Making RefTracker forms available for use within Outlook

Getting clients to submit questions using RefTracker forms when they are used to sending emails can sometimes take some adjustment! However it’s worth the effort in retraining them so that neither of you need to go through a clarification stage (as the reference interview performed by the RefTracker form always ensures the right details are provided).

A useful technique that can encourage habitual senders of emails to use forms is to have these users insert a link to the RefTracker form/s that they use right into their Outlook. By doing this they can fill out a form just as easily as sending an email – right there, in their Outlook. 

If your Outlook system allows this, it is very easy to set up – send them the following instructions, or help them do it. No IT assistance is required.

• In Outlook, right click on the person’s main Mailbox folder usually called “Mailbox – <User’s Name>”
  Note that the folder used must be one that is managed by your Exchange server. It cannot be a local folder stored on the user’s own computer.
• Select “New folder” and give the folder an appropriate name, such as “Library request form” if you are linking in just one form or “Library requests” if you are going to use this as a header folder with subsidiary folders for each of a number of different library forms (don’t forget to create the subsidiary folders for each of the forms).
• Right click on the folder that you just created to bring up the RefTracker form and select Properties and then the Home page tab. In that tab enter the URL of the RefTracker form that you want to display when that folder is clicked (you must include the http:// part) in the address line, tick “Show home page by default for this folder”, and then click OK. (If this Home page tab does not allow you to follow these instructions you have created a locally stored folder and will need to delete that folder and find an Exchange server held folder under which you can follow these instructions.) 

Your new folder is now set up and ready to use. To use the RefTracker form simply click on the folder name and fill out the form right there in Outlook.