Exploring Outlook

1. Exploring Outlook • Outlook is a powerful information manager • You can use Outlook to perform a wide range of communication and organizational tasks, such as sending, receiving, and organizing e-mail; organizing contact information; scheduling appointments, events, and meetings; creating a to-do list and delegating tasks; and writing notes • Six main components • Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes, and Journal

2. Starting Outlook • Click the Start button on the taskbar, click All Programs, click Microsoft Office, and then click Microsoft Office Outlook 2007

3. Navigating Between Outlook Components • You can click any button in the Navigation Pane to display a folder’s contents in the main window

4. Creating and Sending E-mail Messages • E-mail, the electronic transfer of messages between computers, is a simple and inexpensive way to communicate with friends around the corner, family across the country, and colleagues in the same building or around the world • An e-mail address is a user ID and a host name separated by @

5. Choosing a Message Format • Outlook can send and receive messages in three formats: HTML, Rich Text, and plain text

6. Adding a Signature • A signature is text that is automatically added to every e-mail message you send

7. Using Stationery and Themes • Stationery is an HTML file that includes complementary background colors, images, or patterns • A theme includes complementary backgrounds as well as otherdesign elements such as fonts, bullets, colors, and effects

8. Creating an E-mail Message • Click the New button arrow on the Standard toolbar, and then click Mail Message • Type recipient e-mail address(es) in the To box (separate by semicolons) • Type recipient e-mail address(es) in the Cc box and the Bcc box, as needed • Type a topic in the Subject box, and then type the message body • Format the message as needed • Click the Send button

9. Setting the Importance and Sensitivity Levels • You can add icons that appear in the message pane of the Inbox to provide clues to the recipient about the importance and sensitivity of the message

10. Creating a Contact • Click the New button arrow on the Standard toolbar, and then click Contact • On the General page, enter the contact’s name, job title, company, mailing address, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and Web site (click the down arrow to select other address, number, or e-mail options) • In the Show group on the Contact tab, click the Details button, and then enter other business or personal data as needed • In the Actions group on the Contact tab, click the Save & New button to create another contact or click the Save & Close button if this is the last contact • If the Duplicate Contact Detected dialog box opens, select whether to add the contact anyway or merge with existing contact, and then click the OK button

11. Creating a Contact

12. Switching Contact Views • All of the information about a contact is called a contact card • Views specify how information in a folder is organized and which details are visible

13. Creating and Modifying Distribution Lists • A distribution list is a group of people to whom you frequently send the same messages, such as all suppliers • Click the New button arrow on the Standard toolbar, and then click Distribution List • In the Members group on the Distribution List tab, click the Select Members button • Click the Address Book arrow, and then click Contacts • Double-click the names you want to add to the distribution list, and then click the OK button • Click in the Name text box, and then type a contact name for the distribution list • In the Actions group on the Distribution List tab, click the Save & Close button

14. Creating and Modifying Distribution Lists

15. Receiving E-mail • You check for new e-mail messages by clicking the Send/Receive button on the Standard toolbar

16. Replying to and Forwarding Messages • Reply responds to the sender, and Reply to All responds to the sender and all recipients (including any Bcc recipients) • Forward sends a copy of the message to one or more recipients you specify; you enter the e-mail addresses in the To or Cc box

17. Working with Attachments • An attachment is a file that you send with an e-mail message

18. Flagging and Color Coding Messages • Some messages you receive require a specific response or action • A flag is an icon that appears in the message header to indicate the item has been added as a task • You can also choose six preset color categories or add others to better organize or rank your messages

19. Organizing and Managing Messages • You should create a logical folder structure in which to store your messages • One method for keeping messages organized and the Inbox uncluttered is to move a message out of the Inbox as soon as you have dealt with it • Rather than manually filing messages, you can create rules that specify how Outlook should process and organize them • Each rule includes three parts: the conditions that determine if a message is to be acted on, the actions that should be applied to qualifying messages, and any exceptions that remove a message from the qualifying group

20. Organizing and Managing Messages

21. Rearranging Messages • Rather than searching through multiple folders, you can have Instant Search find the desired message (or any other Outlook item) • Open the folder you want to search • Type the search text in the Instant Search box. • To narrow your search, you can click the Expand Query Builder button, and then enter additional criteria

22. Rearranging Messages

23. Using Search Folders • Search Folders are folders that display any e-mail messages that match specific search criteria

24. Sorting Messages • Sorting is a way to arrange items in a specific order—either ascending or descending • Ascending order arranges messages alphabetically from A to Z, chronologically from earliest to latest, or numerically from lowest to highest • Descending order arranges messages in reverse alphabetical, chronological, or numerical order

25. Sorting Messages

26. Storing Messages • You can store messages by saving them in other file formats or by archiving them • You can use the Save As command to save messages and other Outlook items in other file formats • When you archive a folder, you transfer messages or other items stored in a folder (such as an attachment in the e-mail folder) to a personal folder file when the items have reached the age you specify • A personal folders file is a special storage file with a .pst extension that contains folders, messages, forms, and files

27. Deleting Items and Exiting Outlook • After you finish working with Outlook, you should exit the program • Unlike other programs, you don’t need to save or close any files