SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

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teachesms
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SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by teachesms »

I am using a Project Task in a team collaboration template in SharePoint 2007. When I create a task or milestone in SharePoint, and then tell it to sync with Outlook it does great. I change my mind about how long a task is scheduled for, I make the edited change in the task in Outlook, it refreshes immediately in my task list in SharePoint.
However, the Milestone created in SharePoint and synced to Outlook although it appears, cannot be modified in Outlook. e.g. I make a milestone on the 24th of February in SharePoint. Once synced to Outlook I change my mind and try to change the date to the 25th. It won't accept it and continues by giving me an invalid date error message. (Milestones only require one date). In Outlook it seems to want two (the start and end). And when I don't put an end in, it decides to place 4500 in the end date field for me (when left blank, this is the default). What's up with this?

Tasks can be synced (sent to Outlook, manipulated in Outlook, refreshed in SharePoint), but milestones cannot (sends to Outlook fine, cannot manipulate in Outlook)?

Know not everyones up on SharePoint, but if anyone finds anything on this scenario for me, give me a buzz back...this is the freaky stuff that keeps me awake at night. :hairout:
If you can't convince them, confuse them - Harry S. Truman

Nannette

JoeP
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by JoeP »

AFAIK, there is no milestone type. How do you create a milestone in a Project Task List?

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Goshute
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by Goshute »

I think Joe is onto the problem - Project Milestones don't map exactly to Outlook Tasks. FWIW, 4500 is probably Jan 1, year 4500, which is the Outlook equivalent of a null date in a number of Outlook date fields. See if this thread helps.
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teachesms
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by teachesms »

Thanks everyone. I think it is because a task has a start and end date. A milestone does not. Outlook doesn't understand a task that does not have a due date, hence a milestone.

To Joe: In the Project Task (SharePoint) a milestone is created by creating a normal task and not assigning an end date (due date).
If you can't convince them, confuse them - Harry S. Truman

Nannette

JoeP
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by JoeP »

Wouldn't it make more sense for a milestone to have a due date and no start date? That should be acceptable to Outlook.

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teachesms
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by teachesms »

I don't know about that scenario Joe, but I'll give it a try tomorrow when I get back to work. :) It makes sense, so it could just be that will be what makes it work.
If you can't convince them, confuse them - Harry S. Truman

Nannette

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teachesms
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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by teachesms »

Joe,
Using the due date and no start date did the trick. Thank you for the help.
If you can't convince them, confuse them - Harry S. Truman

Nannette

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Re: SharePoint 2007 Milestones and Outlook 2007

Post by JoeP »

You're welcome. Glad you got it worked out. Thanks for posting back.

Joe
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