Outlook sync for tasks with only a start date

[da...@solsem.com]

I love the ability now to have tasks with only a start date - but
these tasks will not sync to Outlook (which I also do).

At least there should be a warning that pops up saying "This task will
not sync to Outlook because it has a start date without a due date -
set due date to start date? <YES> <NO>"

Just silently skipping them seems kind of harsh.

But preferably an Outlook sync configuration option that would say
something like:
<> Warn me when attempting to sync tasks with start dates but no due
dates
<> Automatically set due date to start date for tasks with only
start dates

Thanks for considering!

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

David,

Outlook does not support start date without due date.

So we have only two options:
1) Remove start date when sync to Outlook
2) Set due date = start date in Outlook for tasks which do not have
due date in MLO

I like option 2.

I have just tested and for me MLO works according to 1) i.e. it
removes start date in Outlook but still syncs the tasks.

Please let me know if you are using specific to-do view to sync to
Outlook which might be the reason why tasks do not sync.

Andrey.

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

Changed behavior according to 2.
Fixed issue when StartDate set to 1899 in Outlook if it is not set in
MLO.

A.

On Jan 16, 12:20 am, "Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)"

[da...@solsem.com]

I know Outlook does not support tasks with a start date but no due
date - that was the reason for my original post. Sorry I did not state
that.

I am syncing Outlook using a specific view, but I don't see how that
is relevant to the proposal.

Also I didn't understand when you said "I have just tested and for me

MLO works according to 1) i.e. it

removes start date in Outlook but still syncs the tasks" - what do you
mean it removes start date in Outlook?

I understood from your reply that you are simply setting the due date
= start date before the sync, so how is it that "it removes start date
in Outlook"?

(I still think MLO should have an option for this or a warning so that
users that sync outlook tasks don't magically get start dates set when
they were not set before...)

--David

[Swifty]

I just came across this post on the subject of Start Dates syncing to
Outlook.

While I appreciate some user might like the current behavior of Set

due date = start date in Outlook for tasks which do not have

due date in MLO. I cannot think of any way this is useful. The whole
idea is to have tasks that are ongoing or currently being worked on
but do not have a due date. Now they all show up in Outlook as
OVERDUE.

Can we PLEASE have an option for this behavior in Outlook
Configuration???

Thanks for your consideration.

[Swifty]

Just wanted to bump this thread in the hopes that this could be
reconsidered before final release.

It makes more sense to make this an option as the current methodology
makes all items with only Start Date selected in MLO show up as
Overdue in Outlook the day after they are created.

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

Again, we do not have many options since Outlook sets the due date
automatically for tasks with only start date. It cannot be changed on
Outlook side. So we need to populate the due date with "something"
anyway if we need start date populated.

I have changed the behavior so that due date = start date + 1 Y for
such tasks. Let's see how this works.

A.

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

David,

> I am syncing Outlook using a specific view, but I don't see how that
> is relevant to the proposal.

Just read your initial post again. You said that tasks with only start
date do not sync to Outlook for you.
They do sync for me and for other users. This is why I tried to guess
the reason for your tasks do not sync.

> Also I didn't understand when you said "I have just tested and for me
> MLO works according to 1) i.e. it
> removes start date in Outlook but still syncs the tasks" - what do you
> mean it removes start date in Outlook?

I meant that before RC1 the tasks with only start date are synced to
Outlook but these tasks have clear start date in Outlook after the
sync.

> I understood from your reply that you are simply setting the due date
> = start date before the sync, so how is it that "it removes start date
> in Outlook"?

This is what was implemented in RC1. But I did not change the date on
MLO side. I simply changed the due date in Outlook. MLO still had
start date without due date. If you however sync this task back to MLO
this task will get due date from Outlook after the sync.

> (I still think MLO should have an option for this or a warning so that
> users that sync outlook tasks don't magically get start dates set when
> they were not set before...)

As I said we do not have much options to sync tasks with only Start
date in MLO:
a) remove both dates in Outlook
b) keep Start date in Outlook but set Due date to something.

In RC1 due date is set to start date. In FINAL I will set Due Date =
Start Date + 1 Y.

Andrey.

[Swifty]

The new solution of setting Due Date = Start Date + 1Y will work
perfectly for me as it eliminates the issue of Tasks that are
currently actionable not showing as overdue in Outlook. The very fact
that these tasks are currently actionable means that is highly
unlikely that they would not be completed within a one year period.

So for me I would not necessarily require the additional registry key
to enable your option a) a) remove both dates in Outlook

Others may have a different view.

Thanks once again for being so responsive. This function will be great
once implemented!

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

I gave it another thought and probably solution with constant date in
far future (i.e. 31 dec 2999) might be better. This way I can identify
this date during sync, interpret it as "None" and do not sync back to
MLO. This way MLO will still keep empty Due date even after sync back
from Outlook.

A.

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

Implemented the way I described in previous post. The date 31 dec 2999
in Outlook will be interpreted as empty date in MLO.

A.

On Jan 30, 6:50 pm, "Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)"

[Swifty]

Good call.... and it allows a consistent two way sync. I'm really
looking forward to this functionality in the final build. (or next RC?)

[Andrey Tkachuk (MLO)]

FINAL has been just released and includes this fix. Going to post
FINAL announcement right now... :)

A.

[Swifty]

This functionality is working fine for me. Really nice to be able to
apply only a start date for actionable tasks with no current start
date.

Thanks!

Overall v2.5 is looking really nice.