Sample Groupware Applications (Forms) from Microsoft

These samples were designed for Outlook 97. They may not be completely functional in Outlook 98 because of the differences in user interface and folder structure. However, availability of a not completely functional sample may still be beneficial, as always with MAPI programming. The concept is still there, anyway.

The following list outlines the available set:

• Account Tracking (ATrack.exe). A five-tab form may help to keep track of corporate customers. Conceptually it is something similar to the Contact form, but is richer. It is designed around a food and beverage company corporate customers in mind. For example, the Revenue tab shows revenue figures for three years.
•  Business Card Request (BusCard.exe). This simple one-tab form may be useful starting point to get familiar with the concept of Outlook forms. A form has several controls where you can enter information for a business card, such as your name and address. One control is a card preview where you can see the resulting card as you enter data in other controls. A graphic logo is used on the card. Associated code is simple and easy to follow.
• Catalog of Folders (CatFold.exe). According to documentation that comes with this sample, it is supposed to collect information about folder hierarchy. However, the code did not function properly on my Outlook 98. The form is displayed and appears to behave normally, but the results of the operation are confusing.
• Class Notes Organizer (ClassOrg.exe). This sample illustrates using of different folder views. A form used in this sample is a simple customized Post form with no VBScript code. Five custom views are created for the folder. Each view lists items differently (All, By Date, By Class, Current Month's Notes, and Last Month's Notes).
• Classified Ads (ClassAds.exe). Simple two page post form. Allows to post "For Sale", "Wanted" and "Announcement" ads in a folder. Contains a button clicking on which invokes an "Offer" form to be sent to the person who posted the ad.
• Corporate Calendar (CorpCal.exe). A sophisticated sample operating with Appointment and Task items presenting them in different views.
• Corporate Events (CpnyEvnt.exe). This sample illustrates interaction of a custom form with schedule (calendar). The form contains VBScript code that adds full-day events to the user's Calendar when they open the form.
• Corporate Travel Profile (CorpTrav.exe). This sample has a form to address different travel preferences for people. The form is a customized Contact form.
• Diary (Diary.exe). This sample contains a customized Post form with buttons. Associated code fills in data as user clicks on buttons. Several views are defined for the folder so that users can sort items.
• Diet Record (Diet.exe). Contains a customized 5-tab form to enter consumed food item calories and fat grams. The form does not have VBScript code. Field formulas are used to calculate totals.
• Employee Announcement (EAnnounc.exe). A simple customized message form.
• Employee Handbook (Handbook.exe). This sample allows to create an Employee Handbook in a public folder. Two kinds of items may be entered - Policy and Sub Policy. The Policy form has an interesting feature: when an existing Policy form is opened, a new Toolbar appears with one custom button named "New Sub-Section Policy", that allows to create sub policies for this Policy.
• Expense Report (Expense.exe). Provides a template form for submitting expense reports. The Expense report form is a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet embedded within an Outlook message. You need to have Excel installed on the system to be able to use this form.
• HelpDesk (HelpDesk.exe). This sample simulates a Help Desk. Users can fill out Help Request forms, that are sent to the public folder. Administrator can view requests and assign them to technicians. Help Request form works together with a customized Task form.
• Holiday Card List (HoliCard.exe). A customized Post form in this sample allows to track whether a Holiday Card had been sent to or received from a Contact.
• Job Candidates (JobCand.exe). A five-tab Candidate form that comes with this application allows to enter details about job candidates such as skills, experience, resume, personal details, etc. Public folder with custom views is used to store these forms and discussions about candidates.
• Job Postings (JobPost.exe). This sample has the Job Posting form that can be used to post announcements about new job positions to a public folder. Users can respond by clicking the Respond button available on the form. Positions can also be marked as closed. A custom view is available that lists only open positions.
• Knowledge Base (KnowBase.exe). Contains the Knowledge Discussion form, which is a customized Post form with a few custom fields such as Category, Product, and Industry. Messages posted in the folder can be sorted using different views.
