Using OSX Mac Automator - New Service - Create Outlook Attachment

Another option:

If you drag a file to the Outlook icon in the Dock it will create a new message with the file as an attachment.

Thanks Diane, that works great, great tip, thanks!  Do you know why I am getting the above error and what I can do to fix this?  I had this working but I uninstalled Office 2011 and reinstalled and now I cannot get this to work.  I THINK I had the basics of the default first value of take files/folders from Finder and pass that to Add Attachment to Message and I think that worked, but now it doesn't.  When I use the Create new Outlook Mail message it seems to get caught up on the account being used, default.  NONE of the other accounts show and I'm not sure how to fix this, always getting the class "error" when I try and use this.  Would you happen to know if there is another way to make this work, a different command or option?  It used to work and I love this option and now I can't get past the inability to use the Default account shown in Automator for these messages :-(

Thanks for any other points you might have :-)

...Ryan

I'm able to make this work with the OSX Mail Application, so I'll just use that.  After a weekend of investigating why I cannot get Automator to work with Outlook 2011, it's just easier to use Mail or drag-n-drop the file onto the Outlook icon on the Toolbar, pretty cool tip thanks Diane.  Thanks for all the help, but I don't see any other postings on this problem and/or how to fix it, so I have workarounds or other solutions, good enough for now.

Thanks again for all the insights, tips-n-tricks and workarounds, I think I'm set!

...Ryan

I suggest you test in a new User to eliminate any issues in your current User.

CREATE A NEW USER

Go to System Preferences --> Create a New User in Accounts. Switch to the New User by logging out/in or use Fast User Switching.

Open Outlook. It won’t be in the Dock in the new User. Go to Applications to open.

Do you still see the issue?

    If yes, then the problem is with your base files.
    If no, then the problem is in your User's folder.
 

It's possible when you re-installed Office it did not get the automator actions installed properly. I have the following Automator files with Outlook in the name in installed.

/Library/Automator

Add Attachments to Outlook Messages.action
Close Outlook Items.action
Create New Outlook Mail Message.action
Delete Outlook Items.action
Forward Outlook Mail Messages.action
Get Selected Outlook Items.action
Get Selected Text from Outlook Items.action
Get Text From Outlook Mail Messages.action
Insert Content into Outlook Mail Messages.action
Mark Outlook Mail Message as a To Do Item.action
Open Outlook Items.action
Paste Clipboard Content into Outlook Items.action
Print Outlook Messages.action
Quit Outlook.action
Reply to Outlook Mail Messages.action
Save Outlook Draft Messages.action
Save Outlook Items as Files.action
Save Outlook Messages as Files.action
Search Outlook Items.action
Send Outgoing Outlook Mail Messages.action
Set Category of Outlook Items.action
Set Outlook Contact Properties.action

Not many users take advantage of Automator actions or scripts.

You might some of the scripts useful:

http://www.scriptsformac.com/script-download-index/outlook-for-mac-scripts/