Syncing calendar to Outlook

Houndstooth · Nov 14, 2011

Hi,
I have an iPhone 4S syncing via iCloud to Outlook 2010 for PC (Win 7, 64 bit. & iTunes 64 bit also installed). The issue I have refers only to recurring appointments not single "one off" items.

I have appointments that recur in a pattern (the pattern is not important here). Any new recurring appointment made either on the phone OR on the PC WILL sync correctly and appear on the other device.

I can edit any field of the appointment (start/end time, location, notes etc.) of the series, again on either phone or PC, and the changes sync and are reflected on the other device.

If however, I edit a single occurrence of the series, (again on either device and specifically make or change a note) and save my change for that occurrence, the other device will not update or reflect the change.

No error or other dialog box appears. The syncing spinner on the phone runs. and the change is saved on the device on which the edit was done.

Does anyone have any suggestions or experience of this issue and, more importantly how to fix so as ALL changes are reflected after syncing??

Looking forward to your replies & thanks in advance.

Bluesjam · Nov 17, 2011

Are you making the changes on the Outlook calendar or the iCloud calendar?

Houndstooth · Nov 17, 2011

Bluesjam said:
Are you making the changes on the Outlook calendar or the iCloud calendar?

Thanks Blues,

If you're asking "Do I have separate iCloud and Outlook calendars?" the answer is no. I only have items in my iCloud calendar. If however, you are asking am I editing within the Outlook client on the PC & iCloud/iPhone calendar app on the phone then the answer is: either. That is, I'm not updating the same item on both phone and PC before syncing. That would cause a conflict. Rather it does not matter which calendar client I am working in, If I "break" the sequence of the recurring appointment, that individual instance of the appointment will no longer update.

Bluesjam · Nov 18, 2011

I'm a big user of the iCloud calendar, I'm going to try to edit a recurring event and see what happens.

Houndstooth · Nov 21, 2011

UPDATE:

Spoke to Applecare yesterday afternoon. Initial contact has accepted this issue as a newly discovered bug, and appears to affect only PC/Outlook users (I do not know if Mac/Outlook users are affected) and it has been escalated to software engineers for resolution.

The issue appears to be between the iCloud server and MS Outlook interface. Any changes made to an individual instance of a recurring event are not being published in the cloud, if edited on the PC, and and changes of a simmilar nature are not being published on the PC if edited from the phone despite being received by the cloud. Users in a totally Mac only environment are not affected.

I and they do not know and could not tell me if any existing edits which reside within Outlook on the PC will sync after the fix has been created. Contact stated that due to the release of iOS 5 their work load is quite heavy and a fix might take anything up to 2-3 weeks at least.

As a work-around, I would suggest that anyone who needs to edit a single occurrence of a recurring event, make the edit on the phone as it will be received by the cloud, and you will at least have a backup with transmission to Outlook after the resoloution is in place.

As I know more I will post. If any one has anything further to add please post also.

Mtnmedic · Nov 21, 2011

Are you using Outlook Connector? Works great, especially if you have a Hotmail/MSN/Windows Live account. I don't bother to use iCloud for mail, contacts and calendar. Outlook Connnector and Windows Live works beautifully to sync my stuff in Outlook 2010 (PC) with my iPhone and iPad.

Sent from my iPad using iPF.net

Houndstooth · Nov 21, 2011

Thanks for the post Mtn,

I'm sorry but I don't know what Outlook Connector is, but am happy to learn. I'm using Outlook with the iCloud addin as installed by the iCloud control panel for windows setup process. I'm not using iCloud for mail, only as a backup for contacts and calendar. I am, though exploring it's use in sharing calendars amongst the family. I don't have any other "cloud" accounts such as the ones you mentioned.

To speak generaly if Apple, or ANY other developer is going to develop software (particularly where that software interfaces with other clients) then, complete functionality needs to be maintained across ALL platforms (or at least the major ones). Beta testing needs to be through. The paradigm of "The Apple Way" or "The Microsoft Way" or any other "Way" being imposed on users has to cease, in my view. Standards and protocols must be adhered to, and their development done in consultation. Of course bugs will get through and that, it would appear, is what I have identified.

David.

P.S. (Sorry about the rant, I think I just needed to get that off my chest. Nothing personal & I didn't see your post as offensive or unduly questioning.)

Mtnmedic · Nov 21, 2011

Houndstooth said:
Thanks for the post Mtn,

I'm sorry but I don't know what Outlook Connector is, but am happy to learn. I'm using Outlook with the iCloud addin as installed by the iCloud control panel for windows setup process. I'm not using iCloud for mail, only as a backup for contacts and calendar. I am, though exploring it's use in sharing calendars amongst the family. I don't have any other "cloud" accounts such as the ones you mentioned.

To speak generaly if Apple, or ANY other developer is going to develop software (particularly where that software interfaces with other clients) then, complete functionality needs to be maintained across ALL platforms (or at least the major ones). Beta testing needs to be through. The paradigm of "The Apple Way" or "The Microsoft Way" or any other "Way" being imposed on users has to cease, in my view. Standards and protocols must be adhered to, and their development done in consultation. Of course bugs will get through and that, it would appear, is what I have identified.

David.

P.S. (Sorry about the rant, I think I just needed to get that off my chest. Nothing personal & I didn't see your post as offensive or unduly questioning.)

Hi David,

Outlook Connecfor is a little add-on from Microsoft that provides the capability for Outlook to work with the Windows Live Exchange Activesync service through Hotmail/Wimdows Live Mail. Then you can sync mail, contacts and calendar between your PC, the hotmail website mail page (you can manage all that stuff there too) and your mobile devices. It's a small file and installs pretty quickly. Nothing else to do. Then you set up your iPhone for the service (free) if you use MSN mail or Windows Live or Hotmail account (in iPhone mail account setup, select "Exchange", enter the usual info, leave "domain" blank and put "m.hotmail.com" without quotes in the server field...then select the items you want to sync and you're done). You can go to Windows Live Essentials to get Outlook Connector (just click on the link to get Essentials or Windows Live Messnger and you'll get the choices of what modules you want) or go to Outlook Connector page directly. Google both and they'll be the first hits. I really like it. If you have a lot of mail and mail folders in the account you use with Outlook, give the service time to do the initial sync with your phone.

Sent from my iPad using iPF.net