Exchange Public Folders

[goodnluck2000]

Though I connect to my work emails via Exchange ActiveSync, I am finding it difficult to find a way to see all PUBLIC Folders.

Does anyone have any clue as to how I can view PUBLIC emails/posts on my droid thru the Exchange ActiveSync setup?

[Khazka]

goodnluck2000,
Did you ever figure out how to view exchange public folders from your droid?

Though I connect to my work emails via Exchange ActiveSync, I am finding it difficult to find a way to see all PUBLIC Folders.

Does anyone have any clue as to how I can view PUBLIC emails/posts on my droid thru the Exchange ActiveSync setup?

[goodnluck2000]

Nope! I have not been able to view Public Folders in Exchange from Droid yet

[Danzig]

There is no public folder sync support natively to ActiveSync. It may be possible through 3rd party apps though.

[dro0g]

While I don't know of a way to sync them, you can view public folders via OWA (Outlook Web Access.) The URL is the webmail URL with /public added to the end (e.g. https://owa.example.com is webmail, https://owa.example.com/public will bring you to the public folders)

Public folders are considered an abomination and Microsoft is pushing hard to get rid of them (something to keep in mind if you have a public folder heavy workflow)

[Morlince]

To add more information to the issue... i agree public folders are well on their way out. MS wants to move everyone to sharepoint, so work on getting your public folders cleaned up and migrated.

[voldorfsmith]

Hi guys,

I figured out you can sync your mobile phone with Exchange Public Folders using codetwo exchange sync. it's a third party solution but easy to use and we're pretty happy with it. I don't how it wotrks with android phones but it can sync iphone and blackberry with Exchange.

[thom]

Though I connect to my work emails via Exchange ActiveSync, I am finding it difficult to find a way to see all PUBLIC Folders.

Does anyone have any clue as to how I can view PUBLIC emails/posts on my droid thru the Exchange ActiveSync setup?

Hi there
I read this entire conversation some time ago when I faced the same issue with connecting my Android to Exchange. I was unable to view public folders but found this article that let me sync public folders to personal folders and then replicate them to my phone: (1) How to sync iPhone, Android, BlackBerry with Public Folders on Exchange Server

This is just to share it with you.

thanks!

[TIPSupport]

This is how we solved it:

Created a special Email Account in Outlook (named it, PFSync) for syncing with Public Folders and created extra Folders to match Public Folders we wanted to sync, i.e., Shared Email, (Special) Contact list, etc.... The other folders are already created on the local account, for example, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes, Journal that we will sync with Public Folders.

Purchased and installed Easy2Sync Business Edition on Server: Easy2Sync for Outlook: Synchronize mails on your laptop and desktop PC

$79.00.

Simply create a new task in Easy2Sync and be sure to select the "Contacts" folder for BOTH data storages. Easy2Sync will ask you if you want to sync only that folder and you should confirm that. That's all.

For the other folders pairs (Calendars, Tasks, Notes), you can either simply repeat this. Or duplicate the task, edit it and change the base folders for both data storages (button "Extended"). We used the Extended button for all folders. You can even look at the data to insure you are getting the right information. Do not schedule anything to sync yet.

Next, setup a Task in Easy2Sync and chose all the folders you created and set the Scheduler to sync every 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, etc., whatever you prefer. The first sync may be lengthy depending on how much data you have. We have a lot of Saved Emails and Contacts and Scheduled items in Calendar. It took about 15 minutes. Thereafter, it will be mere seconds to sync added data.

Setup PFSync email that you created earlier on all your employee's Android, Windows Phone, iPhones, Blackberry phones and select the folders you wish to sync. We excluded email and chose all the other folders. Use Push technology for immediate satisfaction.

Now, here is the clincher. You now have two-way syncing in place! If they update their schedule out in the field, the home office or any other employee will see the added item within the amount of time you set Easy2Sync to sync the PFSync Task, hence, syncing the individual Public Folders.

We tried ALL of the Exchange sync products including the prohibitively expensive Code2 products and Thomas Holz's Easy2Sync is by far the best. It works with Outlook x64 or x32 equally well. Their support is via email and we always get an immediate response with personal instructions to resolve questions. For example, we did not immediately figure out the Extended option when setting up the individual folders. We mistakenly let the wizard just choose all the standard folders. This is fine if you do not have any non-standard Public Folders like extra contact folders or email collection folders. So, Easy2Sync is completely customizable. It has choices to make the program run as a service after you have all the settings in place and don't wish to ever bother with the interface. You can also continue to not use it as a service (our choice) and eliminate all notifications for automation. We just like having the option to occasionally look at what is getting synced.

Now, here is the catch. You have to install Outlook on the server or an always-on networked workstation and setup the PFSync email account profile. It works out of Outlook as an add-in although you configure it outside of Outlook. Outlook does not have to be open to use this product.

Other notes:

We use this solution because we:

1. Have only 1 Exchange 2010 Server under 10 users with Self-Signed Certificates
2. Do not use SharePoint
3. Use Public Folders with Outlook Exchange, ActiveSync or Outlook Anywhere to share all information across the WAN or LAN or Mobile.
4. Use Outlook 2010 x64

$590 or $79? Not a hard choice for a CIO to make.