setting a public calendar as the default users calendar in Outlook2007-SBS2003 environment
Please note, this is also posted in the clientsthread, but posted here as well, as it may be covered under admin and not clients!
We have a SBS2003 server, and Outlook 2007 clients on the PC's/laptops. We also have smartphones using Windows Mobile6, set up and syncing with exchange 2003, successfully for personal mailboxes.
As we all know, a real pain is that we can only access personal mailboxes from the smartphones, when out and about, not public folders.
The office used to use another brand mail server that was configured to have one public calendar that everyone had to share. They only had the one calendar available to them, and this was accessable through the Blackberry's that were in use then.
We now have the situation where all users have their own mailboxes, including their own calendar, in the standard Exchange2003/Outlook2007setup
The problem is that they all need to know the whereabouts of each other for meetings etc. This used to be easy, because they all shared the same calendar.
Now they have their own, its chaos, no one can see anyone else's calendar from the smartphones, and even when in the office, no-one wants to open up about ten calendars when trying to arrange a meeting.
we are now getting one user to act as a secretary and has to send out all appointmnets to everyone, who then acceot it in to their own calendar, so that they know everyone's whereabouts.
pretty farcical, but this is because we cant sync public folders with Windows Mobile6. If anyone knows of a better way, please advise.
when the users are out, their PCs are logged off
The two solutions that I've come up with may or may not be possible:
1. create a public folder calendar, and then set this as the default calendar for all the users, so that the Windows Mobile 6 smartphones will sync this calendar as their own.
2. When creating a meeting, send the appointments directing into everyone's calendars at the same time, without having send it out by email for the users to have to accept it.
this is causing the users some serious delays, which results in earache for me!
I'm responsible for taking them back to a SBS2003 based network, and now they blame me forthe reduced functionality
Help
October 9th, 2008 3:53pm
Unfortunately windows mobile does not support public folders neither can it show attendee availability.
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October 10th, 2008 7:32am
Yes, it cannot be accomplished on exchange nativley.The only workaround is, access public folder via OWA from users smartphone
Herere some 3rd-party tools may help, but its just based on my research, theres no guarantee for the results:
FolderMirror
TeamCalendar 2.05
October 10th, 2008 1:05pm
I know Windows Mobile doesn't support public folders, this is a known flaw, as this would be a really useful feature for many people, and why it can't be facilitated is a mystery, surely if the customers needs a feature, it should be explored to see if its possible, and there certainly is a demand for it.
Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox.
My two solutions are an attempt to get round the problem.
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October 10th, 2008 2:02pm
thanks for the suggestions, using the OWA with a direct link to the Public folders seems to be quite workable for now, will look at the two suggestion though.
thanks for your assistance.
G
November 11th, 2008 2:58am
Glad it helped
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November 11th, 2008 4:00am