INTRODUCTION TO

MICROSOFT OUTLOOK
WITH OFFICE 365
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT OUTLOOK WITH OFFICE 365.............................................1
Add an email account to Microsoft Outlook on a PC or Mac computer.........................................8
How to add an email account to Outlook on your PC..........................................................................8
How to add an email account to Outlook on your Mac................................................................10
Outlook 365 Interface..................................................................................................................................13
Ribbons in Microsoft Office 365................................................................................................................14
Why use the new Ribbon?......................................................................................................................14
Whats new?....................................................................................................................................................15
Working with message folders..................................................................................................................18
Default folders...........................................................................................................................................18
Emailing...........................................................................................................................................................20
Compose & Send New Emails With Microsoft Outlook.................................................................20
Create a New Outlook Message...........................................................................................................20
How to Fill Out the Email Header Info (To, From, and Subject)...................................................21
Copy Someone on MS Outlook (Cc, Bcc)..........................................................................................22
Formatting features in Outlook.................................................................................................................24
How to Remove Text Formatting in Microsoft Outlook.................................................................25
Attaching a File or Item to a MS Outlook Email Message.............................................................26
Inserting a Link Into an MS Outlook Email Message.......................................................................28
Adding a Photo to an Outlook Message............................................................................................28
Add a table to a message......................................................................................................................30
Reduce the size of pictures and attachments in Outlook email messages...............................31
Resize a picture.........................................................................................................................................32
Resize a picture to exact dimensions..................................................................................................32
Compress pictures to reduce file size.................................................................................................32
Send a link to the file...............................................................................................................................33
Copy a sharing link from another cloud storage service...............................................................33
Compress your files before sending....................................................................................................33
 Creating a Signature................................................................................................................................34
To create an e-mail signature...............................................................................................................34
Reviewing Your Message........................................................................................................................35
Send Your Outlook Email Message.....................................................................................................36
Save a Message a Draft..........................................................................................................................36
Discard an Microsoft Outlook Email Message..................................................................................36
Reply to or forward an email message...............................................................................................36
Use @mentions to get someone's attention.....................................................................................37
Use @ in the body of a message or meeting invite........................................................................37
Search for messages that mention you..............................................................................................38
Flag email messages for follow up.......................................................................................................40
How to Flag Received Email in Outlook.............................................................................................40
How to Flag Email You Send in Outlook............................................................................................40
How to Mark Flags as Completed in Outlook...................................................................................41
Flagging Messages in Outlook: Instructions......................................................................................41
Rules.................................................................................................................................................................43
Creating rules in Outlook:......................................................................................................................43
Automatically forward email using rules.............................................................................................46
Move a Message Into a Folder Using a Rule.....................................................................................50
Rules Wizard..............................................................................................................................................51
Access the Rules Wizard.........................................................................................................................51
Choosing a template From the Outlook Rules Wizard...................................................................52
Customize the Rule Conditions.............................................................................................................53
Customizing the Rule Actions...............................................................................................................53
Import or Export a Rule...........................................................................................................................54
Export a Rule..............................................................................................................................................54
Import a Rule.............................................................................................................................................55
Edit a Rule...................................................................................................................................................56
Editing Multiple Rule Settings................................................................................................................57
 Quickly Rename the Rule........................................................................................................................57
Add or Change One or More Rule Actions.......................................................................................57
Deleting a Rule..........................................................................................................................................58
Set an Out of Office Message in Outlook (Automatic Away Reply)................................................59
Create a Message Template..................................................................................................................59
Test the Outlook Away Message..........................................................................................................62
Turn the Outlook Away Message Off..................................................................................................63
Format Your Out of Office Message Appropriately........................................................................64
Organize Your Outlook Email Inbox Efficiently.....................................................................................65
Categories.......................................................................................................................................................65
Microsoft Outlook Folders......................................................................................................................65
Microsoft Outlook Categories...............................................................................................................65
How to Use Folders..................................................................................................................................66
Microsoft Outlook Categories...............................................................................................................66
Use Categories to Get More Organized in Outlook........................................................................67
Rename a Category.................................................................................................................................67
Delete a Category.....................................................................................................................................68
Apply a Category to a Message...........................................................................................................69
How to Remove a Category from a Message or Change It..........................................................70
Archive or Delete Old Messages & Clean Up Your Mailbox.............................................................71
Delete Old Messages...............................................................................................................................71
Manually Archive Messages...................................................................................................................72
Set Up Archive Parameters....................................................................................................................73
Outlook Cleanup Tool.............................................................................................................................73
People..............................................................................................................................................................76
Create an Outlook Address Book.........................................................................................................76
Change the default Address Book.......................................................................................................78
MS Outlook Calendar...................................................................................................................................79
View a Calendar Thumbnail...................................................................................................................79
 Open Your Calendar View.....................................................................................................................80
Change Your Calendar View.................................................................................................................81
Appointments and Tasks creation........................................................................................................82
Set Up a New Appointment...................................................................................................................83
Set Up a New Meeting............................................................................................................................86
Delete a Calendar Item...........................................................................................................................91
How to Get Your Outlook Calendar to Send You Reminders.......................................................92
How to Share a Microsoft Outlook Calendar....................................................................................93
Share a Calendar through Email...........................................................................................................93
Share a Calendar by Publishing It Online...........................................................................................94
Contacts in Outlook......................................................................................................................................96
Create New Contacts in MS Outlook..................................................................................................97
Add Contacts to Outlook From Your Address Book.......................................................................98
Add Contacts to Outlook from an Email..........................................................................................100
Add an Image to an Contact...............................................................................................................101
Delete a Contact.....................................................................................................................................102
Build a Contact Group..........................................................................................................................103
Add Contacts to an Outlook Contact Group..................................................................................105
Rename a Contact Group....................................................................................................................107
Change the Contacts in an MS Outlook Contact Group.............................................................108
Delete a Contact Group........................................................................................................................109
Share a Contact or Contact Group in Outlook...............................................................................109
Practical Ways to Use Your Contact Groups...................................................................................110
Print contacts, messages, or other Outlook items.............................................................................110
Print a single contact........................................................................................................................111
Views..............................................................................................................................................................112
Create, change, or customize a view................................................................................................112
Change your font or font size in the Reading Pane......................................................................113
Creating a new view..............................................................................................................................114
 Use Search Folders to find messages or other Outlook items...................................................116
Create a new Search Folder................................................................................................................116
1. Create and use predefined Search Folders.........................................................................116
2. Create a customized Search Folder......................................................................................116
Create and use predefined Search Folders.....................................................................................116
Create a customized Search Folder..................................................................................................116
Delete a Search Folder..........................................................................................................................118
Find people and contacts.....................................................................................................................118
Search for a contact in the People pane..........................................................................................119
Backup and Restore Emails in Microsoft Outlook..............................................................................120
Outlook Exercises........................................................................................................................................127
Exercise 1. Customize Mail layout..................................................................................................127
Exercise 2. Create and automate email signatures....................................................................128
Exercise 3. Create an email template............................................................................................130
Exercise 4. Manage email settings.................................................................................................132
Exercise 5. Searching emails............................................................................................................133
Exercise 6. Adjust email viewing options......................................................................................135
Exercise 7. Filing your emails...........................................................................................................137
Exercise 8. Applying flags and categories....................................................................................139
Exercise 9. Schedule an out of office message...........................................................................141
Exercise 10. Customise calendar settings...................................................................................142
Exercise 11. Share your calendar..................................................................................................143
Exercise 12. Group shared calendars...........................................................................................144
Exercise 13. Schedule a meeting..................................................................................................145
Exercise 14. Respond to meeting invitations.............................................................................146
Exercise 15. Print your calendar....................................................................................................147
Exercise 16. Add notes to a contact............................................................................................147
Exercise 17. Create a contact group............................................................................................148
Exercise 18. Create a contacts folder...........................................................................................148
Exercise 19. Share a contacts folder............................................................................................149
Exercise 20. Create folder groups for contact folders.............................................................150
Exercise 21. Create a task...............................................................................................................151
Exercise 22. Assign the task............................................................................................................152
Add an email account to Microsoft Outlook
on a PC or Mac computer
When you install and run Outlook for the first time, you'll be prompted to add an email
account. Without one, you can't send or receive any email.

However, once you've added your first account, it can be difficult to remember how to add
another.

Here's how to add an email account to Outlook, whether you're using it on your PC or Mac.

How to add an email account to Outlook on

your PC
1. Click "File" in the top-left, and then click "Add Account."
2. In the pop-up window, you can enter the email address of the account you want to add
and click "Connect." If you want to set up the account manually, click "Advanced options,",
then click "Connect." If Outlook recognizes your email account, it will ask you to enter your
password and complete the setup.

If it's a straightforward webmail account (like Gmail), Outlook can usually do it automatically.
If you're configuring an IMAP or Microsoft Exchange account, though, it's often faster to
choose to do it manually.

Most email accounts can be added automatically with a username and password, but others
will need a manual approach.

3. If you need to configure your account manually, choose the type of account you're setting
up. The most common options include Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365, POP, and IMAP.
You can find this information using Google to figure out what type of email account you
have.

4. Follow the remaining instructions to configure the account. Depending on the type of
email account you're adding, you may need to specify the incoming and outgoing email
server names, port numbers and encryption methods. You can get all these details from your
email provider's website or technical support. If you are adding an Exchange server to
Outlook, you might need to get the details from your IT department or network
administrator.
Be sure to collect all the details you'll need from your email provider or network administrator
before adding the account to Outlook.

How to add an email account to Outlook on your Mac

1. Open up Outlook on your Mac and click "Outlook" in the menu bar at the top-left of the
screen.

2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click "Preferences."

Open the "Preferences" menu.

3. A pop-up will open. Click "Accounts."

Select the "Accounts" option.

4. A page will open that lists all of your current accounts. Click the plus sign (+) in the
bottom-right, and then select "Add account."

Select "Add Account" from the plus sign pop-up.

5. In the new window that opens, enter your email address and password. You might be
directed back to your email provider's website to confirm that you want to connect the
accounts.

Once you confirm that you want to add your email account, it should be connected.

After you configure Outlook for email, take a quick look around the Outlook interface as it
pertains to email.
Outlook 365 Interface

 Navigation pane: This pane shows different things, depending on the part of Outlook
you’re working with. When working with mail, it shows the Mail Folders list. You can
move to a different folder by clicking its name here.

 Inbox: Whatever folder is selected on the Mail Folders list appears here. In the image
above, that’s the Inbox. New mail arrives in the Inbox, so it’s the folder you work with
most of the time.

 Reading pane: Whatever email message is selected in the Inbox appears here in
preview. That way, you don’t have to open each message (by double-clicking it) to
see what it contains.

