![Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]](http://www.outlook-tips.net/images/2014/MVP_BlueOnly.png)
You can use the Forms designer to design custom forms for Outlook. To open it, open any new form then go to Tools, Forms, Forms Designer (in older versions of Outlook).
In Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010, you need to show the Developer ribbon before you can open the form in design mode.
Outlook 2010: go to File, Options, Customize Ribbon and add a check to the Developer ribbon in the right pane.
Outlook 2007: open the Office menu and go to Editor options. Show the Developer tab is on the first page.
(A video tutorial is here, if you need one: Enable the Developer ribbon)
Open the form you want to edit and choose Design this form from the Developer tab or Tools, Forms menu. You can browse for a form using Design a Form if the type you want to edit is not open.
Outlook 2007 and Outlook 2010:
Outlook 2003 and earlier:
You can change the value of many, but not all, fields.
Notes:
- First page of appointment form is not editable.
- The first page of Contacts in Outlook 2003/2007 is the old contacts form if edited.
- Use Run Now to test the form.
What fields can you change? The default address (Home instead of Business), the default business card design, Default Show time as, assign a default category, make all appointments or contacts private, and many others fields. Not all fields can be saved, including the default reminder time or All Day appointments.
You can show a persons age on a custom form or add a date stamp.
See Publishing Custom Forms for help publishing forms and converting existing items to use the new form. Many forms will also work as templates, saved using the File, Save as menu. You can save templates anywhere on your drive (so its easier to find them) or copy them to a folder in Outlook.
We have some ready-to-use sample forms here:
- Display the Age of a Contact
- How to add a date stamp to the notes field in Microsoft Outlook appointments or contacts
To change existing items so they use the new form, you'll need to change the message class on the items. The easiest way to do this is using DocMessageClass. It's a free utility from the folks at Publicshareware.
Published May 14, 2011. Last reviewed on June 16, 2017.
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102 Comments on "Using Microsoft Outlook's Forms Designer"
Looking to create a quote form that will travel internally from department to department. Each department will have to fill in required field before forwrding on. If required fields are not filled out, form will not send. Am i pipe dreaming again? :) Thank you.
Not pipe dreaming, but it will need to have script behind it and published to Exchange server's org forms library to work correctly.
When I create a form in Outlook 2010, I need the attach file button. It is greyout and does not work. How can I make it work ? How can I insert the button with the field chooser ? Thank you.
You could make a button of your own using a script in the code... but I'll see if i can repro it and figure out why it's happening.
In order to be able to attach files, we want to keep the default Appointment page visible but to also display a customised page 2. The “Display this page” is ticked for page 2 and it is visible to the two of us with Owner permission. But page 2 is not visible to others with Edit permission. Can you suggest why?
The form is published to the org forms library or to a folder?
Mike, I would suggest using Spiceworks if you are wanting FREE helpdesk software. We use it at my company, it is very good for tracking tickets, adding additional information as it comes in etc. We have used it for years.
You can do it in Outlook. Are you using Exchange server? Custom forms sent to other users work bean exchange environment with the form published to an org library.
Hi! I made a simple custom form, when I tested it (using Run this Form), there was no form with it and details are nowhere to be found. How should this be done?
Had the same concern with Howard (in below thread) however, even after I checked the "Send form definition with item" and set the "Separate Read Layout" on and off, it's still blank.
Please help me on this.
If you are using the Run form button in the forms designer, you should see everything. Send forms definition is only when you send something to another person that uses the form. Which form did you edit? What changes did you make to it?
I am trying to add more mobile phone lines to the standard contacts form(more people use cell phones and less use business or home lines.) I have added the lines and tested the form, however the new user defined lines do not behave like the existing phone lines doesn't add the brackets or dash (555)555-5555 to the entered number. How is this done?
you'd need to use two fields - one to enter the number, one to display it in the desired format. AFAIK, you can't do both with one field.
If you aren't using all of the phone fields, you can rename the labels if you add the field as a stand-alone field, like in this screenshot. The old name will be in the number picker though.