Problem with AutoResponse when incoming mail was sent "on behalf"

[dmkAlex]

We set up rules to Auto respond to a certain type of emails we receive. These emails come from Paypal and most of the time it has the member's email address on the "Send from" area.

But, some of them has the following there "sendmail@paypal.com; on behalf of; xxxx@xxxxx.com ".

If we hit the Reply button, the member's email will be placed on the To: field and we are able to response directly to the member.

Outlook seems to be confused when it sees the "on behalf" situation. Most of the time, the Auto-reponse rule would not execute. Even if when it responses, it uses "sendmail@paypal.com" as the recipient's address instead of the member's. Of course, it wouldn't get to the member.

Is there any work around so we can auto response properly even when the mail is "sent on behalf". The member's email address is there.

Thanks.

 

[go4itboy]

Hi, Did you get anywhere with this problem?
I have repeatedly asked PayPal about it, but as most of their Customer Service clients do not seem to understand English, I have not had much joy. I have snail mailed David Clark, their Compliance Officer and asked him to look into it, but as expected I got no reply.
G4B

 

[dmkAlex]

I think the issue with PayPal send on behalf is their capacit issue. When the main server is busy, they just farmed it out to other auxilary server to do their automated emails.

I don't think there is a fix to it directly.

But I had come up with a work around. I have written a macro in Outlook that will response to the incoming payment advise. Not quite autoresponse. But since I am on Outlook 10 hours a day, I can highlight the emails and click a button and send out the response quite efficiently.

Here is the code:

Sub AutoRepy_Pmt()
Dim SafeItem, oItem
Dim OlApp As New Outlook.Application
Dim OlExp As Outlook.Explorer
Dim OlSel As Outlook.Selection

xAns = MsgBox("Are you sure?", vbYesNo + vbDefaultButton1, "Auto Response to Payment Receive")
If xAns = vbNo Then Exit Sub

Set SafeItem = CreateObject("Redemption.SafeMailItem") 'Create an instance of Redemption.SafeMailItem
Set OlExp = OlApp.ActiveExplorer
Set OlSel = OlExp.Selection

replyText = "This is an automated response to the payment you sent through PayPal." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & _
"We will process your payment shortly and you will receive advise regarding shipping schedule " & _
"and method." & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & "Thanks." & vbCrLf


For x = 1 To OlSel.Count
Set myReply = OlSel.Item(x)
SafeItem.Item = myReply
DorR = SafeItem.ReceivedByName
frWho = SafeItem.SenderEmailAddress
Set myReply = OlSel.Item(x).reply
SafeItem.Item = myReply

SafeItem.Body = replyText & vbCrLf & vbCrLf & DorR
SafeItem.SentOnBehalfOfName = DorR & "@att.net"

If frWho = "sendmail@paypal.com" Then
SafeItem.Send
End If

Set myReply = Nothing
Next x
End Sub

Alex

 

[jerblaster23]

I am having the same problem I tried your macro and when I run it I receive the error "the operation failed" I am running it on Microsoft Outlook 2003 on Windows XP. Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

I don't know much about programming or macros but I found this page:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa209971(office.11).aspx

which explains how to use the macro, I changed my macro security level in outlook to low, saved the macro in using the outlook visual basic editor and ran it. when I run it it asks I first receive "auto response to payment received" yes / no after I click yes I receive the error.

My paypal payment notifications are in text format not html but that shouldn't matter, appreciate your input and you writing the macro, hope to get it running soon.

 

[dmkAlex]

That routine works. But we have since been given up in programming in Outlook.

VBA in Outlook is very unstable. It corrupted the dll file and we we were not able to go into VBA editor or Macro at all.

We reinstalled it and it worked for a while but then it bombed out again.

Just not worth the frustration.

Alex

 

[jerblaster23]

I see, any other ideas for a workaround within outlook? there is a add on called "Auto Reply Manager Add-in for Outlook" I requested they fix the problem and they say they will in their next release.

see:

http://www.emailaddressmanager.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=594

hopefully they will come through.