Q130968 - PRJ4: Task Request: Adding Fields to a Workgroup Mail Message

PRJ4: Task Request: Adding Fields to a Workgroup Mail Message

Q130968

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Project for Windows, version 4.0

SUMMARY

When you use the Workgroup "Send Task Request," "Send Task Updates," and "Request Task Update" commands in Microsoft Project, a combination of the following fields are sent: Task Name, Start, Finish, Duration, Work, Remaining Work and Comments (Notes).

A common request is the ability to add more fields to the mail messages that are sent to the resources working in the project.

The Send Task Request, Sent Task Updates, and Request Task updates are all based on a single method called "MailSendProjectMail." One parameter that can be specified is "Fields."

The Fields parameter allows you to specify the names of one or more fields that can be included in your mail message. The resource who receives this mail message, however, will not be able to edit the fields specified in the Fields parameter.

MORE INFORMATION

The easiest way to include the Fields parameter with your Workgroup commands is to edit the menu bar.

To edit the menu bar

From the Tools menu, choose Customize, and then choose Menu Bars.

Select the Standard menu bar and click the Copy button.

Scroll to the Tools menu section and search for the Workgroup Menu Item subheading. Under the Workgroup subheading, you will find the Menu Items for Send Task Request, Send Task Updates, and Request Task Update.

The Macro/Command for the Send Task Request will read:
```
      MailSendProjectMail 
```

Select this field to edit the command and change it to read:
```
      MailSendProjectMail Fields:="Project,Text1[Description]" 
```
With this modified command, the Send Task Request will include the standard fields of Task Name, Duration, Start, Finish, and Comments. With the added Fields parameter, the mail message will also include the Project field, containing the name of the project file, and the Text1 field which will be titled "Description" in the actual mail message.

Choose OK and then Apply the new Copy of the Standard menu bar.

To use this new Send Task Request, select a task with a resource assigned. From the Tools menu, select Workgroup, and click Send Task Request.

To add the Project and Text1 fields to the Send Task Updates and Request Task Updates, repeat the procedure, and edit the Copy of the Standard menu bar again.

The default command for Send Task Updates and Request Task Updates are as follows:


   MailSendProjectMail MessageType:="TaskUpdates"

-and-


   MailSendProjectMail MessageType:="UpdateRequest"

You can change these commands in the same manner as you change the Send Task Request. Change these commands to read:


   MailSendProjectMail MessageType:="TaskUpdates",Fields:="Project,Text1"

-and-


   MailSendProjectMail MessageType:="UpdateRequest",Fields:="Project,Text1"

REFERENCES

For more information about the MailSendProjectMail method, choose the Search button in Microsoft Project Visual Basic Reference Help and type:

mailsendprojectmail

Additional query words: Email columns additional

Keywords : kbcode kbprg
Issue type : kbhowto
Technology :