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Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 can now provide full Unicode® support. Using
Outlook in Unicode mode is especially advantageous for organizations with
multilingual needs and — because Outlook Unicode-formatted files have higher
storage capacities than non-Unicode files — for users who need very large
Outlook files.
Taking advantage of Unicode support in Outlook depends on users' Microsoft
Exchange Server version and other criteria that are checked when users run
Outlook. If the criteria for using Unicode are met and users are running in
Unicode mode, Unicode is used throughout Outlook when used with Exchange Server
(for e-mail messages, the Address Book, and so forth).
To determine whether to use Unicode mode or non-Unicode (ANSI) mode, Outlook
evaluates a set of requirements and options. One requirement for Unicode mode is
that users must have Exchange 2000 or later accounts. Outlook also checks the
formats — Unicode or ANSI — of users' Offline Store (OST) files and the default
archive files. Finally, Outlook checks the format of users' PST files that are
used as a delivery location (if any).
Caution
Switching between Unicode mode and non-Unicode mode (ANSI) can cause data loss
in multilingual text fields or prevent text from being readable. For this
reason, users who begin using Outlook in Unicode mode should continue to use
Unicode mode.
If you want users in your organization to use Unicode for Outlook, you can use
several methods to deploy Outlook so users can run in Unicode mode. One
deployment option is to encourage Unicode usage by establishing an environment
in which, for most users, the criteria that Outlook checks to allow Unicode mode
are met. Unicode is used by default if the criteria are met, unless you set
options to use ANSI. Another option is to require Unicode for Outlook usage
(when supported by an appropriate Exchange Server version) by setting options
that create new Unicode user files automatically, if that is necessary for
Outlook to run in Unicode mode. Or you can use a combination of these
approaches.
Coordinating Cached Exchange Mode and Unicode deployment
If you plan to deploy Cached Exchange Mode with Outlook 2003, you may want to
configure and deploy options for migrating users to Unicode mode first. Cached
Exchange Mode synchronizes users OST and Offline Address Book (OAB) files with
Exchange Server data. When you deploy Unicode options to users, synchronizing
OST and OAB files might also be required.
For example, Outlook files are synchronized with Exchange Server in the
following Unicode deployment scenarios:
 When you deploy a new offline Outlook profile — for example, to move current
offline users to Unicode mode — Outlook synchronizes OST and OAB files, after
creating the new files for users as part of the new profile.
When Outlook users are moved to an Exchange 2003 server with a Unicode OAB, the
new OAB is downloaded.
In scenarios like these, you may want to wait to deploy Cached Exchange Mode
until after you have deployed Unicode options for your organization. This will
help minimize the load on your Exchange servers and the time users spend
downloading data to their computers.
Facilitating usage of Unicode mode by Outlook
Using Unicode for messaging and other Outlook features has benefits that you may
want your users to be able to take advantage of, without mandating that everyone
migrate to Unicode mode directly when Outlook 2003 is installed. To facilitate
greater usage of Unicode mode, you can help provide a messaging environment
configured to help Outlook be able to run in Unicode mode.
Since Outlook uses Unicode mode by default if all criteria it looks for are met,
take steps to make sure that the requirements are met, such as the following:
1. By using the Custom Installation Wizard, create a new Outlook profile to deploy
to users. By default, a new offline profile creates a new OST file for users and
a new default archive file, both of which will use the new Unicode file format.
2. Ensure that in the new Outlook profile, users' Exchange accounts are on Exchange
Server 2000 or later.
3. Deploy Outlook to your users.
You can deploy Outlook using your organization's standard Office deployment
method.
It is straightforward to create and customize a new Outlook profile by using the
Custom Installation Wizard.
To create new Outlook offline profiles for users
1. In the Custom Installation Wizard, on the Outlook: Customize Default Profile
page, click New Profile.
2. In the Profile name box, type a name for the new Outlook profile, and
then click Next.
3. On the Outlook: Specify Exchange Settings page, click the Configure an
Exchange server connection radio button.
4. In the User Name box, leave the default user name system variable or
enter a different variable.
5. In the Exchange Server box, enter the name of an Exchange server. (The
Exchange server name will be replaced with the correct Exchange server when the
user starts Outlook for the first time after upgrading.)
Note that the Exchange server with the user account must be running Exchange
2000 or later for Outlook to run in Unicode mode.
6. Click More Settings.
7. On the Microsoft Exchange Server page, select the Enable offline use
check box to deploy a new OST file, and then click OK.
8. Click Next.
After completing your customizations for Outlook in the Custom Installation
Wizard, you click Finish to create a transform (MST file), and then
deploy Outlook to your organization with this transform. For example, you might
use Microsoft Systems Management Services (SMS) or Group Policy software
installation to deploy Office software. Other options include having users run
an Outlook Setup command line from the administrative installation point or
creating a custom CD and providing it to your users.
Group Policy Tip
Unicode format is used for new PST files by default. You can also set a policy
to enforce Unicode format for new PST files. In Group Policy, using the Outlook
ADM file (Outlk11.adm), go to User Configuration\Administrative
Templates\Microsoft Office Outlook 2003\Miscellaneous\PST Settings and
double-click Preferred PST Mode (Unicode/ANSI). Click the Enabled
radio button to enable configuring the policy, and then in the Choose a
default format for new PSTs drop-down list, select Enforce Unicode PST.
