Office 365 and Outlook

[questorfla]

Does anyone have any info on a way to prevent Office 365 from EVER using Offline mode.  I understand the reasons for it but I have a lot of people who don't.  When they hit send, if the item says it sent, they expect it to be gone.  Then the recipient may not get the item for hours because it really did NOT get sent but put in a cache waiting for the next internet connection.  There is not indication to the sender (or not one they ever see) that this item did not really g out.  It is not in the Outbox and shows in the Sent box.
And eventually it does send.  But on items of an Urgent nature this is a  Nightmare!

I can even understand their reasons for the request, they just want Outlook to work the way it always has.  I have tried to research this but it almost looks like no one even wants to discuss it.
If she hits SEND, and it does NOT really go out for whatever reason, she wants it to show that by staying in her OUTBOX so she KNOWS it is not sent.

All attempts to explain the "new way" that Microsoft forced on everyone with the "OneDrive" default has been a total nightmare at most businesses.  and If there is NO other way, I might have to suggest they go back to Office 2010.  Although I am not even sure that is possible as far as importing the new PST file from Outlook 2013 (365)  into Outlook 2010.

This company uses Outlook like a Giant Filing Cabinet and learning NEW ways here is not a good thing.  The new laptops all come Windows 8 preloaded with Office 365 ready to go.  I know Office 2010 works fine on windows 8 as I build my OWN systems for my use and for the servers.  They run Office 2010 with no problem on windows 8 and Server 2012.

So right now, any help would be appreciated.  I just spent 3 days to find a way to unravel the "OneDrive" default and get rid of it.  Most people here did not even notice that they were defaulting to ONEDRIVE instead of their local systems other than complaints about the OPEN and SAVE being SLOW.  I almost missed it myself.  The only evidence being the address bar on SAVE showing
"httP://" instead of c:\

Getting rid of ONEDRIVE is worse than a cockroach infestation.  It just wont go away.  In addition is played havoc with locally mapped network drives in our office. 

Right now my only concern is Outlook 365 as this is a desperate request direct from the Owner and I hate to tell her I simply don't know the answer yet.  I hope someone here does.

[Shades]

I can tell you that even Office 2007 runs fine on Server 2012 (this setup was by request).

[rant]
Never a big fan from the Office software, and it's downhill from Office 2003 if you ask me. Having said so, Office 2010 is an improvement in many ways over 2007...except for Outlook. I need to send automatically generated messages encrypted. You need Outlook for this, as it is the "easiest" way to install extended MAPI which allows you to automatically encrypt (CAPI) and then to Exchange for the actual sending of these messages. Without extended MAPI, you can forget about the encryption part.

You have to give credit to Microsoft, they do go a long way in providing documentation for almost all of their products. Unfortunately Outlook with extended MAPI (Mail API) and CAPI isn't one of these products. It is so bad that it is smarter to visit the blog from the creator of OutlookSpy for answers.

Seriously, if you have problems with Outlook, use this for troubleshooting as it is worth its money. That guy is for all intents and purposes more knowledgeable/accessible than MS itself regarding programmatically processing email with MAPI/CAPI. I find this a sorry state of affairs to be honest (read: ff'ing retarded! Not intended as an insult to people with dis-abilities, these people deserve respect each day they try to be the best they can be).

Each update from each version of Office I fear, because of undocumented changes that can and do harm to the MAPI/CAPI layer. Each time I lose hours of the day just to find what the F(!) goes wrong and fixing things proves to be unnecessary convoluted in the best of cases.

Long story short(er):
If I would find one of the MS developers responsible for this mess on fire I would not even p#ss them out, I would bring out the biggest bag of marshmallows I could find and use a bellows to extend the life of the fire so I have time enough to eat all of them.

or

I would look for a person with a reproductive organ that would easily support a mahogany dining table for 6 people and tell tell this person to have his way with each and any of the responsible MS devs, preferably in Death valley where any form of lubrication evaporates within seconds...

Decisions, decisions, decisions...
[/rant]   

[questorfla]

 
Yep on all that

[Innuendo]

Stupid question time...more for my curiosity than any attempt at problem-solving...

If they aren't online *all* the time then why are they buying Office 365 rather than Office 2013?

[40hz]

Stupid question time...more for my curiosity than any attempt at problem-solving...

If they aren't online *all* the time then why are they buying Office 365 rather than Office 2013?

-Innuendo (March 14, 2014, 06:00 PM)

The apps in Office get downloaded and run locally with most versions of O365. So you don't need to be online to use them. They work just like the standard (i.e. non-cloud) Office apps in that regard.

O365 also allows installation on up to 5 PCs per user. Office 2013 is licensed for installation on a single PC. Microsoft dropped their old "office PC plus your home PC or laptop" installation rule with the 2013 release.

[4wd]

Just a couple of scripts I knocked up for @questorfla to see if it makes Outlook any easier.

Both only work with Outlook 2007+ but I don't bother checking to see if you have the right version - part of my minimal error checking approach to life

Outlook needs to be running first.  Run one or the other, not both - although that scenario hasn't been tested.

AutoOutSync - Forces a Send/Receive action in Outlook every 15->180 seconds.  Has a countdown timer and you can enable/disable the Outlook progress window.
TrigOutSync - Forces a Send/Receive action 5 seconds after a Send Event is reported by Outlook.  Outlook progress window can be disabled/enabled via tray icon menu.

I've tested both with Outlook 2013 on a Windows 8.1 Pro x86 VM and they seemed to work OK.

[x16wda]

Haven't worked with O365, but with "normal" Exchange you can turn off cached mode. That would solve the not-connected problem, although you go back to all those issues cached mode was supposed to fix for you (like being able to work on email when you can't get to the server).

