Crabby Office Lady

Sometimes we create a whole new version of Office, and sometimes we just create add-ins to make what you already have work better. Take a look at some of the features my readers wish they had in Outlook, and watch me make their dreams come true.

I get a lot of panicky, I'm-at-the-end-of-my-rope e-mails about the Microsoft Outlook® Calendar, and the emotions really run high. While I encourage you all to upgrade to the most recent version of Outlook within my lifetime, I do recognize that sometimes you need to make do with what you already have. This week I'm answering three letters about using the calendar in Outlook 97/98 and Outlook 2000.

View and print multiple calendars in Outlook 2000

When you're trying to figure out what time to schedule a meeting for, being able to view everyone's schedules in one view isn't a luxury, it's a necessity.

Dear Crabby,

Our office has multiple shareholders. We need to be able to print a snapshot of where they are scheduled to be at any given time. By creating a scheduling group in Outlook 2000, I can view basic appointment information (basically I can tell if they are busy), but I can't see details or print them.

— Swamped Secretary

Dear Swamped,

Sounds to me like you need a handy-dandy, multi-calendar viewer. And by golly, we just happen to have one that you can download. Using Outlook 2000 and this viewer, you can view a calendar shared by up to six people side-by-side in one window.

Three things to know first:

• You must have both Outlook 2000 and Microsoft Exchange Server in order to use this download.
• The people whose calendars you want to view must give you permission to do so.
  

   Note   The link to the download that I've included below gives you instructions about how to give someone permission to view your calendar.

  
  You also must have Collaboration Data Objects (CDO) installed, an optional component of Outlook 2000. This is simple to do:
1. In Microsoft Windows®, click Start, and then click Control Panel.
2. Double-click Add or Remove Programs.
3. In the Currently installed programs list, click Microsoft Office 2000, and then click Change.
4. In the setup wizard, click Add or Remove Features, and then click Next.
5. In the Features to install tree, find Outlook, and click the down arrow next to it.
6. Click Collaboration Data Objects (CDO), and then click Run from My Computer.

Now you're ready to install that viewer.

• Download the Outlook 2000 Multi-Calendar Viewer

Update your holidays and get more days off

2002 is long past, and 2003 is whizzing by. My next reader wants to be sure to catch all the days off that she can.

Dear Crabby,

How can I update my Outlook 2000 Calendar with 2003 holidays? You know, we all need something to look forward to.

—Helen

Dear Helen,

You bet I do know. In fact, we like to look way, WAY far ahead. Download our holiday updates add-in, and you can start planning your 2007 summer vacation. Holidays through that year will be added to your Outlook calendar.

• Download the Outlook 2000 Add-in: Holiday Updates

Print Schedule+ from within Outlook 97

Printing calendars is a topic that gets bandied about a lot around here. We created a solution just for users of Microsoft Schedule+ and Outlook 97/98.

Note In case the rest of you are wondering, Schedule+ is the precursor to the Outlook calendar.

Dear Crabby

I'm pulling my hair out. We use Outlook 97, and I really need to find a way to print our Schedule+ calendar. I keep getting error messages, and soon I'll be bald.

— Hairless in Honolulu

Dear Hairless,

Get a hold of yourself and stop all that yanking! We're not saving lives here; we're just printing calendars! And anyway, we have a tidy solution just for you: The Outlook 97/98 Utility to Print Schedule+ Calendars. Click the link below, and you'll find instructions for how to use this nifty little add-in. Print away, Hairless, and save the hair-pulling for the things you should be worrying about.

• Download the Outlook 97/98 Utility to Print Schedule+ Calendars

"I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time." — Charlie Brown (Charles M. Schulz)

About the author

Annik Stahl, the Crabby Office Lady columnist, takes all of your complaints, compliments, and knee-jerk reactions to heart. Therefore, she graciously asks that you let her know whether this column was useful to you — or not — by entering your feedback using the Was this information helpful? tool below. And remember: If you don't vote, you can't complain.