By default, the Reading pane appears to the right of the Inbox. You can have it appear below
the Inbox window, though; choose View → Reading Pane → Bottom.

The Navigation pane and Reading pane can be turned on or off from the View tab. Also on
the View tab you can turn the To-Do bar or the People pane on and off. (Neither of these
are on by default.)

Navigation buttons: At the bottom of the Navigation pane are a series of buttons for moving
to different parts of the Outlook program. The leftmost one (the envelope) represents Mail, in
which you are now working. The others shown above, from left to right, are Calendar,
People, and To-Do List. To access additional icons, click the ellipsis (…) for a pop-up menu of
the other areas: Notes, Folders, and Shortcuts.

Ribbons in Microsoft Office 365

The new Ribbon shows fewer commands.

Why use the new Ribbon?

 Well first, in the simplified form, this Ribbon takes up less vertical space on the
Outlook window.

 Finding the commands are a lot quicker. There are fewer distracting and unneeded
buttons in the Ribbon.

 The new Ribbon is also available inside new e-mail messages. However, Microsoft has
enlarged the addressing header quite a bit in the new message window.
Whats new?
The Search box works the same way in all of the apps, but previously the only Office app that
really had Search was Outlook. So, if you’re used to the old style, then this is a bit of a
change.

Previously, the Search box was located under the ribbon and above your emails.

The new Search box is in the title bar instead.

 The new Search bar gives you more vertical space, which is very handy if you’re using
a smaller screen like a laptop or tablet, rather than a larger monitor. For people who
have the muscle memory of clicking just above the email folder to search, this will take
a little getting used to, but it’s not a huge positional leap.

 Microsoft has also added two keyboard shortcuts to help you adjust—CTRL+E and
ALT+Q—which is a welcome addition for those of us who like to avoid switching
between keyboard and mouse where possible.
  When you click into the new Search box (or use the keyboard shortcut), a menu that
shows recent searches, people, and actions will appear.

We have mixed feelings about this. On one hand, it’s pretty useful to have what feels like a
clipboard of recent activity in the app at your fingertips. But on the other hand, it covers up a
lot of the tools found on the Search tab ribbon. There’s no way to change this behavior, and
we don’t expect Microsoft to make it configurable.

If you want to see the Search tab, you’ll have to click on a blank piece of the ribbon to hide
the drop-down Search bar menu.

As you type in the Search box, the menu will filter down search terms, people, and actions to
match what you type. Regardless of anything else, this is the biggest change in Microsoft
Search: it no longer just searches through email. The new feature searches everything in
Outlook, including Outlook functionality.
Working with message folders
If you want to organize your messages in Outlook, you can create new folders or rename,
move, or delete existing folders. You can also set up rules so that Outlook automatically
moves messages into folders depending on conditions that you specify.

Default folders
By default, your account starts with these folders:

 Inbox Incoming messages arrive in your inbox unless you’ve created an Inbox rule to
redirect them to another folder, or they’re identified as junk email.

 Junk Email Messages that have junk email

characteristics but that aren’t blocked by a spam filter
before they reach your mailbox will automatically be
moved to this folder. Learn more about how to mark
email as junk or block senders in Outlook.com.

 Drafts If you start writing a message but don't finish,

it will automatically be saved to your Drafts folder.
You can come back to the message later to continue
editing it, and then send it.

 Sent Items By default, a copy of every message you

send is put in your Sent Items folder.

 Deleted Items When you delete a message, it’s moved to the Deleted Items folder.
 Archive This is a good place to store messages that you're done working with but
might want to refer to later. Moving messages that you're done with to Archive helps
reduce clutter in your Inbox.
Emailing
Emails are a big part of most of our personal and professional lives. According to
statistics, there are over 2.6 billion email users in the world. You're probably one of them.

You've got many choices for email services. One popular email software is Microsoft Outlook.
If you're just getting started with Outlook and you've never used it before, you may wonder
how to send an email.

Compose & Send New Emails With Microsoft Outlook

Important: Microsoft has several current versions of Outlook available. Your screen
appearance and functionality could very slightly depending on which version you are using
and how it is configured.

You'll notice that Outlook automatically opens to your Inbox. Since this is a new Outlook
account, we don't have many incoming email messages.

Create a New Outlook Message

To create a new Microsoft Outlook email message, click the New Email option on the far left
of the Microsoft Outlook Ribbon under the Home tab. The New Messages window appears in
the MS Outlook Message tab:
The first thing you'll need to fill out on the New Messages window is the email header
information. This consists of the following fields:

From Drop-down. This field contains the email address you're sending the email message
from. (Note: If your Outlook account is only attached to one email account, this field won't
appear.)

 To. The To field contains the email address or addresses you're sending the email
message to.

 Cc. In this field you can include additional email recipients.

 Subject. The Subject field contains a brief description of your email topic.

How to Fill Out the Email Header Info (To, From, and Subject)
To start, make sure the information in the From field is correct. This field defaults to the
current email address you're using with Microsoft Outlook. If you use more than one email
address with Microsoft Outlook, you'll see a down arrow to the right of the word From. This
arrow allows you to switch the From field to another email address if you click on it. Here's
what happens when you click the down arrow:

If MS Outlook is tied to more than one email address, you can switch between addresses in
the From field.

Next, you want to identify who you're sending the email message to using the To field. You
can do this is one of two ways:

Type the email address in the field. If there's more than one email address, use a comma to
separate them.

Click the To field to search your email contacts. Select the contacts you want to send the
message to from the Select Names: Contacts dialog box.
Here's a look at the Select Names: Contacts dialog box:

Use the Select Names Contacts dialog box to add email addresses from your MS Outlook
address book.

You also need to complete the Subject field before you send your email message. In this
field, type a short description of what the email is about.

Copy Someone on MS Outlook (Cc, Bcc)

 Contacts who are copied (Cc) on an email message are typically not expected to
respond. They're receiving the message for informational purposes only. For example,
you may copy your boss on an important memo.

 Contacts who are blind-copied (Bcc) on an email message aren't visible to others who
receive the message. They're also not expected to respond. You may want to use this
option if you need to keep a recipient's email information private.

 To copy recipients on your email, either type their email addresses in the Cc field or
click the Cc field to select the contacts from the Select Names: Contacts dialog box.
You can also access the Select Names: Contacts dialog box from the Cc field in MS Outlook.

Also, you can use the Select Names: Contacts dialog box to specify the recipients are being
blind-copied on the message. Instead of clicking the To or Cc field on the dialog box, use
the Bcc field.

Once you've filled out the email header information, you're ready to learn how to compose
an email. This is the content of your message.

Simply type the message in the box below the header information:

Type your email contents in the New Messages window.

Formatting features in Outlook
Microsoft Outlook supports basic text formatting tools common to other Microsoft products.
You can find them on the Ribbon in the Format Text tab:

You'll find the text formatting options on the Format Text tab in MS Outlook.

Here's a summary of some of the Microsoft Outlook formatting features available:

 font  indent more

 size  quote

 bold  remove formatting

 italic  strike through

 underline  double strike through

 font color  superscript

 align font  subscript

 numbered list  small caps

 bulleted list  all caps

 indent less  hidden

Note: You can also find many of these formatting options on the Message tab in
the Formatting section of the ribbon.

To use one of the formatting tools, highlight the text you want to format with your cursor.
Then, click the formatting option in the ribbon that you want to apply to the text.

In the example below, italics and a numbered list have been applied to the text:

You can add formatting to an email using MS Outlook.

Caution: Outlook uses HTML to produce most text formatting options. If the person receiving
the message is using an email system that only supports Plain Text, they won't be able to see
the formatting you applied.

How to Remove Text Formatting in Microsoft Outlook

MS Outlook also allows you to remove text formatting quickly and easily. You might want to
do this if you need to send a message in Plain Text format. Here's an example:
You can remove text formatting in MS Outlook using the Clear All Formatting icon.

To remove text formatting, highlight the text you want to unformat and click the Clear All
Formatting icon in the Ribbon. The formatting is gone.

Attaching a File or Item to a MS Outlook Email Message

You can easily attach a file or item to your message using the Attach File icon or the Attach
Item icon. These icons are found on the Message tab:

Use the Attach File or Attach Item icon to attach a file or item to your MS Outlook email
message.

Or on the Insert tab you'll find the Attach File icon and the Outlook icon:
On the Insert tab the Outlook Item icon allows you to attach other email messages to your
new message.

To attach a file or item to your message, place your cursor in the message. Click the icon
and select the item to be attached from your PC or from the list that appears. The item is
attached below the Subject line:

The attached file displays beneath your Microsoft Outlook email Subject line.
Inserting a Link Into an MS Outlook Email Message
You can also insert a link into your email message from the Insert tab using the Link icon.
Place your cursor in the message where you want to add the link. Click the Link icon.
The Insert Hyperlink dialog box displays:

 Use the Link icon to insert a hyperlink into your Outlook email message.

 Type the URL of the link you want to include in the Address field. If the text you want
to display is different from the URL, type it in the Text to display field. Click OK. The
link is inserted into the body of your message:

 You can insert hyperlinks directly into the text of your MS Outlook email message.

 Caution: Outlook uses HTML to insert a link. If the person receiving the message is
using an email system that only supports Plain Text, they won't be able to see the link
you applied.

Adding a Photo to an Outlook Message

You can also add a photo or graphic image into the body of your message from
the Insert tab using the Pictures or Online Picture icons. Here's the Insert Picture dialog box:
You can insert images into the body of your MS Outlook email message.

Another way to insert an image into your Outlook message is through the Online icon (next
to the Pictures icon). This icon lets you choose a picture from your computer to insert into
your email. The Online icon opens up a Bing image search.

Warning: Many online images are copyrighted. Be sure to check the copyright information on
any image before using it.

To add an image, place your cursor in the message where you want the picture to appear.
Click the icon and select the image. The selected image appears in your email message:
You can insert an image into your email text.

 Caution: Outlook uses HTML to display images in messages. If the person receiving
the message is using an email system that only supports Plain Text, they won't be able
to see the picture in your message.

 Note: The image appears in its original size. Drag the edges of the image to resize it.

The Format tab may automatically open and you can format the image you just added.

Add a table to a message

If you’ve ever tried to manually line up rows and columns of text with spaces, you know how
frustrating it can be. Tabs are a great start, but tables add the ability to include eye-catching
styles. Take it even further with Excel spreadsheets that include formulas and calculations.
  Click where you want to insert a table in your message.

 Click Insert > Table.

Do one of the following:

 Click the table grid to set the number of rows and columns in a new empty table.

 Click Insert Table for a basic table template.

  Click Draw Table to get a pointer that lets you draw your own table, rows, and
columns and vary the sizes of the table cells.

