Provides immediate access to the IssueNet issue management system from within Microsoft Outlook, and enables the ability to create or link issues directly from email items.
Edit1 Enabling the Outlook Integration
The Outlook integration is enabled by selecting Outlook from Host Applications in the IssueNet Integration Manager. In most cases, the IssueNet Integration Manager will be made available from IssueNet Central. If you have questions about installing the IssueNet Integration Manager, you should contact your IssueNet Administrator.
To enable the Outlook Integration:
- Launch the IssueNet Integration Manager
- Place a checkmark in the Microsoft Outlook application and click Done
- Launch Microsoft Outlook
- When prompted, select your IssueNet connection
- When prompted enter your IssueNet login credentials
Edit2 The IssueNet ToolBar
 The IssueNet toolbar becomes active once the Integration has been enabled and a connection to an IssueNet datasource has been established. |
Edit3 Creating Issues
To create a new issue, click the New Issue icon, enter any required or optional information and click Save.
When you have an Issue open, a mini-toolbar appears on the Issue form, which contains the following items:
 The Issue Toolbar |
- Save- This button saves the current issue.
- Refresh- This button refreshes the current issue to capture any changes.
- Delete- This button deletes the current issue.
- Execute Workflow- This button opens the Execute Workflow dialog from which an optional Project can be selected and an appropriate workflow can be selected.
- Execute Transition- When a Task is selected on the Tasks tab, this button opens the Execute Transition dialog, which results in moving the task from one workflow state to another.
- Open- When on a tab with related items, highlighting the item and selecting Open opens the item.
Edit4 Viewing Issues
 The Issue Explorer View |
Clicking the View Issues button provides a two-paned explorer view of folders and issues. The left pane displays a hierarchical view of folders that match the folder filter selected just above the folder tree-view. When a folder is selected, the issues related to that folder are filtered by the issue filter displayed above the issue list on the right. The filters can be used to simplify the sort of information you wish to see in the folder context.
Additionally, you may click the
Search icon to open the Search Tool which provides a way to quickly search the database for particular items.
Clicking the
Folders button toggles between the Explorer and List views.
Edit5 Viewing Tasks
Clicking the View Task icon provides a convenient explorer used for navigating Projects to find tasks of interest.
 The Task Explorer View |
This view provides a two-paned explorer view of Projects and Tasks. The left pane displays a hierarchical view of Projects that match the filter selected just above the Project tree-view. When a Project is selected, the tasks related to that Project are filtered by the task filter displayed above the task list on the right. The filters can be used to simplify the sort of information you wish to see in the folder context.
Additionally, you may click the
Search icon to open the Search Tool which provides a way to quickly search the database for particular items.
Clicking the
Projects button toggles between the Explorer and List views.
Edit6 Running Reports
 The Report Selection Dialog |
Selecting the Run Report icon opens the Report Selection dialog. From this dialog, you can run reports on Issues and Tasks. Simply click the report you wish to view and click OK; from the Report view you may print or export the results.
Edit7 Attaching Mail to Issues
 The Attach Mail Dialog |
To attach an email to an issue, simply select an email from your inbox and select the button lableled Attach Mail to Issue. In the Attach Mail to Issue dialog the upper pane selects the current email and contains a checkbox labeled 'Include all mail from same conversation', if this is selected the current email and all unique replies to the email will be attached.
In the lower pane, the Select Issue frame allows you to select a query for issues. To attach the email, highlight one of the issues and click the OK button.
Edit8 Creating Issues from Mail
 Creating an Issue from an Email |
One of the most powerful features of the Outlook integration is the ability to create an issue from an email. To do so, highlight an email in your inbox and click the button lableled "New Issue From Mail". A new issue form will be opened with the Subject of the email pre-populated in the Issue subject and the Body of the email in the Description field.
Edit9 Viewing Mail Issues
 The Mail Issues Dialog |
Selecting the button labeled View Mail Issues allows you to see any issues that are related to the selected email.
From this dialog, you may also select from the following options:
- Attach Mail to Issue- Selecting this option opens the Attach Mail to Issue dialog, allowing you to relate the email to additional issues.
