The default Status value that is assigned to emails synced via Salesforce for Outlook is not the oldest Status value, but rather the first Status value on the list that marks an Activity as Completed.
For example, the Status picklist had the following options:
- Not Started
- In Progress
- Completed
Then, I inserted a new option before "Completed":
- Not Started
- In Progress
- Completed through another activity
- Completed
When I sync an email with Salesforce for Outlook, the email is not recorded with Status set to "Completed". Instead, the email is now logged with Status set to "Completed through another activity".
To fix this problem, all I have to do is reorder the picklist so that "Completed" comes before "Completed through another activity". There is no need to delete any picklist options and then recreate them.