Your Outlook Questions Answered
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E-mail is fast becoming the default way to communicate at work. Quick and simple to use, yet powerful and clever enough to share information and get the point across, e-mail is improving all the time. But getting the most out of your e-mail isn’t always that easy.
We asked our At Work Newsletter subscribers to write to us with their Outlook questions and problems to get them answered, and the response was overwhelming! We have taken the top ten and provided some advice and information about how to get the most out of you and your mails at work.
Backing-up your e-mail and your contacts
Making back-up copies of your e-mail and your contacts can save you time, energy, and money by avoiding repeat work and lost data. Saving this important and potentially private information can be done quickly and easily, and with the added functionality of Outlook 2003 this can be automated to make sure you never forget!
Learn more:
- Back-up your Outlook e-mail
- Back-up your Outlook Contacts
Setting the right language for you
When composing important e-mails it is essential to get the language and spelling correct to create a professional and readable mail. We’ve all come across the frustrating problem of Outlook having English (US) as the default language. Learn how to change your default language settings for Outlook, and all other Microsoft Office Programs, and have them stay that way!
Learn more:
- Change the default language setting in Outlook
- Switching dictionaries in Outlook
Outlook and Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
Using Outlook with ISPs can be troublesome at times. Development in technology, mergers and other changes might require you to make alterations of your own, some of which might not be as straightforward as they first sound. In addition to this you might not want to be tied in to the e-mail system your ISP uses, preferring the familiarity and functionality of Outlook.
Learn more:
- Change your ISP e-mail account information
- Use Outlook with AOL mail
- Change your account settings
Sending mass e-mails / creating an e-mail campaign
Sending mass mailings is a quick and effective way for communicating the same information to a wide number of people. Using tools such as Distribution Lists, List Builder, and Business Contact Manager makes this simple and easy to do.
Learn more:
- Create a distribution list
- Sending mass mails with List Builder and Business Contact Manager
- Using mail merge for mass mailings
Working with Contacts
Your contact information can be some of the most important data you hold. You can store multiple phone numbers and e-mail addresses, add photos, link them to other items such as notes and meetings, and share their information with others. Getting the most out of your contacts, and keeping them safe, is simply and easy with Outlook.
Learn more:
- An introduction to Contacts
- Beyond the basics – getting more from your Contacts
Adding Pictures and Graphics to e-mails
Adding pictures, animated graphics, and linked / embedded files is a great way to add something different to your e-mails. Share that important presentation, emphasise a point, or simply grab someone’s attention. However, if you don’t know what you’re doing mail sizes can balloon, or pictures will not display…not very impressive! Learn all about how to make files suitable to be sent, the difference between attachments and embedded files, and finally, how to add them effectively to your e-mail.
Learn more:
- Add a picture to a message
- Add an animated graphic to a message
- Link and embed files
Working with Delegates
Managing your own calendar can be difficult at times. Managing someone else’s even harder, especially when you’re not configured correctly. With the Delegate Access feature in Outlook 2003 it is now easier to manage someone’s calendar, or even have your calendar managed for you. Request and accept meetings, schedule appointments, and even share an entire mailbox with a few simple steps. (Please note: you need a Microsoft Exchange Server account to work with Delegates).
Learn more:
- Delegate access basics
- Manage calendars and e-mails as a delegate (Demo)
- Changing delegate permissions
Accessing your mail away from the Office
Access to your e-mail anytime and anywhere is becoming increasingly essential in day-to-day work life. Just because you’re not in the office doesn’t mean that work stops, and it is guaranteed e-mail doesn’t! Getting access to your mails away from the office used to be hard to do, but with Outlook and Exchange this is no longer the case. Now, using Outlook and receiving your mails remotely is so easy and seamless you’ll never feel out of the loop again.
Learn more:
- Access your mailbox remotely
- Access your mail using Outlook Web Access
Working with Notes
Notes are the equivalent to Post-It notes for your computer. You can use them to jot down questions, ideas, reminders, and anything you would write on note paper. Store phone numbers, directions, or even just pieces of information you might need later on. Share them with colleagues, attaché them to mails and meeting requests, and store them in one simple location so you don’t lose them.
Learn more:
- Create a note
- Share your notes
- Beyond the basics – doing more with notes
E-Mail Rights Management
E-mail is fast becoming the quickest and easiest way to communicate. But with sensitive business information sometimes being involved it is important that you know how to keep this information secret from prying eyes! Information Rights Management (IRM) prevents messages being forwarded, printed, or copied by unauthorised users, giving you peace of mind that what was meant for one person isn’t seen by hundreds. (Please note: you need a Microsoft Exchange Server account to work with IRM).
Learn more:
- Introducing Information Rights Management
- Create an e-mail with restricted permissions
- Manage business e-mail (Demo)