 Click Excel Spreadsheet to add a spreadsheet in your message. It’s like a mini version
of Excel in your message that you can use to add formulas and perform calculations.
Use the handle points on the bottom and right edges to change the size.

 Point to Quick Tables, and then click the table you want. Replace the contents in the
table with your own.

Reduce the size of pictures and attachments in Outlook email messages

Photos and other types of attachments can vary in size. Many email systems, including Gmail,
Yahoo, and Exchange limit the size of email messages you can send. If you're concerned
about the size of your email messages or if you've received a message that your email is too
large to send, there are several steps you can take to reduce the size of the attached pictures
and other documents.

In addition to restricting the size of individual messages, some email systems put a cap on
the total size of your mailbox. Since each message you send is stored in your Sent Items
folder, reducing the size of attachments can also help keep your mailbox size small.

Resize a picture

You can change the visible size of the picture; for example, how much of the screen it takes
up, without changing the file size or resolution of the picture. This, however, will not shrink
the total size of the email message you're sending.

1. Click or tap the picture to display a small circular sizing handle at each corner of the
picture.
 2. Click (or press and hold) one of handles, then drag the sizing handle toward the
center to reduce the size of the image or away from the center to increase the size of
the image.

Tip: There are additional sizing handles in the center of each side of the picture. If you want
to maintain the picture's proportions, only use the sizing handles in the corners. Using the
handles in the center of each side will distort the picture.

Resize a picture to exact dimensions

1. Select the picture you want to resize.

2. On the Format tab, in the Size group, enter the required height. The width changes
automatically to stay in proportion to the height.

If you want to change the height and width separately, clear the Lock aspect ratio check box
before you change the required height or width in step 2.

Compress pictures to reduce file size

Compressing a picture maintains the height and width of the picture, but reduces the
resolution. Lower resolution pictures have a smaller file size.

1. Select the picture or pictures you need to reduce.

2. Under Picture Tools on the Format tab, select Compress Pictures from
the Adjust group. Depending on your screen resolution, you may only see the
Compress Pictures icon.

3. Select the compression and resolution options and then select OK. For pictures that
won't be printed, Web (150 ppi) is the most common resolution.
Documents, spreadsheets, PDF files, and other types of files can vary greatly in size. There are
several methods you can use to keep the size of your email messages and attachments small
when sending these files.

Send a link to the file

1. In your email message, select Attach File from the ribbon.

2. Select your file.

3. If the file is already stored on OneDrive, OneDrive for Business, or a SharePoint site,
you can select Send a link. This attaches a shortcut to the file to your email message,
not the file itself. Recipients can open the shortcut and download or open the file.

Copy a sharing link from another cloud storage service

Most cloud storage solutions such as Dropbox or Google Drive allow you to get a shareable
link to your file. See their help files for more information on how to obtain a sharing link.
Once you have a sharing link, paste it in the body of your email message.

Compress your files before sending

Most files can be compressed into a zip file to reduce their size. Windows allows you to
create and open zip files without any additional software.

1. Navigate to the folder that contains the file you want to send.

2. Select a file. To select multiple files, press and hold CTRL as you click each file.

3. Right-click the selection, select Send To > Compressed (zipped) Folder.

4. This creates a new zip file that contains the file or files you selected in step 2. The
name of the zip file is chosen automatically from the name of the original file.

5. Either return to your email message and choose Attach File from the ribbon, or right-
click the new zip file, select Send To > Mail Recipient to open a new email message
with the file already attached.
Creating a Signature
If you frequently sign your messages using not only your name, but also additional
information such as your job title and contact information, you'll appreciate
Outlook's Signature feature. When enabled, it appends text of your choice to the end of
every message that create and/or reply to.

To create an e-mail signature

On the File tab, choose Options:

In the Outlook Options dialog box, choose the Mail tab and then click the Signatures.. button.
Open a new message. On the Message tab, in the Include group, click Signature, and then
click Signatures...:

The Signatures and Stationary dialog box opens. To create a new signature, in the E-mail
Signature tab, click the New button:
Type your name as you want it to appear in your messages.

Type any additional text you want to include, such as your title, company, or contact
information, and then click OK.

You can to change your signature's font, size, and style.

Reviewing Your Message

Once you've finished your message, check it over carefully to make sure there are no
mistakes or typos. Mistakes in a business or personal email can make a bad impression. Here
are some of the areas you should check:

 Completeness. Does the email say everything it's supposed to? If an action is required,
will the recipient understand what to do? Is the purpose of the message clear and
easy to understand?

 Tone. It's easy for a reader to misunderstand the tone of your message. If you can, it's
a good idea to have a friend or colleague read over the message. Ask them whether
the message makes you seem angry or upset. If they feel it does, revise your message.

 Spelling and Grammar. Under the Review tab, there's a Spelling and Grammar icon.
Use this checker to look for mistakes, but be aware that checkers sometimes miss
word usage mistakes. So, it's a good idea to read over your email as well.

 Accuracy. Are the details in your information correct? Doublecheck the spelling of
names of people and things. If there is a phone number or street address, make sure
it is right. Pay particular attention to the decimal points in numbers, especially if they
involve dollar figures.

 Formatting. Proper formatting can make your email easier to read. Make sure to take
advantage of formatting features like bold, italics, numbered or bulleted lists.

 Attachments. If your message is supposed to include attached files, are the files
actually attached to the message? If not, attach them now.
Send Your Outlook Email Message
Once you've carefully reviewed your message, you're ready to send it. Click the Send button
in the upper left of the New Message window. Your message is sent.

If you decide not to send your message, you do have other options. You can:

 Discard a message.

 Save a message as a draft.

Here's instructions on how to do both:

Save a Message a Draft

 To save a message as a draft, go to the File tab. Click the Save option. The unsent
message is saved to your Drafts folder.

 The next time you open your email, click the Drafts folder. Double-click on your
message to open it.

Discard an Microsoft Outlook Email Message

If you really dislike your unsent message, you can choose not to save it. Simply click the X at
the upper right corner of the New Message window to close it. The system prompts: Want to
save your changes? Click the No button.

The New Message window closes and your email message draft is discarded.

Reply to or forward an email message

 Reply only sends the new message to the original sender. Attachments are not
included.

 Reply all sends the new message to the original sender and all other recipients on the
To and Cc lines. Attachments are not included.

 Forward allows you to type in a whole new set of recipients. Any attachments included
in the original message are automatically included when you forward a message.

When you receive a message, there are several actions you can take on that message.

 To reply to only the sender, select Reply.

 To reply to the original sender and all other recipients on the To and Cc lines,
select Reply All.
 To send the message to someone not on the To or Cc lines, select Forward.
From a message you've received, select Reply, Reply All, or Forward. These buttons can be
found in several different places depending on your screen resolution and version of
Outlook. You can find them at the top of your Reading Pane, alongside the right edge of the
message, or on the main Outlook ribbon.

Use @mentions to get someone's attention

If you'd like to get someone's attention in an email message or a meeting invite, you can
type the @ symbol, followed by their name, in the body of the email message or a meeting
invite. If you do this, not only will their name be highlighted in the message body or invite
details, but Outlook will automatically add them to the To line of the email or meeting invite,
and they'll see the @ symbol next to the message in their Inbox.

Use @ in the body of a message or meeting invite

1. In the body of the email message or calendar invite, enter the @ symbol and the first
few letters of the contact's first or last name.

2. When Outlook offers you one or more suggestions, choose the contact you want to
mention. By default, the contact's full name is included.
 3. You can delete a portion of the mention, for example, everything other than the
person's first name. The mentioned contact is also added to the To line of the email
or the meeting invite.

Search for messages that mention you

If you receive a lot of email, you might want to filter the messages in a folder to see only
those messages that mention you.

In Outlook for Windows,

1. Above the message list, choose All.

2. Choose Mentioned Mail.

In Outlook for Mac,

1. On the Home tab, choose Filter Email.

2. Choose Mentioned.
Flag email messages for follow up
Flagging messages in Outlook creates “To-Do” items that remind you to follow up on the
messages. Once you complete a flagged task, you can mark it as completed to clear the flag.
When flagging messages in Outlook, Outlook places little flags next to messages that require
some type of follow-up. You can also specify an action required to complete the follow-up.
You can flag both messages you send and receive.

How to Flag Received Email in Outlook

To flag a received message for follow-up, open the Inbox folder and select the
message to flag for follow-up. Then click the “Follow Up” button in the “Tags” button group
on the “Home” tab of the Ribbon. In the drop-down menu that appears, then select the type
of flag to apply.

Alternatively, to use quick-clicks in the Inbox to flag a message, hold your mouse
pointer over a message in the Inbox. A small icon of a flag then appears in the upper-right
corner of the message window. Click the flag icon to flag the message. For more advanced
flagging options, right-click the flag icon to choose when to set the flag for follow up from a
drop-down menu of choices.

How to Flag Email You Send in Outlook

To flag a message you are sending, create the mail message. Then click the “Follow
Up” button in the “Tags” button group on the “Message” tab of the Ribbon in the message
window. Then select the “Custom…” command from the drop-down menu to open the
“Custom” dialog box.
 In this dialog box, to flag the message for yourself, check the “Flag for Me” checkbox. Then
click the drop-down arrow next to the “Flag to:” field to select a type of follow-up for this
message. To set a start date and a due date for the flag, click the drop-down to the right of
the “Start date:” and “Due date:” fields. Then select the desired dates from the calendar drop-
downs. To also create a reminder for yourself, check the “Reminder:” checkbox. Then select
the desired time at which you want the reminder to appear in Outlook.

To flag this message for the recipient, check the “Flag for Recipients” checkbox. Then
use the “Flag to:” drop-down and “Reminder” checkbox to flag and set a reminder for the
recipients of the message. Click “OK” when finished to set the flag for the message and return
to the Inbox.

How to Mark Flags as Completed in Outlook

Later, to indicate you followed up with the message, you can mark the flag as
completed in Outlook. To mark a flag as completed in Outlook, click the icon of the flag at
the right end of the flagged message in your Inbox to turn it into a checkmark. Doing this
also removes it from your “To-Do” list.

Flagging Messages in Outlook: Instructions

 To flag a received message for follow-up in Outlook, open the Inbox folder and select
the message to flag.
 Then click the “Follow Up” button in the “Tags” button group on the “Home” tab of
the Ribbon.

 In the drop-down menu that appears, then select the type of flag to apply.

 Alternatively, to use quick-clicks in the Inbox to flag a message, hold your mouse
pointer over a message in the Inbox.

 A small icon of a flag then appears in the upper-right corner of the message window.

 Click the flag icon to flag the message.

 Alternatively, to set advanced flagging options, right-click the flag icon to choose
when to set the flag for follow up from a drop-down menu of choices.

 Instructions on How to Flag Email You Send in Outlook

 To flag a message you are sending in Outlook, create the mail message.