[40hz]

I don't know if you would want to turn off the cloud link for Exchange in Outlook for O365.

MSoft gives you a hosted Exchange account on their servers. Getting a full Exchange server you don't have to maintain is a real deal worth considering AFAIC. Outlook doesn't really come into it's own until you have an Exchange backend. The really useful sharing and workgroup features all require Exchange. Problem is, Exchange is a PITA to keep in-house unless you have a full-time IT staff. And MSoft knows it. That's why you can just buy into Exchange Online for something like $5/mo if you want it. But for an additional $5 (or so) per month you can get the whole O365 deal - so it's pretty compelling offer for the people they're targeting this product line for.

Whether or not O365 remains this cheap once a larger segment of the market moves over is anybody's guess. I suspect prices will slowly creep up once the adoption ramps up. It's set up to become the next public utility. Just add "data services" to your monthly electric, phone, internet access, and heating bills folks! It's a no-brainer!

And like every utility, expect to see your rates to go up every year.
 

[questorfla]

Does anyone have any info on a way to prevent Office 365 from EVER using Offline mode.  I understand the reasons for it but I have a lot of people who don't.  When they hit send, if the item says it sent, they expect it to be gone.  Then the recipient may not get the item for hours because it really did NOT get sent but put in a cache waiting for the next internet connection.  There is not indication to the sender (or not one they ever see) that this item did not really g out.  It is not in the Outbox and shows in the Sent box.
And eventually it does send.  But on items of an Urgent nature this is a  Nightmare!

I can even understand their reasons for the request, they just want Outlook to work the way it always has.  I have tried to research this but it almost looks like no one even wants to discuss it.
If she hits SEND, and it does NOT really go out for whatever reason, she wants it to show that by staying in her OUTBOX so she KNOWS it is not sent.

All attempts to explain the "new way" that Microsoft forced on everyone with the "OneDrive" default has been a total nightmare at most businesses.  and If there is NO other way, I might have to suggest they go back to Office 2010.  Although I am not even sure that is possible as far as importing the new PST file from Outlook 2013 (365)  into Outlook 2010.

This company uses Outlook like a Giant Filing Cabinet and learning NEW ways here is not a good thing.  The new laptops all come Windows 8 preloaded with Office 365 ready to go.  I know Office 2010 works fine on windows 8 as I build my OWN systems for my use and for the servers.  They run Office 2010 with no problem on windows 8 and Server 2012.

So right now, any help would be appreciated.  I just spent 3 days to find a way to unravel the "OneDrive" default and get rid of it.  Most people here did not even notice that they were defaulting to ONEDRIVE instead of their local systems other than complaints about the OPEN and SAVE being SLOW.  I almost missed it myself.  The only evidence being the address bar on SAVE showing
"httP://" instead of c:\

Getting rid of ONEDRIVE is worse than a cockroach infestation.  It just wont go away.  In addition is played havoc with locally mapped network drives in our office. 

Right now my only concern is Outlook 365 as this is a desperate request direct from the Owner and I hate to tell her I simply don't know the answer yet.  I hope someone here does.

-questorfla (March 11, 2014, 01:17 PM)

I can tell you that even Office 2007 runs fine on Server 2012 (this setup was by request).

[rant]
Never a big fan from the Office software, and it's downhill from Office 2003 if you ask me. Having said so, Office 2010 is an improvement in many ways over 2007...except for Outlook. I need to send automatically generated messages encrypted. You need Outlook for this, as it is the "easiest" way to install extended MAPI which allows you to automatically encrypt (CAPI) and then to Exchange for the actual sending of these messages. Without extended MAPI, you can forget about the encryption part.

You have to give credit to Microsoft, they do go a long way in providing documentation for almost all of their products. Unfortunately Outlook with extended MAPI (Mail API) and CAPI isn't one of these products. It is so bad that it is smarter to visit the blog from the creator of OutlookSpy for answers.

Seriously, if you have problems with Outlook, use this for troubleshooting as it is worth its money. That guy is for all intents and purposes more knowledgeable/accessible than MS itself regarding programmatically processing email with MAPI/CAPI. I find this a sorry state of affairs to be honest (read: ff'ing retarded! Not intended as an insult to people with dis-abilities, these people deserve respect each day they try to be the best they can be).

Each update from each version of Office I fear, because of undocumented changes that can and do harm to the MAPI/CAPI layer. Each time I lose hours of the day just to find what the F(!) goes wrong and fixing things proves to be unnecessary convoluted in the best of cases.

Long story short(er):
If I would find one of the MS developers responsible for this mess on fire I would not even p#ss them out, I would bring out the biggest bag of marshmallows I could find and use a bellows to extend the life of the fire so I have time enough to eat all of them.

or

I would look for a person with a reproductive organ that would easily support a mahogany dining table for 6 people and tell tell this person to have his way with each and any of the responsible MS devs, preferably in Death valley where any form of lubrication evaporates within seconds...

Decisions, decisions, decisions...
[/rant]   

-Shades (March 11, 2014, 05:46 PM)

1000% on your side!  When I google a question referiing to Microsoft..ANYTHING  Microsoft.
I NEVER go to the Microsoft site for the anser.  They have a unique way and telling you everything you NEVER wanted toknow but absolutely failing to enlightien you in ANY meaningful way regaring you original question.
Do they actually TRAIN people to write BS like you see on MS site or has someone come up with a total brainless system that can string together words to seem like it might maybe have something to do with what you need to know to get their products to work.

And I am now being told that almost everyone is dropping IE in favor of  Chrome because IE simply wont fly with windows 8.  But chrome appears to be faster than ever.