Outlook 2016 Auto-Complete for Contact Groups Not Working

Anonymous
2017-10-22T23:34:21+00:00

Split from this thread.

Thanks to both of you for your replies and the information about how auto-complete works.  I understand the feature better now.  So it looks like even if I send an email to a group, auto-complete does not remember the group for a subsequent email.  Auto-complete works fine for individual addresses, just not for groups.

We are using Office 365 Pro Plus Version 1707, Build 8326.2073.  Someone else here using 365 (V1707, slightly later Build) does not have this issue with auto-complete remembering groups.  This is not a huge problem (costs me an extra click), but it's odd that this used to work and now it does not.  The same time that group auto-complete stopped working, the order of my address books also changed - moving my local contacts below the global contact list.  This may be completely unrelated, though.

If you have any other ideas about what may be causing group auto-complete to not work on my PC, I would appreciate those.  Otherwise, thank you again for your responses - and the auto-complete education!

Paul

Hi there,

I have this issue as well.  Autocomplete DID work with distribution lists in Outlook 2010.  So this is another handy feature that Microsoft has removed in 2016/365?

Thank you!

Connie

Office 365 ProPlus Version 1700, Build 8431.2079

Outlook | Windows | Classic Outlook for Windows | For home

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Anonymous
2017-11-14T03:13:13+00:00

Hi All,

I want to inform you that we are definitely looking into this issue. It is currently being investigated, and we will update you as soon as we have a possible resolution for this issue. For now, you can pick up the local contact group from the address book or roll back to the earlier version via https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/2770432/how-to-revert-to-an-earlier-version-of-office-2013-or-office-2016-clic

I apologize for any inconvenience caused by this issue, and do appreciate your patience and understanding.

Best Regards,

Erick

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  1. Anonymous
    2017-11-17T22:26:24+00:00

    The suggestion to go back to an earlier version is not really a comfortable one. I feel Microsoft should fix the disabled feature and let us stick to enhancements in the product. It doesn't make sense to revert to earlier version just to enable one feature at the cost of losing hundreds of other improvements in the last two years.

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  2. Anonymous
    2017-11-17T15:59:16+00:00

    In each of my contacts, the Internet sections show the email address (*** Email address is removed for privacy ***) and the Display as section shows the name followed by the email address in parenthesis "Bob (*** Email address is removed for privacy ***)."

    When I start a new email and start to type bob, autocomplete shows a gray circle with initials and to the right "Bob" and below it his email address. So I don't have the problem you are experiencing.

    I'm running Version 1710 (Build 8625.2127). Office didn't automatically update. I had to click Update Options and select "Update now."

    Hi Ray,

    Yes, I get exactly the same thing, but when I actually select "Bob", only "Bob" is displayed in the To: line.  What I want to see displayed - as it was before some update - is "To: Bob (******@address.com)".  Instead, what I now see is "To: Bob".

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  3. Anonymous
    2017-11-17T12:14:17+00:00

    Wow. Maybe I was just to quick and impatient... Seems like the old way was still easier, they would pop up right away rather than having to right click after almost 10 seconds, and selecting the one you wanted. Before just two letters, maybe a down arrow to select the right group and enter to select.

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  4. Anonymous
    2017-11-17T12:11:35+00:00

    I agree, the old way was faster

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