 Then click the “Follow Up” button in the “Tags” button group on the “Message” tab of
the Ribbon in the message window.

 Then select the “Custom…” command from the drop-down menu to open the
“Custom” dialog box.

 In this dialog box, to flag the message for yourself, check the “Flag for Me” checkbox.

 Then click the drop-down arrow next to the “Flag to:” field to select a type of follow-
up for this message.

 To set a start date and a due date for the flag, click the drop-down to the right of the
“Start date:” and “Due date:” fields.

 Then select the desired dates from the calendar drop-downs.

 To also create a reminder for yourself, check the “Reminder:” checkbox.

 Then select the desired time at which you want the reminder to appear in Outlook.

 To flag this message for the recipient, check the “Flag for Recipients” checkbox.

 Then use the “Flag to:” drop-down and “Reminder” checkbox to flag and set a
reminder for the recipients of the message.

 Click “OK” when finished to set the flag for the message and return to the Inbox.

 Instructions on How to Mark Flags as Completed in Outlook

 To later mark the flag as completed in Outlook, click the icon of the flag at the right
end of the flagged message in your Inbox to turn it into a checkmark and also remove
it from your “To-Do” list.


Rules
Rules let us automatically manage Outlook actions (no coding required whatsoever!). Here
are a few useful examples for using rules:

1. Routing incoming email to specific folders

2. Delete or archive older email
3. Play a sound when you receive an email from somebody specific.
4. Display a specific alert message on specific emails.
5. Adding yourself as bcc (blank carbon copy) on outgoing emails and save
attachments on your personal computer.
Creating rules in Outlook:
 On Outlook, Hit Home and select Rule drop down in Move category.

 Select Manage Rules and alerts.

 Click on New rule in the Email rules to setup a new rule.

 Select any template according to your needed one.

 We can edit the description like setting the email address, which
can be done in the step 2 and hit Next.
 Then select anyone of the conditions you want to check and
hit Next.
 Now select anyone of the actions that has to be done to the mail
and hit Next.

 If necessary, you can set any exceptions and select Next.

 Set name for the rule also make sure the rule is turned on and
click Finish.
  To check if the rule is working click Run rules now.

Automatically forward email using rules

As an example, Let us setup a rule to automatically forward the mail when I receive from
someone. Procedure is given below.
 In the template we start from a blank rule where we apply rule on messages.

1. We setup the condition as from people or public group.

2. In the edit rule description we set mail address what action has to be done when we
receive a mail from.
 Select action is set as forward it to people or public group.

 In the edit rule description we set mail address to whom the forward has to be done a
 As we don’t need any exceptions, we ignore it.
 Named the rule as Forward, check on Turn on rule and click Finish.
Move a Message Into a Folder Using a Rule
By far the most common rule that people create is one that automatically sends certain
messages to a folder. You can do this quickly and easily from with this Outlook shortcut. The
shortcut also includes a few other common actions.

Start with your email inbox open. Select the message you want to automatically move into a
folder by clicking on it. Click Home > Rules. Select Create Rule from the drop-down menu.
The Create Rule dialog box appears:

 The top portion of the Create Rule dialog box is already filled out based on the email
you selected.

 Notice the top of the dialog box is already filled out with the From, Subject,
and To fields from your selected email. To select one or more of these conditions as
is, simply check in the check box to the left of them. You can also type in a new
subject and/or select a new email recipient (if you’ve got a lot of emails going to your
inbox).

 In the bottom section, you can select up to three actions to perform on an email that
meets the defined criteria.

 Display the email in a New Item Alert window on your desktop.

 Play a sound when an email meeting the criteria is received.

 Move the item to a folder you select

  Choose one or more actions from the list. Define those actions and then click
the OK button to save your choices. Continue to click OK. A prompt appears
asking if you’d like to run the rule on the email already in your inbox. You’ve just
created a rule.

Rules Wizard
If you need more options for your MS Outlook rule, use the Rules Wizard.

Access the Rules Wizard

Start with your open email inbox. Click the File tab. The Account Information window displays:

 From the Account Information window click the Manage Rules & Alerts box.

 Click the Manage Rules & Alerts box to access the Rules and Alerts dialog box:
  Select the New Rule menu option.

 Click the New Rule menu option in the upper left of the dialog box. The Rules
Wizard appears:

 The first screen of the Outlook Rules Wizard.

Note: You can also access the Rules Wizard from Advanced Option of the Create Rule dialog
box.
Choosing a template From the Outlook Rules Wizard
At the top of the Rules Wizard, you’ll see a list of pre-defined rule templates in two
categories:

 Stay Organized

 Stay Up to Date

You’ll also see the category Start from a blank rule. You would use this category to create a
rule if you didn't want to start with one of the pre-defined templates.

Review the existing rule template list and click on the one that meets your needs to select it.
Then click the Next button.

Customize the Rule Conditions

After you select a rules template, the Rules Wizard displays a list of conditions to apply to the
template with a check box by each condition:

 Choose the conditions for your rule.

 Check the box next to each condition you want to apply to the rule. Note the
hyperlinks in each condition. Click on each hyperlink to customize the rule with your
own requirements. Here’s an example of what appears.
  You can choose an importance level for the emails you want to apply the rule to.

Continuing clicking on each hyperlink to make the condition specific to your needs. When
you’ve finished, click the Next button.

Customizing the Rule Actions

Once you’ve customized the rule conditions you’re ready to customize the rule actions.
The Rules Wizard displays various actions you can apply to this rule:

Select an action to perform on messages that meet the conditions.

This screen works like the earlier Rules Wizard screen. Select actions you want to add to this
rule by checking the check box next to each selected action. Click the hyperlink in the Step
2 segment of the screen to make the action more specific. When you’re done making your
selections, click the Next button to move to the next screen in the Rules Wizard.

Import or Export a Rule

Rules can be imported or exported.

Export a Rule
 Click the File tab. The Account Information window displays.

 Click the Manage Rules & Alerts box to access the Rules and Alerts dialog box.

 Click Options from the menu at the top of the screen. The Options dialog box
appears:

You can export rules you've already created.

Note: You can also access the Rules and Alerts dialog box from Rules option under
the Home tab on your ribbon.

 Click the Export Rules button. A File Explorer window opens:

  Type the file name of the rule you want to export.

Navigate to the directory where you want to store your exported rules file. Type the name of
the file you want to store the rules in and the click Save.

Import a Rule
The procedure to import a rule is like the export rule procedure with a few differences.

 Click the File tab. The Account Information window displays.

 Click the Manage Rules & Alerts box to access the Rules and Alerts dialog box.

 Click Options from the menu at the top of the screen.

 When the Options dialog box appears, click Import Rules instead of Export Rules.
When the File Explorer window opens, navigate to the directory where you’ve got the
imported rules saved. Click on the file name to select it and click Open. Click OK to
import the rule.

 Note: If some of the parameters are missing for an imported rule you’ll get an error
message. An example would be if a folder used by the rule isn’t set up in your email.

Edit a Rule
Suppose you’ve got a rule set up for how to handle a certain type of email in Outlook, but
you need to change the rule. With Outlook, you can easily edit an existing rule to change it.
Here’s how:

Step 1. Open the Rules and Alerts Dialog Box

Start with your inbox open. Click the File > Manage Rules & Alerts. The Rules and
Alerts dialog box opens:

Select a rule from the list. Click the Change Rule menu option at the top of the dialog box.
The Change Rule pop-up menu appears:

You can change the name of an existing rule in Microsoft Outlook.

Note: You can also get to this pop-up menu from Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts > Change
rule on the Home tab in your Outlook inbox.From this menu you’ve got three choices:

 Edit more than one rule setting at a time

 Quickly rename the rule

  Quickly add or change a single rule action

Let’s look at each of these options separately.

Editing Multiple Rule Settings

To edit more than one rule setting, click the Edit Rule Settings option on the Change
Rule pop-up menu. The system re-opens the Rules Wizard for the selected rule. Use
the Rules Wizard to make changes to the conditions, actions, and exceptions.

Quickly Rename the Rule

If all you want to do is rename the selected rule, there’s no need to re-open the Rules
Wizard. Instead, select the Rename Rule option from the Change Rule pop-up menu. The
system prompts you to type in the new name for the selected rule:

 You can rename a rule in Microsoft Outlook.

 When you’ve finished typing the rule name, click the OK button.

Add or Change One or More Rule Actions

There’s also no need to re-open the Rules Wizard if all you want to do is change a few
common actions. The Change Rule pop-up menu has some shortcuts for common actions
beneath the Rename Rule option:
 You can change a few Microsoft Rule actions without re-opening the Rules Wizard.

 Active actions appear with a blue box around the action icon in the pop-up menu. To
turn a single action on or off for the selected rule, simply click on it.

 For some actions, that’s all you need to do. For other actions a second dialog box
displays when you add that action. The second dialog box lets you provide more
specific information.

 For example, if you click the Copy to Folder option a dialog box appears so that you
can select the correct folder:

 You can copy a Microsoft Outlook Rule.

  When you’ve finished making changes to the selected rule, click OK on the Rules and
Alerts dialog box.

Deleting a Rule
If you no longer need a rule, you can delete it. Start with your inbox open. Click the File >
Manage Rules & Alerts. The Rules and Alerts dialog box opens:

In Outlook you can delete rules you no longer need.

Note: You can also get to the Rules and Alerts dialog box from Rules > Manage Rules &
Alerts on the Home tab in your Outlook inbox.

Select the rule you want to delete by clicking the checkbox next to it. Then, click
the Delete option (it looks like an X) on the menu towards the top of the Rules and
Alerts dialog box. A prompt appears asking if you really want to: Delete rule [Rule Name].
Click Yes, then click the OK button at the bottom of the Rules and Alerts window.

Set an Out of Office Message in Outlook

(Automatic Away Reply)
Create a Message Template
The first step to setting up an Outlook out of office reply is to create the text of your out of
office message and save it as a template. Start in your Outlook inbox:
Your first step in creating an away message is to open a new email message.

Click the New Email icon on the upper left. The New Message window appears:

Type the body of the Outlook away message in the new email you just opened.

Type your Subject line and the body of your email message. You don’t need to fill out
the To field because the message will automatically be sent to whoever sends you a
message.
Here's an example:

Once you’ve completed a draft of your message, you need to save it as a template.
Select File > Save as. A Windows Explorer prompt appears so that you store and save your
message.

Choose a file location on your computer to store the message, type in the file name and save
the file in Outlook template format:

Save your out of office message as a template.

In this screen, choose the away message template you created earlier.

Select the reply using a specific template option under Step 1. Under Step 2 click the reply
using a specific template link. The Select a Reply Template window appears:

 Choose the template that contains your automatic away message reply.
  Select the template you created earlier and click Open. (If you didn’t save your
template in the default location, you may need to Browse to find it.)

