One mailbox, multiple Outlooks
"We use Outlook." It sounds like a simple statement, but it rarely describes a single application.
Within the same Microsoft 365 tenant you'll often find people using classic Outlook for Windows, New Outlook, Outlook on the web, Outlook for Mac and Outlook on their phone. They all connect to the same mailbox, but they aren't the same product.
That matters more than many organisations realise.
One mailbox, different applications
The various Outlook clients share a name and connect to the same Microsoft 365 mailbox, but they're built differently, updated on different schedules and don't always support the same features.
From a user's perspective they're all simply "Outlook". From a developer's perspective they're different hosts with different capabilities.
An add-in that works perfectly in one Outlook client may have reduced functionality, or no support at all, in another.
Why this catches organisations out
Most add-ins are evaluated by one person on one device.
If everything works during that test, it's easy to assume the rollout will be equally successful across the organisation.
Then the support requests begin.
Someone is still using classic Outlook because of another business application. Someone works entirely from Outlook on the web. Someone uses a Mac. Someone spends most of their day on Outlook Mobile.
The add-in hasn't necessarily failed. It may simply be running in a host with different capabilities.
Host support matters
Microsoft provides a common add-in platform, but not every Outlook host exposes the same functionality.
Some features are available everywhere. Others are only supported in specific Outlook clients. In some cases a feature can degrade gracefully. In others it simply isn't available.
That's why "Works with Outlook" isn't enough information when evaluating an add-in.
The important question is which Outlook clients it supports, and whether any features vary between them.
How Liscaragh Save approaches it
Liscaragh Save supports:
- New Outlook for Windows
- Classic Outlook for Windows
- Outlook on the web
- Outlook for Mac
A mobile version for iOS and Android is not currently available.
One feature does vary between Outlook hosts. Shared mailbox detection is available in modern Outlook clients such as New Outlook and Outlook on the web. On older hosts, Liscaragh Save simply falls back to saving from the primary mailbox rather than failing altogether.
Where functionality differs between Outlook clients, it's documented rather than hidden.
Before rolling out any Outlook add-in
Before deploying an add-in across your organisation, it's worth answering a few straightforward questions.
Which Outlook clients are actually in use?
Have you tested on each one your business relies on?
Does the vendor publish a supported host list?
Are there any features that behave differently depending on the Outlook client?
None of those checks take very long.
Finding the answers after users have already started raising support tickets usually takes much longer.
The question worth asking
Before deciding an Outlook add-in is suitable for your organisation, ask whether it supports the Outlook applications your users actually run, not just the one it was demonstrated on.