• Library Card Catalog (LibraryC.exe). This sample simulates a library catalog in a public folder. Each entry is a library card containing information about an item (a book, a magazine, a newspaper, or an article). Items can be sorted by using different views.
• Library Request (Libreas.exe). This sample has the Library/Research Request form that can be sent to request to locate a publication. The form has an embedded two page tab control to select publication type.
• Magazine Change of Address (Magazine.exe). The Change of Address form that comes with this sample can be used to collect information required to change magazine subscription address. The form controls that all necessary data is actually entered.
• Maintenance Request (MaintReq.exe). This simple form may be used to send maintenance requests.
• New Hire Info (NewHire.exe). Provides a custom message form to inform recipients about a new hire.
• Places of Interest (Places.exe). This form helps to organize information about places to visit.
• Policies and Procedures (Policies.exe). This sample comes with 2 forms: General Policy and General Procedure that store details about policies and procedures. The folder allows to view items by category, policy, or procedure.
• Project Management (Project.exe). A collection of forms in this sample allows to keep track of projects, deliverables, issues, status reports, tasks, project documents and meeting records. The Project form is enhanced by a custom toolbar with 6 buttons, which invoke other forms.
• Real Estate Listings (RealEst.exe). This sample helps to organize real estate listings and group them together with prospective buyers. The folder allows to view information about the available properties, the people interested in them, and comments made.
• Recipes (Recipes.exe). This sample provides a form to record and review recipe information.
• Sales Tracking (Sales.exe). This sample allows to track sale contacts. The Account form is used to create new profiles for sale accounts. This forms has an additional custom toolbar with Contact, Opportunity, Action Item, Contact Report, and Response buttons. Clicking these buttons invokes other forms.
• Security Incident (Security.exe). A simple form is used to send security problem reports.
• Service Interrupt Notification (ServiceN.exe). A custom message form is used to send notifications about service interruptions, such as telephone, power, e-mail, etc.
• Software Inventory (SoftInv.exe). This sample has a form describing a software item. Another form can be used to check the item out.
• Time Card (TimeCard.exe). Provides a template to submit daily time cards and requires Excel to be installed on the system.
• Training Management (Training.exe). Provides a few forms to automate training course offerings, evaluation, and enrollment. Forms are integrated with users calendars.
• Travel Request (TravelR.exe). This sample allows to send travel request form with information such as destination city, date of flight, airline preference, etc.
• Vacation Request (Vacation.exe). The sample allows to send Vacation Request forms to managers for approval. Managers can either approve or deny requests.
• Valuables Inventory (Valuable.exe). Provides a form to record details about valuables such as description, insurance, warranty, price, etc.
• Web Site Listing (WebSite.exe). Provides a form to describe a web site. A button on the form can be used to navigate to the site.
• While You Were Out (WhileOut.exe). Allows to send a While You Were Out message to a user. The form displays details of the message.
• Wine Cellar Catalog (WineCat.exe). This sample provides a form to catalog wines. Custom views can be used to sort items by Category, Country, Winery, etc.

You may need to do some searching in Microsoft web site for the above samples. URLs keep changing, sometimes fast. It would be useful for form developers to have the whole collection as .oft files. I was thinking about compiling one for this book myself, but their current licensing agreement prohibits that. Anyway, current starting point for samples is: http://www.microsoft.com/outlook/outenharch.asp
You may be asked to register with Microsoft in order to download samples.
 

How to Install

Double-click on the file. Most of the samples result in a specific .pst file. Open it in Outlook (File - Open - Personal Folders File (.pst) ...). Normally you would see a Readme or Setup message in this new collection of folders. This message may be confusing because it assumes using Outlook 97. If Setup message allows to install forms - install them. In this case new forms will likely to go in the Personal Forms Library. Otherwise - look for new forms in appropriate folders (File - New - Choose Form...). If you have installed While You Were Out personal folders file select While You Were Out folder and see the While You Were Out form there.