ACC: Using Automation to Add Appointments to Microsoft Outlook (160502)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Access for Windows 95 7.0
  • Microsoft Access 97
This article was previously published under Q160502
Advanced: Requires expert coding, interoperability, and multiuser skills.

SUMMARY

This article shows you how to use Automation to create appointments in a Microsoft Access database and how to add them to the Microsoft Outlook calendar.

For information about using Automation to add an appointment to Microsoft Schedule+ for Windows 95, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

149078 ACC: How to Add Appointments to Schedule+ using OLE Automation

This article assumes that you are familiar with Visual Basic for Applications and with creating Microsoft Access applications using the programming tools provided with Microsoft Access. For more information about Visual Basic for Applications, please refer to your version of the "Building Applications with Microsoft Access" manual.

MORE INFORMATION

The following example demonstrates how to create a form and a table to enter and store appointment information in a Microsoft Access database, and provides a sample Visual Basic for Applications procedure that uses Automation to add your appointments to Microsoft Outlook.
  1. Start Microsoft Access and create a new database called Appt.mdb.
  2. Create the following new table in Design view: 
          Table: tblAppointments
      --------------------------
      Field Name: Appt
         Data Type: Text
         Field Size: 50
         Required: Yes
      Field Name: ApptDate
         Data Type: Date/Time
         Format: Short Date
         Required: Yes
      Field Name: ApptTime
         Data Type: Date/Time
         Format: Medium Time
         Required: Yes
      Field Name: ApptLength
         Data Type: Number
         Field Size: Long Integer
         Default Value: 15
         Required: Yes
      Field Name: ApptNotes
         Data Type: Memo
      Field Name: ApptLocation
         Data Type: Text
         Field Size: 50
      Field Name: ApptReminder
         Data Type: Yes/No
      Field Name: ReminderMinutes
         Data Type: Number
         Field Size: Long Integer
         Default Value: 15
      Field Name: AddedToOutlook
         Data Type: Yes/No

      Table Properties: tblAppointments
      ---------------------------------
      PrimaryKey: ApptDate;ApptTime
    NOTE: In this example, the primary key in the appointment table is the appointment date and time. You can remove or alter the primary key if you want to be able to add multiple appointments for the same date and time.
  3. Create a reference to the Microsoft Outlook 8.0 Object Library. To do so, follow these steps:
    1. Create a new module.
    2. On the Tools menu, click References.
    3. Click Microsoft Outlook 8.0 Object Library in the Available References box. If that reference does not appear, click Browse to locate the Msoutl8.olb file, which is installed by default in the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office folder.
    4. Click OK in the Reference dialog box.
    5. Close the module without saving it.
  4. Use the AutoForm: Columnar Form Wizard to create a new form based on the tblAppointments table. Save the form as frmAppointments.
  5. Open the form in Design view and change the following properties: 
          Form: frmAppointments
      -------------------------
      Caption: Appointment Form

      Form Header:
         Height: .5"
      Check Box: AddedToOutlook
         Enabled: No
  6. Add a command button to the Form Header section, and set the following properties: 
          Command Button:
         Name: AddAppt
         Caption: Send to Outlook
         OnClick: [Event Procedure]
  7. Set the OnClick property of the command button to the following event procedure: 
          Private Sub AddAppt_Click()
         On Error GoTo AddAppt_Err
         ' Save record first to be sure required fields are filled.
         DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
         ' Exit the procedure if appointment has been added to Outlook.
         If Me!AddedToOutlook = True Then
            MsgBox "This appointment already added to Microsoft Outlook"
            Exit Sub
         ' Add a new appointment.
         Else
            Dim outobj As Outlook.Application
            Dim outappt As Outlook.AppointmentItem
            Set outobj = CreateObject("outlook.application")
            Set outappt = outobj.CreateItem(olAppointmentItem)
            With outappt
               .Start = Me!ApptDate & " " & Me!ApptTime
               .Duration = Me!ApptLength
               .Subject = Me!Appt
               If Not IsNull(Me!ApptNotes) Then .Body = Me!ApptNotes
               If Not IsNull(Me!ApptLocation) Then .Location = _
                  Me!ApptLocation
               If Me!ApptReminder Then
                  .ReminderMinutesBeforeStart = Me!ReminderMinutes
                  .ReminderSet = True
               End If
               .Save
            End With
         End If
         ' Release the Outlook object variable.
         Set outobj = Nothing
         ' Set the AddedToOutlook flag, save the record, display a message.
         Me!AddedToOutlook = True
         DoCmd.RunCommand acCmdSaveRecord
         MsgBox "Appointment Added!"
      Exit Sub
      AddAppt_Err:
         MsgBox "Error " & Err.Number & vbCrLf & Err.Description
         Exit Sub
      End Sub
  8. Save the form and open it in Form view. Add an appointment record, and then click the Send To Outlook button. Be sure you only enter minutes, not hours and minutes, in the ApptLength field.
  9. Start Microsoft Outlook and click Calendar on the Go menu to view the appointments you added.
Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:10/11/2006
Keywords:kbhowto kbinterop kbProgramming KB160502
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