars.At least I hope so!If I configure all to RTF, those stuck on plain text will at least get the text message stating the meeting information.

I have the same issue, I have tried changed the * (default) to Always use rich text and that did not work and also it stopped our mail org sending attachments to Lotus Notes users and they arrived as winmail.dat attachment. I have now changed back to 'Determined by Individual user settings' Does your solution work? Paul

For this to happen you have setup individual domains and it works fine.. paul

Actually the source of the problem is in Outlook itself. The invitation sent through Exchange 2007 has some code incopatible with Outlook 2003 client that recieves messages using POP3 or IMAP. The problem seems to be solved in a post-SP3 update for Outlook 2003 http://support.microsoft.com/kb/935411 : The message header and message body of a meeting request may appear incorrectly in Outlook 2003 if the meeting request is created in OWA 2007 You use a POP3 account in Outlook 2003 to download messages from a server that is running Microsoft Exchange 2007. If you receive a meeting request that was created by using Outlook Web Access 2007, the meeting request may be rendered incorrectly in Outlook 2003. For example, the message body of the meeting request may contain the message headers and the message body for the meeting request. Thus here it is said that invitation should be composed using OWA but the issue is solved anyway.