Outlook 2003 Tips

Care to share yours?

[pageoneresults]

Did you know that you can append subject lines in your saved emails in Outlook 2003? I don't recall that being an option in previous versions. Am I correct? If so, this is a great help in managing email as I do much of my communication via the Subject Line.

Just open the saved email, insert your cursor at the point to append or highlight the area to be changed. Make your change, Ctrl + S to save and its done.

Got any secrets that will make us ooh and aah? Outlook 2003 related that is. ;)

[coopster]

Actually, yes, the option to edit has been around for a bit, although I did not realize it was that easy -- you used to have to 'Edit Message' first I if remember correctly. Did you know you can also 'Edit Message' and save other messages in it as attachments?

[pageoneresults]

Did you know you can also 'Edit Message' and save other messages in it as attachments?

Do tell!

[bill]

The first thing I do with a new install of Outlook is go to:

Tools ¦ Options... ¦ Preferences ¦ E-mail ¦ Options (tab)

where I set No Automatic Filtering and check off the Don't turn on links in messages... box.

Next I go to

Tools ¦ Options... ¦ Preferences ¦ E-mail ¦E-mail Options

and check the box that says, Read all standard mail in plain text.

Then I install the free SpamBayes plug-in for Outlook and train it. Those steps save me more time than anything else.

[Vishal]

Emails Filing/Filtering
-----------------------
Outlook has a very powerful filtering system, which can be useful for filing incoming emails in proper folders.

For example, if you have subscribed to certain newletter, but don't have time to read it the day it arrives. You can create sub folders like newsletter/newsletter name & filters based on sender or header .. etc to file that email in its respective folder.

Above practice can be used to file emails from new and/or exisiting clients or from anyone in any any manner desired.

Favorite Folders
-----------------
You can create a shortcut to favorite folders. That will appear on the top right category/menu structure. It does saves few minutes every day not having to dig into sub-folders everytime.

[pageoneresults]

Outlook has a very powerful filtering system, which can be useful for filing incoming emails in proper folders.

The above in addition to using the Search Folders and the Unread Email folder are excellent for managing incoming emails.

I use the Unread Email as my primary Inbox and then have filters set up for just about every email that I receive on a daily basis.

While viewing the Unread Email pane, I will then Flag various messages with different color Flags (each color representing a level of priority).

[coopster]

Regarding 'Edit Message' and saving attachments -- it's really easy. I find it pretty convenient to keep associated messages in a single 'thread' so to speak. Let's take an online order as an example.

Aunt Bea wants to get online and with the times so I place an online order with a pc manufacturer for a pc and some peripherals. The confirmation typically comes first, so I'll rename the subject line as P1R showed earlier -- something that makes sense other than 'ORDER CONFIRMATION'. Give it a new subject like 'Aunt Bea PC/Printer/Router' or whatever. Now it is quick and easy to find. However, here come the emails ... next is usually an aknowledgment, a shipper notice, possible invoice, etc. Well, I just open the original email that I renamed and choose 'Edit Message' from the menu. Now I simply drag and drop the associated incoming messages into this open message and Save it. All the associated *stuff* that goes with that message can be located in one convenient package. I delete the originals from my Inbox as a copy is what gets placed and stored in the 'Edited' message.

Maybe it's not the best way to do this, but hey, it works for me ;)

[pageoneresults]

coopster, that's an interesting approach. I've been using the right click option. Basically you right click the message, go to Find All then Related Messages.

I like your method because it compacts everything into one message. Hmmm, I wonder if there is a way to do that all automatically. You know, like Find All > Related Messages > Compact.

[pageoneresults]

My incoming mail procedure...

1. Mail arrives and is moved to its appropriate sub folder using Outlook Rules.
   
2. Message is read and then flagged if required. At times, I will right click the message and add a reminder. Those reminders are like digital PostIts.
   
3. If the incoming mail was not assigned a Rule and it required one, I will set one up at the time the message is read.
   

That's kind of a brief rundown. When you have information coming in from over 100 forms, managing those is imperative to a successful campaign. I have everything grouped by client, year, month, etc.

And, to really add the icing on the cake, I have PDFMaker 7.0 installed and can quickly take a group of messages or a folder and make an organized pdf to send to a client. They don't manage their email like I do and many come to me for organized data that they can understand and access quickly. Ever ask a client to find something from 3 months ago in their email? lol! They deleted it right after they read it. ;)