Outlook Question

[anigo]

Hey hey smartie pants!

I have a Microsoft Outlook question that I wonder if anybody knows the answer to.

My intrepid boss needs us to update and send to him a TPS report two weeks and us lowly chickens often forget to send it. My intrepid boss isn't exactly computer savvy, and he has the request for the report set up as a calendar item, that works ok... (actually it doesn't, which is why I'm here) but there has to be a better way.

Am I correct in thinking that if he sends out a task request to all of his lowly chickens saying the TPS report is due every second Wednesday that a notification of some sort will advise us chickens that the task is due when its due, and that we will be able to hit the "send status report" button (or some such thing) and easy peasy we'll have sent a status report to him? Lather, rinse, repeat next time? What if the lowly chickens for the most part are also not so computer savvy and don't actually use tasks?

Thoughts?

Comments

[fyremaven.livejournal.com]

Simon must not be reading any LJ at the moment...you could try messaging him direct?

Because I'm clueless. :/

[http://users.livejournal.com/kuzanagi_/]

Random reply, I found you through Simon's journal. I know I'm a month late but if you still need an answer to this let me know.

[anigo.livejournal.com]

Any friend of Simon's is a friend of mine.

I'd love an answer.

[http://users.livejournal.com/kuzanagi_/]

I always feel weird leaving drive-by comments but I guessed it'd be better to overcome my weirdness in this case :)

As far as I'm aware the only way to schedule automatically sending an email with an attachment in Outlook is by buying a plugin for about $30 (I can post a link if it's needed). What I'd suggest is for your boss to set up a recurring meeting, invite you and your colleagues as attendees and then you get a reminder prior to the event. You can then run his TPS report (hmmmmmmk) and email it to them.

[anigo.livejournal.com]

No need to ever feel weird with me. I'm the epitome of weirdness. In fact, I'm even going to randomly friend you now, just because.

the $30 plugin sounds good, but it'd be on a network server (read: powered by my place of employment) so I suspect they would frown upon even a wee plugin on my computer.

That's what I got him to do - the recurring meeting thing. Seemed the least painful option. I'm sure the task thing is highly underused and I pledge to find a good purpose for it sometime before I (or it) dies.

Thanks for your suggestion!

[anigo.livejournal.com]

Not that friending you will excite you much. I don't post here much anymore, mostly just lurk on my friend's pages - which means bonus for me, not so thrilling for you.

:)

[http://users.livejournal.com/kuzanagi_/]

Haha, I've friended you too but I think I'll be similarly disappointing. I do the same as you :) Very rarely post now but I do read my friend's page daily.