 Click Next to go to the next Rules Wizard, which asks about exceptions. We don’t
want to specify any exceptions. Click Next and you’ll be prompted to name the rule:

 Use the final Rules Wizard window to name the rule and turn it on.

 Type the name of the rule. Make sure the Turn on this rule checkbox is checked.

 Click the Finish button on the Rules Wizard. Then, click the Apply button on the Rules
and Alerts window and then click OK.

Test the Outlook Away Message

Now that you’ve created your out of the office message, it’s a good idea to see if it works
before you leave your office.

You can test the autoreply message by sending a message from another email you own—as
long as you’ve included that email in the rule as one that is supposed to receive the
autoreply message. Or, you can enlist the aid of a friend whose email you included as one
that’s supposed to receive the out of office message.

After a short wait (some email systems retrieve incoming messages in batches), check the
email you sent the test email message from. If you followed the steps properly, that email
address will have received the out of office autoreply.

Turn the Outlook Away Message Off

When you return to the office, it’s time to turn the out of office message off. From your inbox
select File to go to the Account information screen.
 You need to return to the Rules and Alerts window to turn the out of office message
off.

 Click on the Manage Rules & Alerts icon. The Rules and Alerts window appears:

 Use the checkbox to turn the Out of Office Reply rule off.
  Remove the check from beside Out of Office Reply (or whatever you named your
rule). Click the Apply button and then click OK. Your out of office reply has been
turned off.

To turn it back on again, return to the Rules and Alerts window. Check the box next to your
rule, then click Apply and OK.

Format Your Out of Office Message Appropriately

Your out of office message is a professional communication, and you should treat it as such.
It can be brief, but you should at least include the following:

 Subject line. This doesn't have to be detailed, but it should be there.

 Salutation. While you can't greet the recipient by name, you can include a generic
greeting such as "Hello."

 Introduction. This email is likely to be short. Most likely it'll be a single paragraph. So,
this is one case where you can skip an introduction.

 Body text. In general, keep your language professional. We've already discussed how
you should be cautious about using humor here.

 Conclusion. Your conclusion will tell the recipient what to do if they need help right
away.

 Signature. Professional emails should include a signature so your recipient can see
immediately who you are.

 Signature image (optional). Including a signature image on your professional email is

optional, but nice to have. You can incorporate one with a signature template.
Organize Your Outlook Email Inbox
Efficiently
Microsoft Outlook includes several tools that you can use to make your inbox more
organized, if you know what to do. If you're just getting started with Outlook or if you're not
current with it, you may not be using it to its full capacity.

Categories
If you want to learn how to organize emails in Outlook, you need to understand folders and
categories. These are the main tools that you’ll use to get your inbox under control.

Microsoft Outlook Folders

Folders appear on the left of your Inbox beneath your email address (this is also called
the Navigation Pane). There are two types of folders:

 Default folders. Default folders are standard with your MS Outlook software. Default
folders include Drafts, Sent Mail, Deleted Items, Trash, Spam and so on. Some
versions of Outlook may also have a Clutter folder, although this is being phased out.

 Personal folders. These are additional folders that you create to prioritize your
messages. It’s important to be careful not to create too many folders or you could
become confused about which folder to use.

Microsoft Outlook Categories

 You can use categories to color code your messages. For example, you can apply the
red color category to messages that are urgent, the green color category to messages
you're ready to act on, the purple color category to meetings, and so on. You'll want
come up with your own system.

 Categorizing your inbox with color coded categories allows you to scan your inbox
quickly to decide what to do with each message.

 You’ll use the Categorize icon to customize and use categories. The Categorize icon
appears in the middle of the Ribbon towards the right side:
The Categorize icon allows you to color code your messages.

Note: The Categorize icon is only available for Microsoft mail users using a Pop or Exchange
email setup. If you use an IMAP setup this option isn't available.

How to Use Folders

Folders in Outlook are fairly easy to use if you know what to do. Here are some of the basics
to using folders:

Step 1. Create a New Folder

To create a folder in MS Outlook, click Folder tab from the Ribbon. Then click the New
Folder icon. The Create New Folder dialog box displays:

Use the Create New Folder dialog box to add folders and keep your emails organized.
Type the name of your new folder in the Name field. Click on the folder where you want to
place the new folder, and click OK when you are done.

In this example, a folder called Memos was created and placed it under the From My Boss
folder. Here’s what the folders look like now:

You can add a subfolder beneath an existing folder.

Microsoft Outlook Categories

You can use categories to color code your messages. For example, you can apply the red
color category to messages that are urgent, the green color category to messages you're
ready to act on, the purple color category to meetings, and so on. You'll want come up with
your own system.

Categorizing your inbox with color coded categories allows you to scan your inbox quickly to
decide what to do with each message.

You’ll use the Categorize icon to customize and use categories. The Categorize icon appears
in the middle of the Ribbon towards the right side:

The Categorize icon allows you to color code your messages.

Note: The Categorize icon is only available for Microsoft mail users using a Pop or Exchange
email setup. If you use an IMAP setup this option isn't available.

Use Categories to Get More Organized in Outlook

Rename a Category
By default, the categories are named by color. To rename a category click the down arrow to
the right of the Categorize icon. From the drop-down menu select All Categories. The Color
Categories dialog box appears:

 You can color code your messages in Outlook to organize them.

 Place a checkmark next to the color you want to rename and click
the Rename button. Type over the default name of the category to rename it. Click
the OK button when you're done renaming the categories.

Here’s an example of some renamed categories:

Name each color category to organize your Outlook inbox

Delete a Category
After you’ve customized your categories, you may find that you’re not using all of them. If
that happens, you can delete the unused category.

To delete a category, click on the All-Categories option in the Categories drop-down menu.
The Color Categories dialog box opens:

You can delete Outlook color categories that you don't use.
Click the checkbox next to the color you want to delete. In the example above, I’m deleting
the orange category because I’m not using it. Click the Delete button.

When a prompt appears asking you to confirm the deletion click Yes. When you're done
making changes to the categories click OK. The Orange category no longer appears on
the Categorize drop-down menu and you won’t be able to apply it to an email message.

Apply a Category to a Message

Once you’ve customized your categories, you’re ready to start applying them to messages in
your inbox. To apply a category to a message, click on the message to select it. Click on
the Categorize icon. The Categorize drop-down menu displays:

Use the Categorize drop-down menu to apply categories to email and organize your inbox.

Click the category you want to apply to the selected message. The category is applied to the
message. You’ll see the category color as a square to the right to message sender in your
inbox. In the body of the message itself it appears below the sender name.

Here’s an example of an inbox with categories applied to all the messages:

With categories applied to your messages you can tell at a glance what to do with each
email.

A message may have more than one category applied to. To apply an additional category to
a message, select the message and click on another category in the Categorize drop-down
menu.

How to Remove a Category from a Message or Change It

Over time, the category of a message may change. You can remove a category from a
message or change it. Here’s what to do.

To remove the category from a message, click on the message in your inbox to select it. Click
the Categorize icon. From the drop-down menu, click on the category that is currently
applied to the email to remove it:

You can remove an assigned category from an email.

You can apply a new category to the message from the Categorize drop-down menu or
leave it uncategorized.

To remove all the categories from at once from an email message that has more than one
category, select the message and click the Clear All Categories option from
the Categorize drop-down menu:

Use the Clear All Categories option to remove all the categories from an email with more
than one assigned category.
Archive or Delete Old Messages & Clean Up
Your Mailbox
Most of us save too many emails, and this can make for a messy inbox. Another way to
organize your Outlook inbox is to archive or delete old messages.

While both archiving and deleting emails removes messages from your inbox, it’s important
to understand the difference:

Archive. Sends a message to an Archive folder. The Archive folder is intended for older
messages that you intend to save. When you archive an email, you can easily retrieve it at a
future date.

Delete. Sends a message to the Deleted Items folder (it looks like a trash can). If the Deleted
Items folder is emptied, it may be difficult to retrieve the message. Delete is typically reserved
for emails you don’t expect to need in the future.

MS Outlook also has a Cleanup Tool. You’ve probably gotten one of those messages where a
bunch of previous messages are copied at the top. You may also have each of those
previous messages in your Outlook inbox. When you apply the Cleanup Tool to a
conversation or to a folder or subfolders, the tool removes those duplicate messages.

However you do it, removing messages your mailbox can free up space in your inbox.

To properly organize your inbox, it’s important to learn how to use each of these tools:

Delete Old Messages

It’s easy to delete an old email. Simply click on the email to select it:
Here's how to organize your Outlook email inbox by deleting old messages.

Click the Delete icon in the Ribbon (it looks like an X). The message is moved to
the Deleted Items folder.

To permanently remove a message from your email, click the Deleted Items folder to open it.
(It’s in the Navigation Pane on the left and looks like a trash can). Click the message again to
select it. Click the Delete icon to permanently delete the selected message.

Caution: Some permanently deleted messages may be able to be recovered from the server
if they are still in the Deleted Items folder, but it’s also possible you won’t be able to recover
an email after you delete it.

Manually Archive Messages

A less permanent way to remove old emails from your inbox is to archive them. To archive an
email, click on the message to select it. Click the Archive icon in the ribbon next to
the Delete icon:

Using the Archive icon is another way to keep old messages from cluttering up your inbox.
If you’ve not used the Outlook Archive feature before, you’re prompted to create an archive
folder. Click the Create archive folder button. Outlook creates a new folder titled Archive and
sends the email you selected to it:

Store old emails in your Archive folder to organize your inbox.

In the future when you archive an email it’ll go to this folder.

Set Up Archive Parameters

You can also change MS Outlook’s automatic archive settings. Click File > Options to open
the Outlook Options window:

You can set up Outlook to automatically archive messages.

Click the Advanced option from the Navigation pane on the left. Then click the AutoArchive
Settings button. The AutoArchive dialog box appears:

Use the AutoArchive dialog box to define archiving parameters in Outlook.

Use the check boxes to select the archive options you want to choose. Click OK on
the AutoArchive dialog box when you're done. Then click OK on the Outlook
Options window.

Outlook Cleanup Tool

Emails have become more conversational. If you’ve taken part in an email conversation
where you and a recipient have replied back and forth in a series of message, you know what
I mean. When you reply to an email, your reply appears above the original messages and all
earlier replies. Unfortunately, all of that replying can fill up your folders—making it harder to
find those messages you need.

Outlook has a solution with the Cleanup Tool. This tool removes redundant messages, so it
removes earlier messages that don’t include the latest reply. You haven’t lost any information,
because all your earlier messages are included in the latest message.
You can use the Cleanup Tool to clean up a conversation, a folder, or a folder and
subfolders. In this case, we’ll use it to clean up the From My Boss folder.

