Simple ways to fix the Outlook Error: The action cannot be completed.

Introduction

When a new Exchange mailbox is setup with the Outlook a user have to come across an error stating:
“The action cannot be completed.”
while adding multiple numbers of recipients from the address book.

Scenario

Outlook is repeatedly showing an error when I try to add a multiple numbers of recipients from the address book. The error displayed is as follows:
“The action cannot be completed.”
The above error appears in all versions of Outlook i.e Outlook 2010- 2013-2016. All these things are occurring after migrating to the updated local Exchange environment and shows after adding lots of recipient from the address book.

Reasons for the error:

There are various cause of the above error. Following are some of the important reasons resulting the above error:

1. Address absent from the auto-complete list and added in the suggested contacts list. Since the suggested contacts folder is separated from the default contacts folder it causes problem in fetching contacts from the address list and result in showing such error.
2. Due to incompatibility of credentials format with Microsoft Office.
3. Contacts is manually configured to be hidden from Global Address List.
4. The above issues sometimes arises due to problem with the Exchange Recipient Update Service.

Method to resolve the error:

Solution 1

The below methodology most effectively applies, when the user’s mailbox is not connected with other Exchange users.

1. Go to Exchange Admin Centre
2. Click on Recipients
3. Now go to Mailboxes and browse the user
4. Double click on the user account and unchecked the address list field
5. Rebuilt a new Outlook profile, and hide the user account from the exchange after the successful login from the Exchange.

Solution 2

Firstly, be sure to check that the user’s mailbox is already present and ensure to match it with the same name. If it exists then follow then follow the below steps:

1. Press Windows+R
2. Type ADSIEdit.msc and press ENTER
3. Right click on the ADSI Edit and choose on select a well known naming context radio button

4. Choose on Default naming context
5. Browse the user having no issue in his profile, then go to OU having user account and find the folder.
6. Right lick on the user’s folder and click on properties
7. Locate the attribute displayed in the showInAddressBook and select it

8. Now click on Edit, it will open the Multi-valued String Editor and will display two entries
9. Now copy the entry by from Value to add dialog box by selecting any one entry and then click on Remove. Now paste the text in the Notepad as it will be needed afterwards for the value to the account having problem.

10. Now repeat the same steps as above for editing Multi-valued string for the second entry
11. Browse the OU having the issue
12. Locate the user account folder from the OU and right click on it, to select Properties

13. There you will find showInAddressBook attribute having no value set. So Outlook is unable to locate the user account.

14. Double click on the showInAddressBook attribute.
15. Paste both the value passed in the Notepad earlier starting with “CN=All Users and CN=Default Global Address List in value to Add field of the Multi-valued String Editor.

16. Click twice on OK and exit from the ADSI Edit console
17. Now recreate the user’s Outlook profile. And check if the bug is resolved

Solution 3

If the above solution didn’t work then something is wrong with Auto-discover process.

1. Use manual setup process to bypass Autodiscover. Confirm to configure the Exchange proxy settings.
2. Reconfigure the Mail profile with turning off the caching. After connect back to exchange turn On the caching again.

Simple ways to fix the Outlook Error: The action cannot be completed. Clark Kent 4.5 of 5

Introduction When a new Exchange mailbox is setup with the Outlook a user have to come across an error stating: “ The action cannot be c...