MAPIEx vs different versions of Outlook

[MałgorzataKrycz]

Hello, I built a process with a use of MAPIEx VBO. The process runs on general mailbox, to which several people have access. These people have different versions of Outlook installed on their PCs: 2010 or 2016. I noticed that this causes problems with actions Get Mail and Move Mail: when I run the process on PC with Outlook 2016, then MAPIEx can't see folders created in older version and the other way round. As a consequence action Move Mail creates a duplicate of existing folder instead of moving the mail to the proper one. Any clues how to solve this issue? Thank you in advance. Note: I do not open Outlook at all, mails are processed directly on a server.

[Denis__Dennehy]

Your robots should all be on the same version of 32bit outlook for your Mapiex interfaces (if nothing else to make supporting your infastructure easier).   I cannot see how the versions of Outlook other people are using could possibly impact anything - you will all be using the same exchange servers.  What I would question is a solution design where manual people are accessing the same mailboxes as the robots - that sounds like something you should seriously stop doing - i envisage people accessing emails at the same time as robots potentially causing issues. A good email design will have dedicated mailboxes for each of your RPA solutions used only by the robots.  The robots can then email other human accessed mailboxes to pass work on etc. The other thing to watch out for is that you are using environment locks for your email logic to ensure multiple robots are not loading work in the WQ and working the same cases at the same time  

[MałgorzataKrycz]

Hello, Thank you for quick response and valuable advices. Unfortunately we have a good reason for not upgrading Outlook on the workstation used by robot. Not going too much into the details, it most probably will cause bigger problems in other part of solution. For me it is also very strange that different versions of Outlook have infuence on MAPIEx - as mails are processed directly on the server and as far as I know it is the same Microsoft Exchange server, but it doesn't change the fact that the problem is there. To give more details: people will not use the particular folder of mailbox later on, they will use subfolders. The purpose of the robot is to distribute incoming mails between subfolders or to forward them to particular employees after analysing conditions in external tools. Subfolders were created by employees before automating the process was in use. Regadrs, Małgorzata

[Anonymous]

I just came across this topic searching for something else, but reading your comment I would try the following if possible: 1. Rename the current folders (for example, add '2' at the end) 2. Let the robot generate the new folders automatically 3. See if it works. If it does, copy the contents of the '2' folders in the new folders. If it doesn't, rollback deleting the new folders and rename the '2' folders. Certainly no expert, but maybe it is the folders being created with different versions?

[MałgorzataKrycz]

Yes, that's what we did finaly. Client accepted this way of working despite rejecting it in the beginning. However, I am still not satisfied as it is just a workaround rather than solution for the problem. Many thanks for help anyway!