OL97: How to Display Word Custom Properties in an Outlook View

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The example below is a three-part process. First, you create a Word document that contains custom properties. Second, you create a Mail item MAPI folder in Outlook and move the document into that folder. Third, you add the custom properties field to the Outlook view.

Part 1 - Create a Word Document with Custom Properties

1. Create a new Word for Windows 97 document.
2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars, and then click Forms to open the Forms toolbar.
3. On the Forms toolbar, click the Text Form Field button to insert a text box.
4. Double-click the text box to display the Text Form Field Options dialog box.
5. In the Bookmark box, type to replace Text1 with ProjectName and click OK.
6. On the File menu, click Properties, and then click the Custom tab.
7. In the Name box, type myprop for the name of a custom property.
8. Click to select the Link To Content check box and in the Source list, click to select ProjectName as the linked source.
9. Click Add.
   
   NOTE: The new custom property is now in the Properties list and is a linked property, indicated by a small chain link icon to the left of the property name.
10. Click OK to close the Document Properties.
11. On the Forms toolbar, click the Protect Document button to protect the document.
12. On the File menu, click Save and save the document as Testlink.doc.
13. On the File menu, click Close to close the document. You must close the document before following the next series of steps.

Part 2 - Create a Mail Folder and Drag the Document to the Folder

1. Start Outlook and on the Outlook Bar, click Other to make it the active group.
2. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder to open the Create New Folder dialog box.
3. In the Name box, type Testlink and in the Folder Contains list, click to select Mail Items. Make sure that the check box for "Create a shortcut to this folder in the Outlook Bar" is selected and click OK.
4. On the Outlook Bar, click My Computer. In the Messages view, find and click to select the Testlink.doc file.
5. Drag the Testlink.doc file to the Testlink shortcut on the Outlook Bar.

Part 3 - Add the Custom Property to the Outlook View

1. Click the Testlink shortcut on the Outlook Bar. The Testlink.doc file is now an item in the Testlink MAPI folder. You should see Testlink.doc in the Messages view of the Testlink folder.
2. On the View menu, click Field Chooser.
3. From the list box at the top of the Field Chooser dialog box, click to select "User-defined fields in folder."
4. Drag the myprop field to the column headers of the current view to create a new column. The value of the myprop field is initially blank.
5. In the Messages view, double-click Testlink.doc to open it in Word.
6. With Testlink.doc open, type "This is new text" in the text box.
7. On the File menu, click Close, and when prompted to save changes, click Yes.
   
   The updated value in the myprop field of the Outlook messages view should read "This is new text."