![Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]](http://www.outlook-tips.net/images/2014/MVP_BlueOnly.png)
In previous versions of Outlook, most forms had a field on the lower right called Contacts which you could use to link a contact to an item which would then show up on the Activities tab. You either used this feature, or you didn't and for those who use it, Outlook 2007 hides it by default.
To enable it, go to Tools, Options, Contacts Options button and add a check to the option under Contact linking to show it on forms.
Update: This applies to Outlook 2010 as well. To enable linking, you'll go to File, Options, Contacts and add a check to the option under Contact linking.
As of Outlook 2013, the contacts field is not visible on forms and can't be enabled in Options. It is possible to enable it using a registry change. See Show Contact Linking fields in Outlook 2013 for more information and ready-to-use reg file.
Published September 21, 2006. Last updated on October 30, 2013.
Brilliant - thank you very much indeed. Been puzzling over this for weeks!
Thank you, Ms. Poremsky, for posting the real solution to this problem. It seems like you are the only person on the internet who understood what people were asking for. The so-called answer on Microsoft's "Community Answers" website says the problem is "improper data migration" when importing a *.pst file. All I wanted, and all the guy asking the question on Microsoft's website wanted, was a way to restore the linking / association function between Contacts and Appointments. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Grover: Look again . . . Outlook is creating an appointment invitation to the contact party that will be emailed when you finish the calendar details and press send. By default it creates that appointment with "today's" date and current time, but you can edit those easily enough like any other appointment.
If you don't want to send [email] that invite, exit the invite item and when prompted for your action choose "save but don't send"
If I'm in contacts, why can't I just drag that contact to the calendar to make an appointment? The the default action seems to be send an e-mail -- how dumb is that? -- and if you don't have an e-mail address for the contact then you just get an error message.
To see other people's contacts, you need to have their contacts in your profile and enabled as an address book.
The method is described here: http://www.slipstick.com/outlook/contacts/display-other-contacts-in-address-book/ - but it only works if you have their password as you need to open their mailbox in your profile.