Outlook 2019 having issues with 'people search' and not making suggestions in email To: etc

[astro46]

Locally Installed version of Outlook in Office 2019, (not 365).

From beginning, 3 days ago, there have been problems with finding contacts. Sometimes the entire name has to be typed. This happens in 'search people' . and not finding names when typing into email To: fields. I can use drop down to select name. then it will suggest that name later. Same with entering groups.

I have the Outlook contact folder picked as default in data, and set as address book. I do not use contacts at the onedrive site.

In ver. 2016 it all worked fine.

any suggests on what settings to check?
Or am I better off going back to Office 2016? I don't know of anything that is especially better in ver 2019, only that support will continue for a few more years.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

It should work but sounds like the auto complete list might be corrupt - that is assuming it used to work. It's also possible an update cleared the autocomplete list - the timing fits with the latest released update.

 

[astro46]

Diane, thanks for suggestion.
I tried emptying the autocomplete. didn't help.
When I ask to check names in email To: field, it comes back with 'Outlook doesn't recognize XXXX', when I ask to show more names it always is looking in the outlook.com data file. I would have to keep switching to the .pst data file. Frankly I would like to totally remove the outlook.com data file from outlook since it has always been a source of annoyances, but it seems to be necessary using calendar, which syncs to my iphone.
perhaps the problem is outlook defaulting to the .com data file. in control panel>mail>data files I have outlook.pst set as 'default. the outlook.com file is also listed.

Jeffrey

 

[Schendel]

I've noticed this as well. It's a huge step back. Do you think MS will address this in an update?

 

[astro46]

I've noticed this as well. It's a huge step back. Do you think MS will address this in an update?

In the past MS hasn't shown itself to be responsive to problems. They're more focused on the next sales pitch.

Our best hope is that Diane has a workaround or solution for this issue.

 

[Diane Poremsky]

Open the address book, then go to it's tools > options. Set the search order to custom and arrange the contacts folders in the order of folder with the most contacts. That should solve the check names problem, although it shouldn't be a problem if the contacts folder is enabled as an address book as outlook will check every contacts folder until it finds a match (then quit searching additional address books).

 

[astro46]

Thanks Diane. this seems to have fixed the People Search.

Still having problem with Outlook finding suggestions for names in email.
- type a name in To: field (if the name has been used previously it will appear as suggestion).
- In OL16 a red line would eventually appear under the name, allowing me to click and pick among the choices.
-Now I have to click 'check names', it then tells me 'no suggestions",
-click on "show more names" which gives a list of names with the one I want, generally right at the top.

Why isn't OL19 offering the names as suggestions in the email, as OL16 did? Is there a setting missing? Or a service that may have been turned off?

Jeffrey

 

[astro46]

Diane,
I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling office 2019.
I still do not see, when addressing an email, the red squiggly line below a newly used name, or the pop up window asking which possible name do I want to select. It only tells me 'no suggestions'.

This must be a setting, missing service, or something else, on this new computer, as I tried installing Office 2019 on laptop and it works ok there.

Thanks for any suggestions.
Jeffrey

 

[misha]

I also tried to install office 2019 but its showing error in installing it

 

[astro46]

Seems like this is worse than i thought. Apparently not a OF19 problem. I installed OF16 and having the same issue with Outlook not being able to suggest contacts ('check names') when addressing an email. A some setting or service on this new computer? I have not been able to figure out what it is.

 

[astro46]

in Outlook options both 'automatic name checking' and 'auto complete' are checked.

 

[misha]

in Outlook options both 'automatic name checking' and 'auto complete' are checked.

YES IT IS CHECKED .BUT STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY

 

[astro46]

I think that I have solved the problem. took hours of searching and trial and error. I looked again at the address book options (where diane pointed me to, above). I noticed that in addition to global address book (whatever that is?) there were 2 "contacts" address books. one was already at the top of the list. I added the second one, moved it to top of list, removed the other one. and check names started giving options. I suspect that simply adding the second address book would have fixed it. I guess global wasn't so global.

I knew that both my local email account and the outlook.com account had "contacts" named address books. I tried to rename them from several places but it wouldn't work. Obviously, if they had different names this whole problem might have been more easily solved. But confusion and inefficiency is a hallmark of microsoft. they are loath to give it up.

I have yet to see the red wavy line appear.