Types of forms in Outlook

To create a custom form in Microsoft Outlook, you always begin by choosing one of the Outlook default forms. In most cases, the type of form you want to customize is determined by what type of solution you are creating. The following table lists the types of forms and how they would typically be used.

Form	Description
Contact	Use to keep track of information about a person or organization.
Distribution List	Use to create a lists of contacts and e-mail addresses that can be used as a single e-mail address.
Task	Use to track information about a task that needs to be accomplished.
Mail Message	Use to send information to someone in a specific format, or to provide a means for them to enter data so that they can send it somewhere.
Post	Use to facilitate a threaded conversation in a Microsoft Exchange public folder, or use for other purposes, such as posting file attachments to a folder.
Appointment	Use to represent a meeting or scheduled event.
Journal Entry	Use to log information about another item or an event.

Following are some things to consider when deciding which type of form to use:

What is the nature of the solutions you are creating? If the form will be sent, then an e-mail message would be appropriate. If the solution will be used to track information in a folder, then a post, contact, task, or appointment form would be more appropriate.
Which form most closely provides the needed functionality? The default Outlook forms may provide much of the functionality, so you should choose the one that would require the least customization.
Which standard fields are available for the form? Each Outlook form has its own set of standard fields to keep track of information for those types of items. You should consider using the form whose fields most closely match you needs.
Which pages of the form are customizable? Some pages on Outlook forms are not customizable, although you can hide them if you want.