Obscure Outlook bug - flag automatically changes to completed

October 1, 2014 6:47 AM

When I try to flag an email message in Outlook for follow-up, it automatically/instantly changes to completed. What gives?

I am using Outlook 2007 and Windows 7. When I try to click a mail message in Outlook to flag it for follow-up, it instantly changes to a check-mark "completed." I.e., the red flag changes to a check mark in less than one second. I have not been able to google any answers, mainly because the search terms bring up all kinds of stuff about "automatic flagging" as a feature.

posted by Mid to Computers & Internet (8 answers total)

This may be a dumb suggestion but have you checked whether your mouse is accidentally doubleclicking when you intend to single-click? I've had that happen before with people either do to a hardware problem with their cheap mouse or due to them somehow managing to change a setting. It's surprising how long one can sometimes go without noticing that every click is a double.
posted by Wretch729 at 7:35 AM on October 1, 2014

Right click a flag on an email (in the list view). You should get a pop-up menu with "Set Quick Click..." and check that you don't have Complete as your quick click value.
posted by blue_wardrobe at 7:46 AM on October 1, 2014

Response by poster: I checked the quick click and the double click suggestions - that's not it. I did notice one new weird thing though. As I said, when I click the flag, it first turns to a red "to do" flag, but then almost immediately turns into a check-mark. I realized that if I then do a quick Control-Z, the check mark turns back into a red flag.
posted by Mid at 2:34 PM on October 1, 2014

How *exactly* do you try to set the flag?
posted by blue_wardrobe at 4:38 PM on October 1, 2014

Response by poster: I just right click one time on the little outline of a flag next to the message. It turns red, then check mark.
posted by Mid at 8:44 PM on October 1, 2014

If you right click on the flag next the message in Outlook 2007, depending on your account type, you should be getting either Option A (a pop-up menu with the flags at different durations, like this), or Option B (a pop-up menu with just "Flag Message" and "Clear Flag", like this). Which do you get, what sort of account are you using (Exchange, POP, IMAP), and who is your email provider?
posted by blue_wardrobe at 9:36 PM on October 1, 2014

Response by poster: Sorry, I meant left click. I left click and it goes red flag then complete. If I right click I get the Option A list. I am using Exchange through a work server.
posted by Mid at 9:06 AM on October 2, 2014

Hmm. Then I would suspect the interaction of a rule (in Outlook, or in Outlook Webmail - the rules can be different), or of another mail client you are using elsewhere - even Outlook on a different machine with a rule that is setting Completed on Flagged Items. The fact it takes a second kind of implies there's something else doing this. But as to what...?
posted by blue_wardrobe at 12:11 PM on October 2, 2014