Microsoft Office 2003 Editions Resource Kit (Pro-Resource Kit)

Download CD Content

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 users can exchange e-mail messages and scheduling data with users of previous versions of Microsoft e-mail and calendar applications, as well as interact with users of other applications. However, previous versions of Outlook or other applications do not support all Outlook 2003 features. As you plan your upgrading strategy, consider when and how you will take advantage of new features—and also consider the differences between Microsoft Office 2003 and earlier versions of Office applications.

Planning an Upgrade to Outlook 2003

Because Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 is compatible with earlier versions of Outlook, upgrading to a new version of Outlook typically involves no more than preparing for, and distributing, the client. If you are upgrading from other Microsoft e-mail and scheduling clients, the process is simplified with the use of the import feature in Outlook.

To prepare for an upgrade, you must decide on the following issues:

• Which cryptographic and security settings you want for your users.

  For more information, see Chapter 11, “Administering Cryptography in Outlook 2003” and Chapter 12, “Customizing Outlook 2003 to Help Prevent Viruses.”

• Which e-mail editor to use for composing Outlook e-mail messages.

• If you use Microsoft Exchange 5.5 as your messaging server, whether to upgrade to Exchange 2000 or a later version before deploying Outlook 2003.

  For more information, see “Microsoft Exchange Server Support for Outlook 2003” in Chapter 6, “Planning an Outlook 2003 Deployment.”

• Whether to upgrade all users in your organization at once or in stages. If you plan to upgrade in stages, keep in mind that Outlook users might need to exchange e-mail messages and scheduling data with users of other Microsoft e-mail and calendar applications, which can complicate support issues.

• If you plan to install Microsoft Office 2003, whether to upgrade to Outlook 2003 with or after an Office 2003 deployment. If users upgrade to Outlook 2003 before upgrading to other Office applications, they will not be able to use Microsoft WordMail as their e-mail editor. The version of Microsoft Word must match the version of Outlook in order for WordMail to be available as the editor in Outlook.

  For more information about choices in staging your Outlook deployment—by upgrading groups of users in stages, or by separating the Outlook 2003 installation from the Office 2003 installation—see “Determining When to Install Outlook” in Chapter 6, “Planning an Outlook 2003Deployment.”

• Whether to make changes to Outlook user profiles as part of your upgrade; for example, defining a new Exchange server or enabling new features of Outlook such as Cached Exchange Mode.

  For more information, see Chapter 7, “Deploying Outlook 2003.”

• Whether your organization currently uses fax features or Outlook forms provided in an earlier version of Outlook.

  For more information, see “Upgrading to Outlook 2003 from Previous Versions” later in this chapter.

• How to manage creating and storing a backup of your existing installation. Before upgrading to any new release, it is wise to back up your existing data in case data is lost during the upgrade process.

Upgrading from an earlier version of Outlook

You can install Outlook 2003 over a Microsoft Outlook 97, Outlook 98, Outlook 2000, or Outlook 2002 installation. Like other Office 2003 applications, Outlook 2003 migrates user settings stored in the registry. In addition, if a MAPI profile already exists on a user’s computer, your Outlook 2003 deployment can typically be configured to continue to use the profile. However, if you are upgrading from an Internet-only installation of Outlook 2000 or earlier, you may need to take additional steps, including recreating user profiles.

Upgrading from other mail and scheduling programs

You can upgrade to Outlook 2003 from mail and scheduling programs other than earlier versions of Outlook. The table below lists migration paths supported by Outlook 2003.

Resources and related information

The Office Custom Installation Wizard provides a straightforward way to configure and install Outlook 2003. For more information about Outlook configuration choices, see “Customizing Outlook Features and Installation with the Custom Installation Wizards” in Chapter 7, “Deploying Outlook 2003.”

You can learn more about the steps for upgrading from Internet-only installations of Outlook by reviewing “Upgrading to Outlook 2003 from Previous Versions” in the next section.

You can deploy Outlook separately from the rest of Office 2003. For more information, see “Determining When to Install Outlook” in Chapter 6, “Planning an Outlook 2003 Deployment.”