Since update to Build 9008 cannot accept appointments in Outlook email messages MAPI

Problem reported by Michael - 9/4/2024 at 4:10 PM

Being Fixed

Since update to Build 9008, when we get appointments we can no longer accept them inside the mail message. The accept / reject / tentative buttons appear for a moment and then go away.

The warning notes that "This meeting request was updated after this message was sent. You should open a later update or open the item on the calendar."

We can only accept when you open the event on the Outlook calendar.

We've opened support ticket, but so far support is not able to replicate.

Posting to the community to see if anyone else is affected or if this is somehow isolated to our environment.

27 Replies

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Brian Bjerring-Jensen - VonBjerring GmbH Replied

9/5/2024 at 12:42 AM

what version of outlook/build??

Oliver Replied

9/5/2024 at 5:53 AM

Hello,

same problem with me!

I've had a ticket with ST for over a week, but unfortunately they can't reproduce the problem in their environment so far. They were able to reproduce it with the account I provided but are still looking for the error.

The error occurs when an invitation comes via an Exchange OnPrem or M365 and the account is integrated into Outlook via MAPI.

If it is integrated as IMAP, everything works without any problems.

Tested with

Outlook 2021 Version 2408 Build 17928.20114

server

Win Server 2022, SM version 9008, German version

Michael Replied

9/5/2024 at 8:40 AM

Hey Oliver

Yea that matches our experience. Interesting to hear that you're also having the problem.

We've so far only seen it when the sender is a MS 365 account or another user/domain on the same SM Server. Interesting... It seems to be when sender is Exchange related.

Doesn't seem to affect Gmail hosted accounts. When Gmail users send us Calendar events, the accept/reject/tentative buttons show as normal.

Brian Bjerring-Jensen most are using Outlook version: 2408 (Build 16.0.17928.201114 Click-to-Run)

Oliver Replied

9/5/2024 at 10:54 AM

That's exactly how it is for me.

Michael Replied

9/5/2024 at 10:05 PM

Hope the find the cause soon! I haven't heard back on my ticket in more than a day now. Tonight's release 9014 doesn't resolve.

Oliver Replied

9/6/2024 at 4:58 AM

Which version of Windows Server are you using?

Michael Replied

9/6/2024 at 8:11 AM

Oliver - we're running Windows Server 2016 Standard, Version 1607. I see from above that you guys are on Windows Server 2022.

I'm just pulling at straws... but I wonder if it potentially has something to do with time zone or time drift / sync?

Oliver Replied

9/6/2024 at 8:51 AM

So it can't be the Windows version if we are using different versions.

I had already suspected the time zone. Our server runs on UTC+0. Also tested with UTC+2 (our time zone) -> same problem.

I will try to create a test server over the weekend and reproduce the error to make it available to the ST team.

Michael Replied

9/9/2024 at 12:21 PM

Oliver - I heard back on my ticket. It sounds like support may have been able to replicate the issue. Wondering what else you found and/or if you have a separate ticket open? I'm surprised we're the only ones affected.

Oliver Replied

9/9/2024 at 12:33 PM

@Michael,

thanks for the info. I also recently received a message on my ticket from support that they were able to reproduce the problem.

My experience is that in most cases it takes a while until the error can be reproduced. It is certainly very difficult for ST to distinguish whether an error is due to a bug in the software or whether it is a misconfiguration by the customer.

Jereming Chen Replied

9/9/2024 at 4:23 PM

Employee Post

Thank you for your understanding. Replication can certainly be difficult because of all the different variables we have to consider. We ask to verify many things about the client's environment and configurations because we need to match these as closely as possible in our testing environment as any combination could be the source of the bug.

In the case with these appointments, we have tried sending appointment invites between SmarterMail and Exchanges accounts synced over IMAP, MAPI, and EWS only to find we could not replicate until we sent from Exchange to a SmarterMail account that was synced over MAPI specifically. Even then it was originally inconsistent. I am glad we were able to replicate this for our Development team to implement a permanent fix for this issue.

Jereming Chen

Internal Network/System Administrator

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Michael Replied

9/9/2024 at 6:05 PM

Amazing news!

