Is there a way to share a master category list in Microsoft^® Outlook^®?

In Microsoft Outlook, you can add new categories to the default Master Category List. This default Master Category List can not be shared with other users in your network, without a 3rd party tool like: Public Categories

Outlook doesn't have an import/export Master Category feature, so other than exporting the registry and overwriting the entry on other computers, you cannot easily share custom categories.

For Outlook 97-2003, Microsoft describes a way to export the registry and import this registry key on other PCs. However, serious problems could occur if you modify the registry incorrectly. In Microsoft Outlook 2007/2010, there is no way to export the registry to share a Master Category List. Outlook 2007/2010 does not use the registry for a master category list; they are stored in the default message store (mailbox or pst).

Public Categories solves this problem by sharing a Master Category List in your network.

Why Public Categories for Outlook?

Public Categories for Outlook enables you to centrally administer the maintenance of your categories easily and fast, and for all Outlook versions directly in Outlook. You no longer need to manually export and import registry entries between computers.

After installation, you can administer your existing categories in Public Categories. They're stored in a folder in Outlook, and you can define where the central category list is stored. Also, if you use public folders in Public ShareFolder or Microsoft Exchange Server, you can store the Public Categories list in a public folder so that all users have direct access to it.

After Public Categories is configured, it monitors the shared category list. Depending on the settings, the local categories are automatically updated with the central categories. Alternatively, the user is informed of the change and can decide whether the categories should be updated.

If you use Outlook without public folders but still want to easily transfer categories to other computers with Outlook, Public Categories offers you a simple solution. Since the central category list of Public Categories is stored in a posting in Outlook, you can save it as a *.msg file on the file system. Then, you can copy that file into another computer with Outlook and use Public Categories to import the categories.

Who needs Public Categories?

• All Outlook, Exchange or Public ShareFolder users, categorizing shared contacts, tasks, e-mails and appointments in Outlook with several users.

Benefits of Public Categories

• keep the same categories for all users and with all supported Outlook versions
• easy centralized administration of the shared category list directly in Outlook
• the central category list can be made accessible across the network with Public ShareFolder or an Exchange Server
• category colors of Outlook 2007 are supported and can therefore be kept consistent company-wide
• storage of the central category list in plain text in a posting
• easy backup of the central category list, because the single posting (message) can be saved and will be saved with the PST file
• administrators can directly edit the central category list

Demo version / Prices:

Public Categories is shareware. You can test the software before you buy it.

In this demo version you can do all things except updating the local master category list from the shared category list, that function is deactivated.

Download demo version: Download

Price list of Public Categories: price list

Contakt / Support:

For all additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:

SDMD GmbH,c/o Oliver Vukovics, Pulverteich 20-22, 20099 Hamburg, Germany: info@publicshareware.com

Public Categories supports Microsoft Outlook 2000 - Microsoft Outlook 2010 (32-Bit).

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