Enforcing Unicode mode for Outlook users
There may be scenarios in which it is important that all users in an
organization are migrated to use Unicode mode in Outlook when Outlook 2003 is
installed, without modifying all users' profiles. You can enforce migrating
users to Unicode by making sure that the criteria that Outlook uses for
determining if users run in Outlook mode are met, or that Outlook takes steps to
help ensure that Unicode file formats are used in users' profiles by creating
and synchronizing new Outlook files if necessary.
The first criterion for using Unicode mode is that users must use Outlook with
Exchange Server 2000 or later.
Next, Outlook checks the format of a user's OST file to determine if the file
format is Unicode or non-Unicode (ANSI). If the format of the OST file is ANSI,
Outlook will run in ANSI mode. However, you can set a policy so that when
Outlook checks the file format, if a user has an ANSI OST file, a new Unicode
OST file is automatically created and synchronized with Exchange Server. You can
define the policy so that users are prompted with a dialog box that notifies
them that their new OST file is about to be synchronized with the Exchange
server, so users can confirm to proceed with the update at that time. Or you can
require that new OST files be created without providing users the option to
defer the action.
Outlook next checks the file format for the user's default archive file (if one
exists). You can set a policy that will automatically create a new Unicode
default archive file as well. (Users can still access ANSI archive files.)
Unlike the policy that manages new Unicode OST files, you cannot provide the
option for users to defer creation of a new default archive file.
Finally, if a user's mail delivery location is a PST file, Outlook checks the
delivery PST file to determine if the file format is Unicode. However, you
cannot require a new Unicode PST file to be created to replace the existing PST
file if Outlook determines that a user has an ANSI PST file. In this scenario —
where Outlook delivers to ANSI PST files and you want to require Unicode mode
for users — you can instead create and deploy new profiles to users with the
delivery location set to new PST files, which will be Unicode by default.
Pointing Outlook to use a new delivery PST file automatically — without users
themselves specifying the change — might lead users to believe that their
existing mail has vanished. Older mail is still in the original PST file but
that file is no longer in the user's profile and is therefore not accessible by
default. Users would need to manually add the older PST file back to their
profile to access the information. Because the PST file being removed from the
user profile can be perceived as data loss by users —though the data still
exists, it is not where users can readily see and access it — the option to
automatically switch to a new Unicode PST is not provided.
You may want to carefully time the implementation of the policies that might
create and populate new Unicode files. When Outlook creates and synchronize new
Unicode OSTs and default archive files, users must wait for server data to be
downloaded. You should also make sure that users have synchronized with Exchange
Server prior to the new policies taking effect. Any local changes that have not
been synchronized — such as e-mail messages in a user's Outbox or updates to
Contacts information — will be lost.
To enforce Unicode mode in Outlook
1. In Group Policy, load the Outlook 2003 template (Outlk11.adm).
2. Under User Configuration\Administrative Templates\Microsoft Office Outlook
2003, click Exchange Settings.
3. Double-click Exchange Unicode Mode — Ignore Archive Format.
4. Click the Enabled radio button to enable configuring the policy.
5. Select the Ignore existing format of the Archive PST check box, and then
click OK.
6. Double-click Exchange Unicode Mode — Ignore OST Format.
7. Click the Enabled radio button to enable configuring the policy.
8. In the Choose whether existing OST format determines mailbox mode
drop-down list, select Create new OST if format doesn't match mode. Users
will be prompted for the file name of the new OST file.
–or –
To prompt users with a dialog box allowing them to defer creating a new OST,
select Prompt to create new OST if format doesn't match mode. Users will
be prompted to decide whether to create the new OST file now or later, and then
(if they choose to create the file now) for the file name of the new OST file.
–or –
To avoid any user prompts, select OST Format determines mode.
9. Click OK.
After completing your customizations for Outlook in the Custom Installation
Wizard, you click Finish to create a transform (MST file), and then
deploy Outlook to your organization.
Using Unicode format for Outlook messages dragged to the desktop
When you use the Microsoft Windows® drag-and-drop feature to drag an Outlook
item to the Windows desktop, the format of the file that is automatically
created is Unicode by default. You can configure a default option by using the
Custom Installation Wizard to use ANSI for the message format instead of
Unicode.
To use Unicode format for message files that are dragged to the desktop from
Outlook
1. In the Custom Installation Wizard, on the Change Office User Settings
page, click the plus sign (+) next to Microsoft Office Outlook 2003.
2. Under Tools | Options\Other\Advanced, double-click MSG Unicode format
when dragging to file system.
3. Click the Apply Changes radio button.
4. Clear the Check to set messages as Unicode format. Uncheck for ANSI.
check box.
5. Click OK.
Note
If you drag an Outlook item into the body of a message that you are composing
when using Microsoft Office Word 2003 as your e-mail editor, the format of the
item will be ANSI regardless of the setting specified in the MSG Unicode
format when dragging to file system policy. However, if you drag the item to
the Attachments box in the message instead, the file format policy will
be followed. | 
