MAPI Client Application Overview
Applies to: Outlook 2013 | Outlook 2016
A MAPI client application is any application that uses the MAPI programming interface. Client applications implement messaging tasks as either their primary or secondary focus. Messaging client applications, such as applications that send and receive email, implement messaging as their primary focus. For non-messaging client applications, such as inventory or configuration applications, messaging is a secondary feature.
Messaging activities can include, for example, a word processing application that has a Send command on its File menu to enable documents to be sent, Microsoft Office Outlook email, work flow automation programs, and bulletin board services.
Client applications can either include the user to create an interactive environment or operate without a user in an automated environment. Although MAPI supplies a set of common dialog boxes with its standard user interface, client applications are not required to present a user interface. In fact, all processing can be handled in the application, if you want. An example of an automated client application would be an inventory management application that is programmed to route items of a particular type to standard recipients on a regular basis.