Click the folder to select it. Click the down arrow on Cleanup Tool icon. (It’s on the Home tab
to the left of the Delete icon.) You’ll see the Cleanup drop-down menu:

Select the Clean Up Folder option to remove redundant messages in a folder.

Select the Clean Up Folder option on the drop-down menu. A prompt appears warning you
that redundant messages will be deleted. Click the Clean Up Folder button on the prompt.
The original message is deleted:

Removing redundant messages can organize your Outlook inbox.

The original message is deleted because it’s redundant with the latest message. This is
particularly helpful feature if you’ve got a lot of email conversations in your inbox.

Note: Email messages that contain a different element—perhaps a reply from a different
recipient or an attachment—won’t be deleted because they don’t meet the requirement of
being redundant.
People
Create an Outlook Address Book
Microsoft automatically creates the address book when you create a Personal Folders profile,
but only one address book is added to the profile. Sometimes you need two or even more
different address books: for the projects, relatives, hobbies, etc. Fortunately, you can easily
create additional address books out of the profile for different needs.

To create an additional Outlook Address Book for the current Outlook profile, follow the next
steps:

1. In Outlook, open the People folder:

or

2. On the Home tab, under My Contacts, right-click the Contacts folder, and then
choose New Folder... in the popup menu:
 3. In the Create New Folder dialog box, enter the name of the new Address Book and
click OK:

4. Right-click the new folder, and then click Properties:

5. In the *** Properties dialog box, on the Outlook Address Book tab, make sure that the
checkbox for Show this folder as an e-mail Address Book is selected:
Change the default Address Book
This option controls which address book you see when you open the Address Book (via
clicking Ctrl+Shift+B) and when you click the To, Cc, or Bcc buttons when composing e-mails.

To change the default Address Book, do the following:

1. On the Home tab, in the Find group, click the Address Book (or click Ctrl+Shift+B):

2. In the Address Book dialog box, choose Tools -> Options... to open
the Addressing dialog box:
 3. From the drop-down list labeled When opening the address book, show this address
list first, select the desired address book:

4. Click OK.
MS Outlook Calendar
Your Outlook Calendar is a handy tool that you can reach quickly and easily from with your
email by just clicking on a single icon if you know how.

View a Calendar Thumbnail

Start with your Outlook inbox open:

Access your MS Outlook calendar through the Calendar icon in your inbox.

Find the Calendar icon in the lower left of your email interface (below the Navigation pane). If
you hover your mouse over the icon, you’ll see a thumbnail of your calendar with your
upcoming appointments.

Open Your Calendar View

To open your calendar, click the Calendar icon. Your Microsoft Outlook calendar appears:
A look at the Microsoft Outlook Calendar.

 Notice the default view is of about a month’s time. This is called the Month view. The
current date is highlighted, although you can select various calendar days to work
with.

 The Outlook calendar also includes some neat features:

 There’s a local weather report at the top of the calendar. Customize this information
by entering your city name or zip code.

 There are thumbnails of the months before and after the current month on the left of
the screen. To hide these thumbnails, grab the right side of the pane containing the
thumbnails and drag it to the left.

 There’s a search bar at the top right of the calendar. You can search through calendar
events by key words or phrases.

Change Your Calendar View

You can change your Calendar View. At the top of the Outlook calendar click View from the
menu:
You can change the Outlook calendar view in the View tab.

On the View tab, you’ll see various settings that will allow you to customize the way your
calendar looks. The five we want to focus on are:

 Day. The Day view allows you to see the events of a day. The Day view looks much
like a page in a paper planner. Use the scroll bar on the right side of the Day view to
move up and down on the page.

 Work Week. The Work Week view lets you see five days of your schedule (Monday
through Friday) at a time.

 Week. The Week view is like the Work Week view, except it includes the weekends.
This view can be helpful if you work non-traditional hours or if you include personal
appointments on your calendar.
  Month. We’ve already examined the Month view, which allows you to see a month at
a glance.

 Schedule View. The Schedule View allows you to see a day’s appointments in bar
graph form. The let’s you spot conflicts and overlapping commitments quickly and
easily.

To open a view, click on the icon for the calendar view you want to open. For this example,
let’s click on the Schedule View icon. The Schedule View displays:

The Outlook calendar schedule view shows where your meetings overlap.

Notice that this example Schedule View already has two sets of overlapping appointments.
Knowing about the schedule conflict lets you manage your time efficiently. You can plan to
attend only one of the meetings and reschedule the other. Or, you could attend part of each
of the meetings.

Also, this Schedule View illustrates that there’s a breakfast meeting set to begin at 7:00 a.m.--
before the start of the work day.

Appointments and Tasks creation

You can add various types of items to your Microsoft Outlook calendar, including:

 Appointments. An appointment typically just involves you and one other person. For
example, you set appointments with your doctor or accountant. Often (but not
always) an appointment is set with someone outside your organization.

 Meetings. A meeting usually involved a group of people. If you’re the meeting

organizer, you would be responsible not only for scheduling the meeting, but also for
 sending out meeting invitations.

 Tasks. A task is time you block off on your calendar to meet certain goals and
assignments.

You can also set any item to be a recurring item or a multi-day item.

Set Up a New Appointment

Start from any calendar view, but make sure that you’re on the Home tab. For this example,
we’ll start with the Month view open:

Click the New Appointment icon to set an appointment.

Click the New Appointment icon. A blank Appointment screen displays:

Use the New Appointment screen to enter the details of your appointment.

Type your appointment information in appropriate fields. Here’s a brief description of each
field and how to fill each one out:

Subject. Type a brief description of your appointment.

Location. Enter the location where your appointment will occur.

Start Time. Type the date and time your appointment will begin. Click the calendar thumbnail
to select a month and day. Click the down arrow to the right of the time to choose a time.
Check the toggle box to the right of this field if the event will last all day.

End Time. Enter the date and time your appointment ends. Use the calendar thumbnail and
down arrows.

To make your appointment last more than one day, select a date for the End Time that is
after the Start Time date.
Caution: If your selected dates and times overlap with another appointment or meeting, you
may see a warning in the upper left of the Appointment screen. However, Outlook will still
allow you to add the conflicting appointment.

In the big square below the appointment information, type any notes you’ve got about the
appointment.

An appointment showing a parent/teacher conference.

To schedule a recurring appointment, click the Recurrence icon in the Ribbon (it looks like a
circle). The Appointment Recurrence dialog box displays:
You can set your appointment to recur using the Recurrence icon.

Select a Recurrence pattern for the appointment. You can also define how long the
appointment will continue to recur.

When you’ve finished entering appointment information, click the Save & Close icon in the
upper left of your Appointment screen. The appointment is added to your calendar.

Set Up a New Meeting

Whether you need to gather a group together for a business project or a social gathering,
you’ll find the New Meeting tool helpful. Start with the Outlook calendar open:
Use the New Meeting icon to create a new meeting.

Click Home > New Meeting. A New Meeting Invitation screen opens:
 Use this screen to schedule a meeting and invite meeting participants. Here’s a quick
overview on how to fill out the meeting invitation:

 The From field defaults to your primary or default email.

 Click on the To field to select participants for your meeting from your Address Book.

 Enter a brief description of your meeting in the Subject field.

 Type the meeting location in the location field or use the down arrow at the right of
the field to select from recently used locations.

 Select a start date and time and an end date and time. If the meeting will last several
days, make the start date after the end date.

 If the meeting will last all day, check the box next to All day event.
Once you’ve filled out the meeting information, use the box below the message header to
write a brief note to message participants. Here’s an example of what a completed meeting
invitation might look like:

Here's an example of a meeting invitation email.

 If this is to be a recurring meeting, use the Recurrence icon in the Ribbon to define
how often the meeting will occur.

 When your invitation is ready to send, click the Send button in the upper left of the
window. Your meeting is added to the calendar. All the recipients you included in
the To field will receive a meeting invitation attachment for the meeting.

 Set Up a New Task

 Tasks differ from appointments and meetings in that they typically just involve you.
You can set up tasks on your calendar to function as sort of an online to do list. You
can also use the task function in the Outlook calendar to assign a task to another
person or to send status reports.

 To set up a new task, once again start with an open calendar. Click Home > New
Items. A pop-up menu displays:


You can also add tasks to your Outlook calendar.

 Select the Task option. The New Task window appears:

Use the New Task window to create a new task.

 Type the task name in the Subject line. Pick a Start date and a Due date for the task. If
you like, you can also assign values to following fields by clicking the down arrow next
 to each field and making a selection:

o Status

o Normal

o % Complete

If you want the system to send you a reminder, check the Reminder checkbox. You can also
use the Recurrence icon in the Ribbon to make the task a recurring one. Or define the task as
lasting more than one day by choosing a different start and end date.

Type more information or instructions about the task in the box below the header
information.

When you’ve finished filling out the New Task window, click Task > Save & Close. Your task is
added to your calendar’s to do list, but it won’t appear on your calendar unless you turn on
the Task view.

To see your calendar’s task list, Go to View > To-Do Bar. A pop-up menu appears:

Turn on the To-Do Bar view to see your task list.

Click the Tools option. A pane opens on the right of your calendar. Your task list appears in
the lower right of your Microsoft Outlook calendar beneath the thumbnail of the month’s
calendar:
When the To-Do Bar view is on, you can see your task list (or To Do list).

To open a task up and see more details or update it, double-click on the task. You can also
flag a task as urgent by clicking the checkbox to the right of it. The task To-Do bar view
remains open until you close it. If you switch back to your email inbox, the task list remains
visible in the lower right corner of your MS Outlook window:
If the To-Do Bar view is on, the task list will be visible in your Outlook inbox.

To close the task list, click the X in the upper right corner.

Delete a Calendar Item

Remove an appointment or meeting from your Microsoft Outlook calendar quickly. Scroll to
the calendar view that contains the calendar item you want to remove. Click on the calendar
item to select it (in this case, an appointment), then right-click. A pop-up menu appears:

Right-click on a calendar item to see the pop-up menu.

Note: In the illustration above I’ve selected an appointment with just one other participant. If I
had selected a meeting with more than one participant, the pop-up menu option would be
Cancel Meeting. Upon selecting the Cancel Meeting option, I’d be given the opportunity to
send a cancellation notice to all meeting participants.

Select the Delete option from the pop-up menu. If the item is recurring item, you’ll get the
opportunity to choose whether you want to delete all instances of the calendar item (Delete
Series) or just the single occurrence (Delete Occurrence) you’ve selected. The calendar item is
removed from the calendar. The Delete Occurrence option is great to use if you’ve got a
regular appointment, but need to cancel one instance of it due to a vacation or other
schedule conflict.
The process to remove a task from your task list is even simpler. Simply click on the task in
your To Do list, then right-click on it. Select the Delete option from the pop-up menu.

