Exchange Outlook Subfolder Question

[melrosemark]

Trying to get up to speed on my new phone. I had help setting up my email app to my Exchange email account today, and it seems to sync just fine with my messages. The problem is that I have dozens of subfolders in my Outlook to help separate and save various emails from various projects. Many incoming emails are moved to various subfolders automatically with "Rules" for me to read later based upon priority.

As far as I can tell the Droid only provides an alphabetical listing of all these subfolders which is difficult to manage. So if I want to jump to a folder starting with the letter "V" it's a lot of scrolling down each time I want to view the contents of that subfolder. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[melrosemark]

Trying to get up to speed on my new phone. I had help setting up my email app to my Exchange email account today, and it seems to sync just fine with my messages. The problem is that I have dozens of subfolders in my Outlook to help separate and save various emails from various projects. Many incoming emails are moved to various subfolders automatically with "Rules" for me to read later based upon priority.

As far as I can tell the Droid only provides an alphabetical listing of all these subfolders which is difficult to manage. So if I want to jump to a folder starting with the letter "V" it's a lot of scrolling down each time I want to view the contents of that subfolder. Any suggestions? Thanks.

 

[huskerkate]

is it an Exchange server account? if so, i use Touchdown. i have LOTS of subfolders, and the stock email on my D1 was cumbersome to use, as well. i bought Touchdown ($20, but well worth it!!) and found that the organization of subfolders was much better! i highly recommend it. you can download a free app for a 7 day trial just to check it out and decide if you want to buy it...

for example, you can choose which subfolders you want it to sync. so, if a project is dormant for a while, and you aren't actively using it, you can choose not to sync it. also, when you tap it to switch to a subfolder, you can either scroll through the folders or you can tap "recent", and it will only show you the folders you have been using recently. this cuts down on scrolling through all the folders.

also, unlike the stock Droid email (at least on the D1), TD allows you to attach a signature line to outgoing emails. it also has a calendar and contacts folder built in, separate from the Droid contacts and corporate calendar. they work pretty well, altho i still like the Droid contacts better...

 

[melrosemark]

Thanks

I appreciate the suggestion. Any other solutions out there?

 

[takeshi]

Fewer subfolders.

Or try another Exchange client (you don't have to use the stock apps) that allows you to choose which subfolders to sync -- assuming that there are some you don't want synced.

 

[melrosemark]

Guess I don't understand the process well enough. Not sure I understand what an Exchange "client" really is. I am using the "email" app that came with the phone. Is there another app that is free preferably that would accomplish the same management of the emails better than the "email" app that came with the phone? There was a recommendation for "Touchdown" but that is $20.00 and I was wondering if there is something else free or cheaper?

 

[takeshi]

Moxier, RoadSync, HTC Work Email. I can't recall which ones offer the ability to choose subfolders to sync though.

 

[dylanthecat]

Just to confirm, I have Touchdown and you can select which folders you want to sync. You maybe then could only sync the important ones and not have to scroll down so far. I am not sure I really understand the original question though. If you have a whole lot of sub folders, how else would you get to the "V" without scrolling there or typing "v"?

 

[nateccnn]

Guess I don't understand the process well enough. Not sure I understand what an Exchange "client" really is. I am using the "email" app that came with the phone. Is there another app that is free preferably that would accomplish the same management of the emails better than the "email" app that came with the phone? There was a recommendation for "Touchdown" but that is $20.00 and I was wondering if there is something else free or cheaper?

Outlook is an exchange client (assuming you set up "Exchange Account" instead of pop3/smtp). Any email program that is installed on a workstation or smartphone that syncs with an exchange server is technically an exchange client. Exchange is the server and the software on the workstation is the client.

I used Touchdown for a while. It is nice and user friendly. But I found I did not need it so I let it go before the trial ended. Try it for the trial period and see if it does what you want...then decide if it is worth 20 bucks to make your life simpler.

Just to clear it up...an Exchange Client will SYNC messages between the server and the client and usually leave messages on the server so more than one client can sync the same messages (desktop and smartphone for example showing the same messages). Typically on a POP3/SMTP or IMAP cleint you will delete the message from the server once it is downloaded to the client. That's the big difference. Now...a POP3/SMTP can leave messages on the server and an Exchange client can delete those messages. But in general terms, that would be how you would set things up. There is always more than three ways to skin a cat in the IT world so I reiterate, this is in very general terms.

Nate

 

[nateccnn]

Just to confirm, I have Touchdown and you can select which folders you want to sync. You maybe then could only sync the important ones and not have to scroll down so far. I am not sure I really understand the original question though. If you have a whole lot of sub folders, how else would you get to the "V" without scrolling there or typing "v"?

I think he wants sub-sub-sub folders.

Main Folder
....Sub-Folder 1
....Subfolder2
..........Subfolder V

It's just a way of sorting more than anything else. Wants it to match his workstation maybe?

Nate

 

[melrosemark]

OK, this is helping a lot, and I believe I now understand at least the subject matter. I am using a true Exchange server, with the standard email client that came with the phone. Not a POP3 setup. I have half a dozen main email folders I work with all the time on my desktop such as General Inbox, Office Inbox, Listservs, Experts, etc. On the next level down for example in Listservs I have multiple folders where incoming listserv messages are automatically routed with Rules. Under those Listserv folders, and others, I have saved messages in subfolders for easy reference later.

So now when open the email app on the phone I see a general alphabetical list of every main level folder, next level folder, and lower level folders. As far as I can tell using the QWERTY or any soft keys you can't jump to the letter "S" in this list of all the folders (which probably contains a hundred total folders). So each time I want to access the "Software" folder for example, I have to flick and scroll all the way down. In reality I just need access to 6-8 folders most of the time but they are scattered alphabetically. When I work on my desktop using Outlook they are easily arranged in a "tree" so that you can just click quickly on the main folders, or just open up the subfolders between one particular main tree to find what you need.

Hope this makes sense. Any further thoughts?? Thanks again.

 

[Sweet Kitten Feet]

Try touchdown. It's free for 30 days. I was sold after a week. If you don't like it simply uninstall it.

 

[melrosemark]

Thanks I give it a try.
mark

 

[ITguy11]

Agreed, Touchdown will sync your Droid with Exchange the way you want it to. The $20 is hard to swallow, but well worth it. Google should buy Nitro-Desk (makers of Touchdown) and include it in Android by default (free).