Help Center

Error - Could not connect to Outlook to create mail item

Problem

This error is being returned via the System and displayed by LawMaster.

In every instance of this issue, the error was either caused by:

  1.  The user doesn't have sufficient Windows permissions to drag and drop from Outlook
  2. Anti-virus/security suite blocking communication
  3. Another Add-in is causing an issue
  4. The Outlook Addin XML file has been corrupted
  5. More than one version of VSTO (Visual Studio Tools for Office Runtime) is installed
  6. There is an issue with the users Outlook, Office or Windows profile.

 

Solution

Suggested troubleshooting steps for your IT are as follows:

  1. The user doesn't have sufficient Windows permissions to drag and drop from Outlook 
    1. If the user can't drag and drop anything out of Outlook to their Desktop then they don't have sufficient Windows permissions.
    2. Enabling them to drag and drop items out of Outlook on to their desktop should then resolve the issue LawMaster.
    3. If running Outlook as an Admin enables the dragging and dropping of items out of Outlook then this is a sure sign the issue is Windows permission related and so your IT should be able to resolve this issue.
  2. Anti-virus/security suite blocking communication 
    1. Disable the anti-virus/security suite
    2. Restart the PC
    3. Is the issue resolved? 
      1. If the Anti-virus is causing the issue either set LawMaster as an exception or try a different security suite.
        NOTE: LawMaster does not support Webroot.
  3. Another Add-in is causing an issue 
    1. Disable all Outlook Third Party Add-ins (especially Abode Acrobat DC plugins)
      NOTE: LawMaster does not support Abode Acrobat DC (only Adobe Reader and Nitro PDF Pro)
    2. Restart the PC
    3. See if that resolves the issue 
      1. If the disabling of the third party Outlook Add-ins resolves the issue then enable the other third-party add-ins until the one causing the issue is identified.
  4. The Outlook Addin XML file has been corrupted 
    1. Make sure there are no scripts altering the OutlookAddInLocations.xml file
    2. Close LawMaster and Outlook
    3. Browse to C:\Users\<<Windows Username>>\AppData\Roaming\LawMaster\PracticeManagement\
      1. Where <<Windows Username>> is the Windows user name of the person logging into the PC with the issue.
    4. Delete OutlookAddInLocations.xml
    5. Re-open LawMaster which will re-create the OutlookAddInLocations.xml file
    6. Re-open Outlook
  5. More than one version of VSTO is installed 
    1. Make sure only VSTO 4.0 is installed.
    2. This can be downloaded by going to LawMaster > Menubar > Client Service Centre > Other Downloads

  6. There is an issue with the users Outlook, Office or Windows profile. 
    1. If not, close LawMaster and Outlook (if open)
    2. Uninstall LawMaster (3 applications)
    3. Restart the PC
    4. Re-install LawMaster
    5. Log into WIndows as the user, open LawMaster and Outlook
    6. Log into WIndows as the user, close LawMaster and Outlook
    7. Go to C:\Users\<<Windows Username>>\AppData\Roaming\LawMaster
    8. Rename the PracticeManagement folder to PracticeManagement.OLD for example
    9. Log into WIndows as the user, restart LawMaster
    10. Close LawMaster
    11. Copy the files in the root directory (not the folders) from PracticeManagement.OLD to PracticeManagement
    12. Open LawMaster and Outlook
    13. If that doesn't help then I suggest a repair to the user's Outlook profile
    14. If that doesn't help then I suggest a repair to the user's Office profile
    15. If that doesn't help then I suggest a repair to the users Windows profile

Updated