Don't alert on birthdays or anniversaries.

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Brant Gurganus - 17 Sep 2005 06:23 GMT

Today is my birthday and when I opened Outlook, I was reminded that is was my
birthday despite never having created an event for this day. It really
freaked me out. After some research, it appears that Outlook does this from
the address book entries. I don't mind the functionality existing, but the
user should be notified so they don't think something weird is going on as I
did.

Reply to this Message

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook] - 17 Sep 2005 14:14 GMT

What is weird about being shown a birthday reminder? If you don't want one
for yourself, simply uncheck the reminder. For other people, however, the
reminder is very handy for sending birthday greetings or anniversary
congratulations.

Signature

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Brant Gurganus asked:

| Today is my birthday and when I opened Outlook, I was reminded that
| is was my birthday despite never having created an event for this
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
| button, follow this link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft
| Web-based Newsreader and then click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=e692a646-db3b-4
a67-8535-b3c12aa38aac&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.calendaring

Reply to this Message

Brant Gurganus - 17 Sep 2005 16:50 GMT

I don't mind getting the reminder if I know that Outlook automatically
creates them. The problem is that that functionality is in no way shown to
the user. I would think the first time a birthday or anniversary is filled
in, Outlook would say it can create reminders of those from now on *if the
user wants it to do so*. It definitely shouldn't just do it.

> What is weird about being shown a birthday reminder? If you don't want one
> for yourself, simply uncheck the reminder. For other people, however, the
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> |
> http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=e692a646-db3b-4
a67-8535-b3c12aa38aac&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.calendaring

Reply to this Message

Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook] - 17 Sep 2005 18:44 GMT

Sorry, I disagree - the reminder should be the default. Just because you
think it should be otherwise, the vast majority of other users do not.
Microsoft programmed this function for the vast majority.

If you do not want reminders on as a default, then uncheck them universally
from the Calendar options page.

Signature

| I don't mind getting the reminder if I know that Outlook automatically
| creates them. The problem is that that functionality is in no way
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
||| the button, follow this link to open the suggestion in the Microsoft
||| Web-based Newsreader and then click "I Agree" in the message pane.

http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=e692a646-db3b-4
a67-8535-b3c12aa38aac&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.calendaring

Reply to this Message

Walt - 20 Jan 2006 17:57 GMT

I think Brant made a good suggestion for a better user interface. I would
suggest simple "Remind Me" check boxes next to birthday and anniversary
(checked by default). This gives people an opportunity to disable what is
currently a hidden feature. Otherwise, a person could be penalized with tons
of unwanted reminders if they enter those details for hundreds of contacts
(and they shouldn't have to entirely disable reminders!).

Walt

> Sorry, I disagree - the reminder should be the default. Just because you
> think it should be otherwise, the vast majority of other users do not.
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> ||
> http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=e692a646-db3b-4
a67-8535-b3c12aa38aac&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.calendaring

Reply to this Message

Diane Poremsky [MVP] - 17 Sep 2005 23:52 GMT

Don't add birthdays to the contact and it won't do it.

Signature

Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]
Author, Teach Yourself Outlook 2003 in 24 Hours
Coauthor, OneNote 2003 for Windows (Visual QuickStart Guide)
Author, Google and Other Search Engines (Visual QuickStart Guide)

Outlook Tips: http://www.outlook-tips.net/
Outlook & Exchange Solutions Center: http://www.slipstick.com
Join OneNote Tips mailing list: http://www.onenote-tips.net/

>I don't mind getting the reminder if I know that Outlook automatically
> creates them. The problem is that that functionality is in no way shown
[quoted text clipped - 26 lines]
>> |
>> http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx?mid=e692a646-db3b-4
a67-8535-b3c12aa38aac&dg=microsoft.public.outlook.calendaring

Reply to this Message

Brian Tillman - 19 Sep 2005 18:32 GMT

> Today is my birthday and when I opened Outlook, I was reminded that
> is was my birthday despite never having created an event for this
> day. It really freaked me out.

When you entered yourself as a contact and defined your birthdate in the
contact record, Outlook automatically added the date to the calendar.

> After some research, it appears that
> Outlook does this from the address book entries.

No, not address book entries, but contact records.

> I don't mind the
> functionality existing, but the user should be notified so they don't
> think something weird is going on as I did.

Read the documentation.

Signature

Brian Tillman

Reply to this Message

Rate this thread: