5
Working Offline

Offline synchronization and capabilities

Oracle Outlook Connector allows you to work with your Inbox, Calendar and other folders offline, just like Outlook with Exchange. You can choose which folders you want to synchronize for use offline, and specify filters to select only a subset of items in those folders.

See the Outlook online help for details on those procedures.

For your convenience, Oracle Outlook Connector also offers additional menu selections for certain commands:

To work offline:

1. From the File menu, select Work Offline.

To select individual folders for offline use:

1. From the Tools menu, select Synchronize.
2. In the pop-up list, select Make this Folder Available Offline.

To select multiple folders for offline use:

1. From the Tools menu, select Synchronize.
2. From the pop-up list, select Offline Folder Settings.
3. Check the folders you want to make available offline. You may also right-click a folder to check or uncheck all subfolders contained within it.

Switching states

Oracle Outlook Connector offers you a convenient menu command to switch between online and offline states.

To go offline or online:

1. From the File menu, select Work Offline.

Note that going online and offline triggers the same behaviour you have set for starting up and shutting down Outlook. For details, see "Starting up and shutting down".

Starting up and shutting down

Starting Outlook

You can choose to have Outlook connect automatically to your mail and calendar servers, to start automatically in offline mode, or to give you the choice each time you start up.

To choose a start-up option:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Click the Windows Start button, and select Settings.
3. Select Control Panel from the pop-up list, and double-click the Mail icon.
4. Click Oracle Outlook Connector in the list and click Properties.
5. Go to the Startup tab.

   If you want to be prompted for a connection mode each time you start up Outlook, check the Choose a connection type check box. If you want to connect automatically or work offline by default, clear the Choose a connection type check box and choose the appropriate radio button.

Shutting down

You can choose to have Outlook synchronize your offline folders automatically when you shut down, or prompt you whether to synchronize or not.

To choose a synchronization option:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Click the Windows Start button, and select Settings.
3. Select Control Panel from the pop-up list, and double-click the Mail icon.
4. Click Oracle Outlook Connector in the list and click Properties.
5. Go to the Startup tab, and click Synchronize.
6. To have Outlook synchronize all folders when you shut down, check the When leaving an online session synchronize folders check box. Then select the appropriate radio button to have Outlook synchronize automatically or ask you each time you shut down whether or not to synchronize. To never synchronize when you shut down Outlook, clear the When leaving an online session synchronize folders check box.

While Oracle Outlook Connector is synchronizing your offline folders, you may hit the Skip button to move on to the next folder or the Cancel button to close without further synchronization.

Automatic synchronization

You can choose an interval at which Outlook will synchronize your offline folders. This can reduce the amount of time Outlook takes to shut down.

To set the synchronization interval:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Click the Windows Start button, and select Settings.
3. Select Control Panel from the pop-up list, and double-click the Mail icon.
4. Click Oracle Outlook Connector in the list and click Properties.
5. Go to the Startup tab, and click Synchronize.
6. Check the When online, automatically synchronize all offline folders check box.
7. Enter a number of minutes in the box given.

Downloading the calendar server Address Book

In order to take advantage of the calendar server user and resource lists when working offline, you must download the Address Book to your offline storage file.

To download the calendar server Address Book:

1. From the Tools menu, select Synchronize.
2. In the pop-up list, select Download Address Book.
3. Use the radio buttons to choose whether to download all available information about each Address Book entry you download, or only the minimal necessary information.
4. Click Address Book to select which users and resources to download from the calendar server user and resource lists. Use the Reset button to remove all existing items from your offline Address Book.

Updating the calendar user and resource lists

You can update your offline calendar user and resource lists at any time with the most up-to-date information on the server.

1. Right-click the Calendar icon and select Properties.
2. On the Administration tab, click Reset.

Protecting your offline storage file

You can protect your offline storage files by setting a password.

To set a password for offline storage:

1. Close Outlook.
2. Click the Windows Start button, and select Settings.
3. Select Control Panel from the pop-up list, and double-click the Mail icon.
4. Click Oracle Outlook Connector in the list and click Properties.
5. Go to the Startup tab, and click Offline Folders Settings.
6. The Password Protect icon shows an unlocked combination lock if you have no password set, or a locked combination lock if you have a password set. Click the Change button to set a new password.

Click the Save this password in your password list check box to avoid having to provide your password each time you access your offline storage.