Some VBA code for outlook to make action tasks from mails

[Martin]

Hi all,

my probably most important inbox at work is my Outlook inbox :wink:. I wrote the following VBA routines to quickly generate an next action task from a mail or a waiting item.

The code asumes that you have two folders called "@Action" and "@Waiting" within your inbox where you collect mails belonging to either a next action or where you wait for an answer.

For next actions it asks you for a category to put the task in and suggest the mail subject as description. If you're ready it generates the task and moves the mail into the @Action folder.

For waiting items it generates a task with category "waits" and description composed from sender name, subject and time received. It also moves it to the "@Waiting" folder.

To use it open the VB Editor and copy the code into it. Then change the string YOURINBOXFOLDERHERE to your inbox folder (it's the string that is shown beside the icon in the folder view). Beside I added a button for each macro.

	Sub CreateActionTaskfromMail()
	Dim oItem As Object
	Dim oTask As TaskItem
	Dim oPostfach As MAPIFolder
	Dim oFolder As MAPIFolder

On Error GoTo TaskfromMail_Error

Set oItem = Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
	Set oPostfach = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI").Folders.Item(YOURINBOXFOLDERNAMEHERE)
	Set oFolder = oPostfach.Folders("@Action")

Set oTask = Application.CreateItem(olTaskItem)

With oTask
	    .Subject = oItem.Subject
	    .Body = oItem.SenderName & " " & oItem.Subject & " " &
	oItem.ReceivedTime
	    .Importance = olImportanceNormal
	    .ShowCategoriesDialog
	    .Display
	End With

oItem.Move oFolder

Set oTask = Nothing
	Set oFolder = Nothing
	Set oPostfach = Nothing

On Error GoTo 0
	Exit Sub

TaskfromMail_Error:
	    MsgBox "Error" & Err.Number & " (" & Err.Description & ") in procedure
	CreateActionTaskfromMail"
	End Sub

Sub CreateWaitingTaskfromMail()
	Dim oItem As Object
	Dim oTask As TaskItem
	Dim oPostfach As MAPIFolder
	Dim oFolder As MAPIFolder

On Error GoTo TaskfromMail_Error

Set oItem = Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem
	Set oPostfach = Application.GetNamespace("MAPI").Folders.Item("Postfach -
	Stemplinger, Martin")
	Set oFolder = oPostfach.Folders("@Waiting")

Set oTask = Application.CreateItem(olTaskItem)

With oTask
	    .Subject = "Mail: " & oItem.SenderName & " " & oItem.Subject & " " &
	oItem.ReceivedTime
	    .Categories = "Waits"
	    .Importance = olImportanceNormal
	    .Save
	End With

oItem.Move oFolder

Set oTask = Nothing
	Set oFolder = Nothing
	Set oPostfach = Nothing

On Error GoTo 0
	Exit Sub

TaskfromMail_Error:
	    MsgBox "Error" & Err.Number & " (" & Err.Description & ") in procedure
	CreateWaitingTaskfromMail"
	End Sub

Disclaimer:

• 
  I tested the codee only with Outlook 2003 and german languge settings. If it doesn't work for you I will try to help you but will only partly be able to do so.
  
  I don't know if the outlook addin does something similar or not. I never saw it. Therefore I hope that I don't violate any intelectual properties.
  
  This code is free software and comes with absolutely no warranty. Use it at your own risk.

Cheers
Martin