Outlook Desktop vs. AHAU 260 (web)

First and foremost, these are technically different solutions: Outlook for Desktop can only work with the Microsoft Outlook for Desktop version, but with any email provider, whereas the web version can operate on different clients: Outlook for Desktop, OWA, Mobile Outlook, Outlook for Mac, but only with Microsoft Exchange email accounts.

Therefore, if you have a Microsoft 365 (Office 365) subscription, the web version might be more suitable for you. However, it's important to understand that the web version only works with Microsoft Exchange email accounts, meaning you cannot work with SMTP email services that you have added to Outlook.

Regarding functionality, the Outlook for Desktop version offers deeper integration, while the web version provides broader integration, including, for example, Chrome and Adobe Extensions, HubSpot integrations, Word, Excel, Microsoft Project, and many others.

 

Let's examine the main features:

Convert Email to Task

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260 better

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260 better

The plugin records an ID in the subject email and then identifies which task the email relates to. This is convenient and simple, and your colleagues can also see this connection.

Cons: You cannot link more than two emails to an email.

The plugin adds Email ID and Task ID to its database for your AHAU account. This allows adding many tasks to one email; moreover, documents, contacts, etc., can be added to the email.

Cons: The email subject does not change, making it harder to understand that this email is related to a task.

Sync Calendar

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

Tasks assigned to a user, open and current according to time filters, are shown in a special calendar. Opening a task in the calendar brings up a panel with task details.

Cons: The calendar only syncs when Outlook is open, additionally burdening it.

 

Tasks assigned to a user, open and current according to time filters, are synced to the calendar in the background. However, when opening an event in the calendar, you will only see a link to the task.

Cons: There is no native task editing form directly in the calendar.

 

Task Navigation

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

All available tasks are synced as Outlook tasks and saved in an Outlook folder, allowing users to use Outlook for navigation, filtering, sorting, setting views.

Cons: Tasks only sync when Outlook is open, further burdening it.

 

User tasks can be found through search, and the list of your tasks and tasks related to email, added to the workspace, are displayed on pages and do not require synchronization.

Cons: There is no full task navigation, filtering, view editor.

 

Task Edit Form

Outlook Desktop better

AHAU 260

Outlook Desktop better

AHAU 260

Provides detailed editing form, file uploading, custom fields, weekly time logs, HTML editor.

Provides a basic editing form, without custom fields.

Compare Features

Feature

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

Feature

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260

Task list / Views / Filtes / Sorting

Export Calendar time to time logs

Sync Calendar

Sync Microsoft Todo

Adobe CC Extenison

Chrome Extension

HubSpot Extension

Microsoft OneDrive

Google Docs

Workspaces / Teams / Share

Jira

Asana

Birdview

Redmine

Timers

Post Time Logs

Weekly Time Logs

Microsft Teams

Convert to

Custom fields

Data Sources

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260 better

Outlook Desktop

AHAU 260 better

The plugin for Outlook for Desktop only works with one type of task management system at a time.

Conversely, the web version allows working with Birdview, Jira, Asana, Redmine, as well as Microsoft 365, Google (Documents), HubSpot (Contacts).

We recommend using the trial period to see what suits you better.