 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussionsAccessExcelInfoPathOutlookPowerPointPublisherWordDirectoryUser Groups Related Topics Outlook ExpressInternet ExplorerWindowsMS Server ProductsMore Topics ... |
MS Office Forum / Outlook / Contacts / March 2006auto format phone number fields in Outlook 2003
With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into one of the phone number fields in a new (or old) contact as a straight 10-digit string, or with dashes between area code and prefix and between prefix and the rest of the number, and when I tabbe out of the field, Outlook would format it into (XXX) XXX-XXXX. I recently installed Office 2003 onto a replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? Just set your default dialing location for your operating system.  SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] > With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into one > of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? How do you set the default dialing location for OS? > Just set your default dialing location for your operating system. > > With Office 2003 on another machine, I could enter a phone number into one [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone > > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? That would depend on your OS. Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel. SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] > How do you set the default dialing location for OS? > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] >> > replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use hyphens ("-") in the format (I don't want the parenthesis "( )"). Outlook then defaults all phone numbers back to parenthesis - WHY? I have my default dialing location set and it still defaults my format to parenthesis (even the dialing location dialog box example shows hyphens X-XXX-XXX-XXXX). > That would depend on your OS. > Most use the Phone and modems utility in Control Panel. [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > >> > replacement notebook, and this installation does not format the phone > >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats must be consistent. How can developers of synchronization software write programs if they don't know what format Outlook's data will be? SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] >I am using Outlook 2000 and I changed all of my phone numbers to use >hyphens [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >> >> > phone >> >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't distinguish a phone number if it is not hard wired with "( )"? Give me a break, will you please. How come I can synchronize with other programs and the phone numbers retain whatever format I had them in originally? Real hard to program something to check for format: IF "(" then do whatever ELSE IF "-" the do whatever END IF Like I said, I synchronize with other programs and they all have no problem with whatever format I have input initially. Only the Microsoft product hardwires it to "( )". Which I might add is an old way to format a phone number. You see "( )" less and less. So when is Microsoft going to get with it? Disgruntled user > Because masking of phone numbers in Outlook is hard coded and not subject to > end user configuration. That design is intentional. Outlook's formats must [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > >> >> > phone > >> >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? Just think about what you've posted. You think Outlook is supposed to anticipate how every possible synchronization program might need its phone numbers formatted and accommodate that? Bzzzzt. Wrong. Outlook is the database. Outlook's job is to present one consistent format. It is up to your synchronization software to know what that is and deal with it if it want to use Outlook as its data source. SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] > You are kidding, right? I guess not. So, youare telling me that a > synchronization program can't or won't work because it can't distinguish a [quoted text clipped - 59 lines] >> >> >> > phone >> >> >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? I want to list 10 digit phone numbers in Outlook 2000. Each time I try to type (xxx) yyy-zzzz, Outlook changes the format to 1+ (xxx) yyy-zzzz. My cell phone recognizes 10 digits only for local and long distance calling. How do I elimanate the 1+ ??? > Just think about what you've posted. > You think Outlook is supposed to anticipate how every possible [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > >> >> >> > phone > >> >> >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? Tell Outlook not to add it in Outlook's dialing options: Contacts > Actions > Call Contact > New Call... SignatureRuss Valentine [MVP-Outlook] >I want to list 10 digit phone numbers in Outlook 2000. Each time I try to > type (xxx) yyy-zzzz, Outlook changes the format to 1+ (xxx) yyy-zzzz. My [quoted text clipped - 88 lines] >> >> >> >> > phone >> >> >> >> > numbers. Where is the switch I need to throw? I am working on a synchronization client that expects data to be returned the same way it was entered originally. It is easy to format the phone number before adding to Outlook, but there are other fields such as if BusinessHomePage is not a complete URL, http:// is added. Is there documentation for all fields that Outlook automatically formats? |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.