- Detach the Mail from Issue- Selecting this options removes the email from the selected Issue.
- New Issue from the Email- Selecting this option allows you to create a new Issue from the selected email.
- Open Issue- Selecting this option opens the Issue related to the email.
Edit10 IssueNet Options
Edit10.1 Connect
Selecting Connect allows you to choose which connection to use for the Outlook integration. You can either
Open an existing connection or
Create a new connection. If you choose to create a new connection, the Connection Wizard will open. Please contact your IssueNet administrator if you are unsure of any of the Connection type information.
Edit10.2 Disconnect
Selecting Disconnect simply disconnects you from the IssueNet datasource and disables the IssueNet toolbar.
Edit10.3 Options
The IssueNet options are separated into the following tabs:
- Connections- The connection tab simply displays the available Connection Profiles; from this dialog you may Add, Remove or Configure IssueNet connections. Please contact your IssueNet administrator if you are unsure of any of the Connection type information.
- Prompt me to choose a connection every time I connect- With this option selected, each time you select Connect, you will be presented with a Select Connection dialog.
- Always connect with the following connection- With this option selected, you will automatically be connected to the selected connection.
- Attempt to connect when the application starts- With this option selected, IssueNet will attempt to connect each time Outlook is started.
- Issues- The Issues tab allows you to define the type of Issue that will be created from within Outlook.
- Prompt me for the type to create each time- With this option selected, you will be presented with a 'Select Type' dialog when a new issue is created. This dialog will be populated with any Issue type that is defined in your IssueNet solution.
- Always create with the following type- With this option selected, any Issue that is created will be of the type you have selected from the Drop Down menu.
- Contacts- The contacts tab allows you to set options for the creation of new contacts and how contacts are associated with Issues created from Mail items. The following options are associated with Contacts:
- Contact Creation
- Prompt me for the type to create each time- With this option selected, you will be presented with a 'Select Type' dialog when a new Contact is created. This dialog will be populated with any Contact type that is defined in your IssueNet solution.
- Always create with the following type- With this option selected, any Contact that is created will be of the type you have selected from the Drop Down menu.
- When creating new Issue The following options are available for contacts when creating a new issue from an email:
- Set From contact as Submitted by of new Issue- With this option selected, the sender of the email is set as the submitted by for the new Issue provided the Contact exists in the database.
- Add From contact to related Contacts of new Issue- With this option selected, the sender of the email is attached to the Contacts tab of the new issue, provided the Contact exists in the database.
- Add all recipient contacts to related Contacts of new Issue- With this option selected, all recipients of the email are added to the Contacts tab of a new issue provided they exist in the database.
- Create new Contact if contact does not exist- With this option selected, new contacts will be created based upon recipient information.
- Mail Events- The Mail Events tab allows you to specify which actions, if any, you wish to perform on emails as they are sent and received.
- On Mail Receive- If you have any of the following options selected, your inbound email will have the selected action applied.
- No Action- With this option selected Outlook simply receives inbound email with no IssueNet dialog.
- Prompt for Action- With this option selected, each time an inbound email is received, a Select Action dialog will display, prompting you to either take no action, Attach the Mail to Issue or create a New Issue from Mail.
- Attach Mail to Issue- With this option selected, you will be prompted to attach email to an issue each time an email is received.
- New Issue from Mail- With this option selected, you will be prompted to create a new issue each time an email is received.
- On Mail Send- If you have any of the following options selected, your outbound email will have the selected action applied.
- No Action- With this option selected Outlook simply sends outbound email with no IssueNet dialog.
- Prompt for Action- With this option selected, each time an email is sent, a Select Action dialog will display, prompting you to either take no action, Attach the Mail to Issue or create a New Issue from Mail.
- Attach Mail to Issue-With this option selected, you will be prompted to attach email to an issue each time an email is sent.
- New Issue from Mail-With this option selected, you will be prompted to create a new issue each time an email is received.
- Attachments- The Attachment tab allows you to select which Document Store will be used as a repository for items which are attached to emails.