How to Get Your Outlook Calendar to Send You Reminders

Another convenient Outlook feature is the ability to have the system remind you before an
appointment or meeting. To activate the reminder feature as you’re setting up a new
meeting or appointment, click the down arrow on the Reminder icon in the Ribbon (it looks
like a bell):

Here's the Reminder pop-up menu on an appointment.

Select how far in advance of the meeting or appointment you want the reminder to appear
from the pop-up. Then, click the Sound icon at the bottom of the pop-up to select a
reminder sound.

Once your reminder has been set up, a reminder pop-up will appear each time you open
your email or calendar:
At the defined time you'll see a reminder pop-up when you open your MS Outlook email or
calendar.

To get a reminder to stop appearing, click the Dismiss button. If the window is reminding you
of multiple calendar items, you’ll need to click the Dismiss All button.

How to Share a Microsoft Outlook Calendar

Share your calendar through email or by giving others access. This could be helpful if you
want to share parts of your calendar with a team member or if you’re trying to schedule a
time to get together with someone. There are three ways you can share a calendar:

Email. Share part of your calendar through email.

Share feature. If your Microsoft Outlook installation runs through the Microsoft Exchange
Server, you can give someone else access to your calendar. You can also use the Set
Calendar Permissions icon to further define who can access your calendar and what level of
access they have.

Publish online. Publish your calendar to an online server to provide access to others.
Since my Outlook installation doesn’t run on a Microsoft Exchange Server we’ll focus on the
first and third methods of sharing your Microsoft calendar in this tutorial.

Share a Calendar through Email

With your calendar open, go to the Home > E-mail Calendar. A blank email message
appears with the Send a Calendar via Email dialog box on top:

Use the Send a Calendar via Email dialog box to send a message with your Outlook calendar
information.

If you’ve got more than one calendar set up, click the down arrow in the Calendar field to
select which calendar you want to share. Next, click the down arrow next to the Date
Range field to specify which calendar dates to share. Then, click the down arrow in
the Detail box to choose a level of detail to share—choose between the following detail
levels:

Availability only. The email recipient will see when you’re available and when you’re free.
They won’t see what your meetings and appointments are.

Limited details. The email recipient will see only the subject lines of your meetings and
appointments and when they’re scheduled.
Full details. The recipient will see your meetings and appointments are and the location of
each of them. They will also see more details about each meeting or appointment.

Mark the checkbox if you only want the shared calendar to show working hours. If your
working hours aren’t defined, click the Set working hours hyperlink to set them. When you’ve
finished, click the OK button in the Send a Calendar via Email dialog box. Then click
the Send button to send the email.

The email recipient receives and email with your schedule in the text of the email and a
calendar attachment showing your schedule.

Share a Calendar by Publishing It Online

You can also publish your calendar online to a shared server. With your calendar open, go to
the Home > Publish Online icon. The Publish Calendar to Custom Server dialog box appears:

If you've got access to a custom server, you can publish your calendar online.

Start by listing the URL for the server where you’ll publish your calendar. Next, define the
date range that you wish to share. For the Detail option choose between: Availability
only, Limited Details, and Full Details.
Contacts in Outlook
A contact in MS Outlook is a person or business that you contact frequently. For frequent
contacts, Outlook allows you to keep multiple online address books right inside your email.

Each entry in your email address book is known as a contact. As a business professional, or
just someone who relies on email, having your address books online is convenient. It also
means you never need to worry about losing a contact’s information again.

To find your Outlook address book, click the Address Book icon (it looks like an open book)
on the right of your Home tab. The Address Book: Contacts dialog box displays with some
basic information about each contact:

You'll see some basic information about your contacts in the Address Book: Contacts dialog
box.

Your default address book is Contacts – [Your Email Address], but you can create additional
address books as needed.
To view more detailed information about a contact, double-click on their name to open their
contact card:

An MS Outlook contact card contains detailed contact information.

As you can see, your contact card includes more than just your contact’s email address. In
addition to the ability to store up to three email addresses for each contact, there are fields
for you to enter the following information:

 Job title

 Web page address

 IM address

 Phone numbers (Business, Home, Business Fax, Mobile, and many more)

 Addresses (up to three physical addresses per contact)

You can even attach an image to the contact card if you’ve got one. Plus, there’s
a Notes field for you to type additional information.

Create New Contacts in MS Outlook

Now that you understand the importance of your Outlook address book, you’re ready to
begin building your contact list by creating new contacts. There are basically two methods
you can use to add contacts to Outlook:

 from within an address book

 from within an email

Add Contacts to Outlook From Your Address Book

This method of adding contact information is especially helpful if you’ve got business cards
you want to add to your contacts in MS Outlook. Having your contact information neatly
organized in your email inbox is much better than keeping a stack of cards, which might get
lost or accidentally discarded.

To start, open an address book in MS Outlook and right-click anywhere within the address
book. A pop-up menu appears:
Click the New Entry option to add a new contact to your address book.

Click the New Entry option. The New Entry dialog box displays:
You can add a new contact or a new contact group from the New Entry dialog box.

Select the New Contact option and click OK. You’ll see a blank Contact Card:
The contact card allows you to store a variety of information about each contact in your
Outlook address book.

Fill out each contact field with the appropriate information.

Whenever you see a down arrow the right of a field, you can click on it add additional
information. In the example below, there are three types of addresses you can add to a
contact card:

You can store more than one physical address for each contact.

When you’ve finished typing in your contact’s information, select Save & New to save the
contact and continue adding contacts to your address book. Or, select Save & Delete to
return to the Address Book: Contacts dialog box.

Add Contacts to Outlook from an Email

When you receive an email from a new contact and you want to save their information in
your MS Outlook address book, it’s easy to do so. Start with the email that contains the
contact information open:
You can save contact information from emails you receive in Outlook.

Right-click on the sender’s address. A pop-up menu appears:

 Use the Add to Outlook Contacts option to add a new contact to your address book
from an email.

 Select the Add to Outlook Contacts option. A contact card opens with the sender’s
name and email address already filled. If you’ve got additional information about this
contact, add it to their contact information now.

 When you’re done adding information click Save & Close or Save & New to save the
contact to your address book.
Add an Image to an Contact
Start by opening the contact card of the individual you want to add the image to. Click
the Add Contact Picture icon to the right of the individual’s name. A browser window opens:

Navigate to the file with the image you want to add. Click on it to select it and click OK. The
image you selected now appears on the contact card:
You can add a photo or a graphic image to an MS Outlook contact card.

Delete a Contact
Occasionally, you may want to delete a contact. The information may no longer be valid, or
you may no longer need it.

Fortunately, it’s easy to delete a contact in Outlook. Start by opening the Address Book:
Contacts dialog box. Click the name of the contact you want to delete to select it. Next, right-
click anywhere in the dialog box. The pop-up menu displays:
Select the name of the contact in the address book, then click Delete.

Select the Delete option. The system prompts you to confirm that you really want to delete
the contact:
Click the Yes button to delete the selected contact.

Click Yes and the contact is removed from your MS Outlook address book.

Build a Contact Group

If you need to send more than one message to the same group of people, a contact group
can help you save time by letting you send the same message to all members in your group
at one time. By using a contact group, you can be sure everyone got the same information.
Best of all, you eliminate the risk of forgetting to send the email to someone—which you
might do if you emailed each group member separately.

(Note: This feature was known as the Distribution List in some earlier versions of Outlook.)

 Start by opening the People window. Click on the three dots in the lower left corner
MS Outlook. The Navigation Options pop-up menu appears:
 Select the People option from the Navigation pop-up menu.

 Select the People option from the pop-up menu. The People window displays with a
complete list of your contacts:
 You can see a complete list of your Outlook contacts on the People window.

 Click the New Contact Group in the Ribbon. An empty Contact Group window
appears:

 Use the Contact Group window to create a new contact group.

  Type the name of the contact group you wish to create in the Name field. Now that
you’ve created a new contact group, you’re ready to begin adding contacts to it.

Add Contacts to an Outlook Contact Group

To add new contacts to a contact group, start with the empty Contact Group window open.
Click the Add Member icon in the ribbon. A pop-up menu displays:

 To add members to an Outlook contact group, choose between Outlook contacts,

your address book, or a new email contact.

 You can choose between selecting members from your existing Outlook contacts,
from your address book, or creating a new email contact to add to the contact group.

 If you choose the From Outlook Contacts or the From Address Book option from the
pop-up menu, the Select Members: Contacts window displays. You can choose a
contact name from that.

 For this example, we’re going to choose the New E-mail Contact option. Rather than
getting the full contact card, the Add New Member dialog box appears:
  Use the Add New Member dialog box to add members to your Outlook contact
group.

 Type in the name and address of the contact you wish to add to the group. Notice
that the checkbox next to Add to Contacts is checked by default. If you uncheck it, the
contact will be added to your new contact group, but not to your address book. This
can be helpful if you only need to contact this person as part of the group.

 Once you’ve entered your information, click OK. The contact is now added to your
contact group. Continue adding as many contacts to the group as you need.

 When you’re done adding members to your new contact group, click the Save &
Close icon in the upper left of the Contact Group window.

Step 3. How to Use Your Contact Group

The next time you’re ready to send a message to the members of your contact group, simply
type the contact group name in the To field. Click the Send button when your message is
complete. The message will be sent to all members of your contact group:
Type your contact group name into the To field of a new message to send it to all contact
group members.

Rename a Contact Group

After you’ve created a contact group, you can rename it. For example, if a project ends and
the project group is assigned to a new project you might want to rename your contact
group.

 To rename your group, open the Navigation pop-up menu and select
the People option:

Use the People option on the Navigation pop-up menu to open the Contacts window.

The Contacts window appears:

Contact groups appear at the top of the Contacts window.

The contact group name appears at the top of the contact list (next to the people icon). Click
the contact group to select it. Double-click on the selected contact group to open
the Contact Group window:

You can rename an existing contact group.

Type a new contact group name in the Name field. When you’re done, click the Update
Now icon. Or, click the Save & Close icon to save your changes and exit the window.

Change the Contacts in an MS Outlook Contact Group

Email lists tend to be fluid. Group members change over time. Outlook email can help you
keep up.
You can quickly and easily change the contact group members from the Contact
Group window. You can assign new contacts to the contact group or even delete existing
group members. Start with the Contact Group window open:

 Start by adding a new member to the existing contact group. Double-click the Add
Members icon in the Ribbon. You’re given a choice to add a member from your
Outlook contacts list, your address book, or to type in a new email contact.

 After you’ve finished adding a member, click on the Update Now icon in the Ribbon.