Thanks for the deep dive here. Excited for the fix.

Jereming Chen Replied

9/10/2024 at 8:51 AM

Employee Post

I just got word from our Development team. They have a fix they are working to implement and verify stability for the next public release. Keep an eye out for it in the coming days!

Jereming Chen

Internal Network/System Administrator

SmarterTools Inc.

www.smartertools.com

Oliver Replied

9/13/2024 at 7:20 AM

Version 9021 installed today.

When an invitation comes from M365, this is now displayed correctly in Outlook.

However, if the invitation comes from Exchange, the invitation is still displayed incorrectly in Outlook.

Michael Replied

9/19/2024 at 12:43 PM

It feels partially fixed.

Another thing we're seeing-- if the original appointment is working where you get the accept/reject buttons... if you reject and and suggest new time, then if the sender changes time to another time (not suggested)... the appointment shows tentative on the calendar as the new time... BUT again the accept/reject buttons don't show and the appointment says it's out of date.

So also something funky here with suggesting new time functionality.

Michael Replied

9/23/2024 at 5:52 PM

And if if sender UPDATES meeting ie. they change meeting time or change meeting date (that too is missing the accept/reject buttons).

Oliver Replied

9/24/2024 at 1:54 PM

I have updated to version 9028.

Everything looks good for me so far, except for one problem:

- I receive an invitation from an Exchange OnPrem account (this mail is now displayed correctly)

- I accept this invitation

- This appointment is now canceled by the sender.

- I receive the mail with the cancellation (In this mail, the buttons “Accept, With reservation, Decline and Suggest” are now also displayed. However, this is incorrect, as only the “Remove from calendar” button should appear in this email)

Again, the difference is whether the sender has an Exchange OnPrem or MS365. With Exchange OnPrem the error appears, with MS365 it is displayed correctly.

Kyle Kerst Replied

9/24/2024 at 4:59 PM

Employee Post

Hello Oliver, I'm going to set up some testing on that scenario you've outlined and should have an update for you in the morning on my results.

Kyle Kerst

Lead Internal Network/System Administrator

SmarterTools Inc.

smartertools.com

Oliver Replied

9/25/2024 at 1:41 PM

Hello Kyle,

thanks for your message.

For your information, there is already a ticket for this (34F-2E623957-0030)

Best Regards

Oliver

Oliver Replied

9/27/2024 at 7:11 AM

The problem I described on 9/24/2024 has now been resolved with version 9035.

However, I am now also experiencing the error described by @Michael from 9/19/2024.

Again, this misbehavior only occurs when the invitation comes from an Exchange OnPrem account. If the invitation comes from an MS365 account, it works correctly.

Oliver Replied

10/4/2024 at 1:50 PM

Hello @Michael,

can you exactly reproduce the behavior you described last?

Unfortunately, I can't. It occurs very rarely and even then I can't reproduce it again.

Best Regards

Oliver

Michael Replied

10/5/2024 at 1:06 PM

The issue that persists for us is... If the recipient in Outlook uses the decline and propose new time functionality... The host cannot accept the new time.

It seems still lots of functionality to smooth out still with SmarterMail and Mapi compatiblity.

Ideally a developer can play through all the functionality of sending and accepting or rejecting invites in Outlook and smooth this out.

Oliver Replied

10/7/2024 at 7:22 AM

Have you opened a ticket with SM? As I said, I can't reproduce the problem properly, so I'm no longer receiving a response from support.

Michael Replied

10/7/2024 at 7:54 AM

Yes, our ticket remains open. Hopefully we see some updates soon. Potentially we'll also be able to hear from other community users too, which would be helpful.

Jay Dubb Replied

10/7/2024 at 10:31 AM

@Michael - are you able to reproduce it reliably? If so, could you give ST access so they can reproduce it themselves using your exact environment?

Michael Replied

10/9/2024 at 11:39 AM

Sounds like ST has replicated the behavior behind Proposing / Accepting appointment times. Hopeful to see the fix in the future build. But no ETA was provided.

Oliver Replied

10/9/2024 at 12:13 PM

Thank you for the message @Michael

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