 To remove a member from the contact group, click the member name to select it.
Next, click the Remove Member icon in the Ribbon. The member’s contact
information is removed from the contact group. (They’re not, however, removed from
your Outlook email contacts list.)

When you’ve finished making changes to your contact group, click the Save & Close icon on
the left of the Ribbon to exit from the window.

Delete a Contact Group

 From time to time, you may wish to delete a contact group entirely. Maybe you no
longer need to contact the group members.

 To delete a contact group from your MS Outlook email, start with

the Contacts window open. Your contact groups appear at the top of the list.

 Click the contact group you want to delete to select it. Click the Delete icon (it looks
like an X) in the Ribbon. Your contact group is deleted.
Share a Contact or Contact Group in Outlook
 If someone else needs your contact information or even your contact group, you can
quickly and easily share the information with them through Outlook email.

 Start with the Contacts window open. Click on the Outlook item you want to share to
select it. The item can be a contact group or an individual contact. In this example, I'm
demonstrating how to share a contact group in Outlook.

 Click Forward Contact on the Ribbon to bring up the pop-up menu:

You can forward Outlook contact or contact group information to someone else.

Note: Contact groups can only be forwarded as an Outlook contact. Individual contacts can
be forwarded as either an Outlook contact or a business card.

Select the option for the format of the contact item. An email Compose window opens with
the contact item already attached:
The Outlook contact group information you're sharing is attached to the email.

Type in the email address of the person you want to receive the information. It’s also a good
idea to add some text in the body of the message so your item doesn’t end up in the spam
folder. When you’re done, click the Send button.

Practical Ways to Use Your Contact Groups

Once you’ve entered your contacts into Outlook and organized them into groups you’ll find
that there are many uses for Outlook contact groups. Here are just few ideas:

 Project messages. If you need to send the same information to all your project team
members, contact groups are a great tool. Make sure everyone on your team is on
the same page.

 Meetings. While there are other ways to send out meeting notices, sending one
through email via a contact group allows you to add attachments and other details.

 Announcements. If your business does company-wide announcements, or even

department-wide announcements a group email sent using a contact list can help get
the word out.

Notifications and alerts. If you need to alert a group of clients about a software upgrade or
other system changes, a contact list can ensure your message reaches the right people.

Social events. Contact groups are also a great tool for organizing social events such as
parties, group get-togethers, sporting events and other social occasions.
Using a contact group to send a message to more than one person is practical and
timesaving. Once you become comfortable using contact groups, you’ll be able to think of
your own unique uses for them.

Print contacts, messages, or other Outlook

items

Print a single contact

1. Click People or the People icon at the bottom of your Outlook window.

or

Note: If you don't see People or the People icon, you are probably using Windows 10
Mail.
2. In the folder pane, under My Contacts, click the contacts folder that contains the
contact that you want to print.

3. Double-click the contact to open it.

4. Click File > Print.

5. A preview of the printed contact will show on the right. If this is the format you want
and you want to print all pages, click Print. Otherwise, continue to Step 6.

6. Click Print Options to display the Print options dialog box.

 Under Print style, click Define Styles > Edit to change fonts, fields, paper
options, and header and footer options. When you're done making changes,
click OK, then Print.

 On the Print dialog box, under Page range, type the page numbers or range
of page numbers you want to print, then click Print.

To print some, but not all of your contact list, first filter your contacts so that only the
contacts that you want appear. After your contacts are filtered, the printing steps are the
same as if you are printing all contacts as outlined here. For information on filtering your
contact list, see Use Outlook's built-in search filters.

1. Click People or the People icon at the bottom of your Outlook window.
 or

Note: If you don't see People or the People icon, you are probably using Windows 10
Mail.

2. In the folder pane, under My Contacts, click the contacts folder that contains the
contact that you want to print.

3. Click File > Print.

4. A preview of the printed contacts will show on the right. If this is the format you want
and you want to print all pages, click Print. Otherwise, continue to Step 5.

5. Click Print Options to display the Print options dialog box.

 Under Print style, click Define Styles > Edit to change fonts, fields, paper
options, and header and footer options. When you're done making changes,
click OK, then Print.

 On the Print dialog box, under Page range, type the page numbers or range
of page numbers you want to print, then click Print.

Views
Create, change, or customize a view
Views give you different ways to look at items in a folder. Each Outlook folder, such
as Inbox and Calendar, allows you to customize your view to change the organization of
items, fonts, and many other settings.

he most common change to make to a view is to change the font size in the message list, the
Reading Pane, or when composing a message.

Change the font or font size in the message list

Select View > View Settings.

Select Other Settings in the Advanced View Settings box.

Select Column Font or Row Font.

Note: To change the font size of the message preview, sender name, and subject in the
default Inbox view, choose Row Font.

 Select the font, font style, and size you want, then click OK three times to save your
settings and apply your changes.

Note: If you only want to change the font or font size for the message preview (the line of
message text you see under the subject and sender, select Font under Message Preview.

Change your font or font size in the Reading Pane

The Reading Pane doesn't allow you to change the default font or font size. However, you
can zoom in or zoom out easily. You can also tell Outlook to display all of your email
messages in plain text, and have more control over the font size.

At the bottom right corner of the Reading Pane, click the percentage (usually 100%) to
display the Zoom While Reading dialog box.
Choose one of the default percentages or enter your own percentage. Select the Remember
my preference checkbox to keep your zoom level the same across all messages you receive.

Move the slider left or right to change the size of the text in the Reading Pane.

Note: Any change you make to the zoom level only persists while you're viewing the
message. If you select a different message, the zoom percentage will return to 100%. If you
click back to the first message, the zoom percentage isn't saved.

Change the font size for messages when composing, replying, and forwarding

To change the font size for messages when composing, replying, and forwarding, use the
following steps.

Select File > Options > Mail > Stationery and Fonts.

Select the Font button for New mail messages or Replying or forwarding messages to change
the default font, font size, and font color when composing or replying to messages.
Click OK twice to save your changes.

Creating a new view

Sometimes, it's easier to start with a brand new view rather than modifying an existing view.
You can create a new view in any Outlook folder.

Click View > Current View> Change View > Manage Views > New.

Note: If you want to start from an existing view, in the Manage All Views dialog box,
select <Current view settings> and then select Copy.
Enter a name for your new view, and then choose the type of view.

Under Can be used on, accept the default setting of All Mail and Post folders or choose
another option, and then choose OK.

In the Advanced View Settings: New View dialog box, choose the options that you want to
use, and then choose OK.

To use the view immediately, choose Apply View.Here are several different types of views you
can choose when creating new view.

 Table A table view shows your information in rows and columns. This is one of the
most effective views for email messages.

 Timeline A timeline view shows your items along a fixed timeline. It's useful for tasks or
for folders that contain a small number of items spread out over a period of time, for
example, a collection of twenty emails for a specific project.
  Card views are typically used for contact folders. In a card view, you'll see a variety of
fields that apply to each item, whether they're filled in or not.

 Business card views are typically used for contact folders. In a business card view, you
only see fields that contain data.

 A people view is a view of your contacts that doesn't show the same level of detail
you see from Card or Business card views. You'll see a list of your contacts with their
name and photo.

 Day/Week/Month A Day/Week/Month view is typically used for Calendar folders, but

you can use it for email folders as well.

 Icon An icon view shows your items with an icon and their subject. This view is useful
for folders with few items or for notes folders.

Deleting a custom view

On the View tab, in the Current View group, choose Change View > Manage Views.

Under Views for folder, select the custom view that you want to remove.

Choose Delete, confirm deletion, and then choose OK.

Use Search Folders to find messages or other Outlook items

A Search Folder is a virtual folder that provides a view of all email items that match specific
search criteria. For example, the Unread Mail Search Folder enables you to view all unread
messages in one folder, even though the messages might be saved in different folders across
your mailbox.

Create a new Search Folder

You can create two different types of search folders.

1. Create and use predefined Search Folders.

2. Create a customized Search Folder.

Create and use predefined Search Folders

 Select the Folder menu.

 In the New group, select New Search Folder.

Keyboard shortcut To create a new Search Folder, click Ctrl+Shift+P.

 From the Select a Search Folder list, click the Search Folder you want to add. Some of
the predefined Search Folders are only available if you scroll down to the end of the
 list.

 If the predefined Search Folder has customization options, you'll see those options
appear under Customize Search Folder. For example, if you select Mail with specific
words, under Customize Search Folder, specify the words to use.

Note: Search Folders use prefix matching searches when you type specific words to include in
the search. For example, if you type "rain" in the word list, the Search Folder will include
messages that contain the word "rain" and the word "rainy." The Search Folder will not
contain messages that include the words "brain" or "grain."

If you have multiple accounts in Outlook, you can specify which account to search. Use
the Search mail in box to pick the email account you want to search. then select OK.

Create a customized Search Folder

 Select the Folder menu.

 In the New group, select New Search Folder.

Keyboard shortcut To create a Search Folder, click Ctrl+Shift+P.

 From the Select a Search Folder list, scroll down to the bottom and then click Create a
custom Search Folder.
  Under Customize Search Folder, click Choose.

 Type a name for your custom Search Folder.

 Click Criteria, and then select the options that you want.

The Messages tab contains criteria on the message content or properties, such as sender,
keywords, or recipients.
The More Choices tab contains criteria on other message conditions, such as importance,
flags, attachments, or categorization.

The Advanced tab enables you to make detailed criteria. Under Define more criteria,
click Field, click the type of criterion that you want, and then click the specific criterion from
the list. Then in the Condition box and the Value box, click the options that you want, and
then click Add to List. Repeat for each criterion that you want to add to this search folder,
and then click OK.

Click Browse, select the folders that you want to be searched.

Click OK to close each open dialog box.

Delete a Search Folder

If you no longer need a Search Folder, you can delete it. A Search Folder is a virtual folder.
Deleting a Search Folder from the folder list doesn't delete the messages displayed in the
folder. If you want to delete all messages within a Search Folder, open the Search Folder,
select all of the messages, then click Delete on your keyboard.

To delete a search folder, use the following steps.

 In the Folder List, select the down arrow next to the word Search Folders if needed to
expand your list of Search Folders.

 Right-click the Search Folder you want to delete, and choose Delete Folder.
  Important: Deleting a Search Folder doesn't delete any messages. Deleting a folder
that's not a Search Folder will delete both the folder and the messages inside the
folder.

Find people and contacts

Whether you have just a few contacts, several hundred, or more than a thousand, there are
times you'll want to search for a contact rather than scroll through a long list of contacts.
There are several ways you can search for people and contacts in Outlook.

There are several different ways you can search for a contact. You can use the Search People
box on the ribbon in any Outlook folder, search while composing a new message or meeting,
or search in Outlook's People pane (formerly known as the Contacts folder).

Search for a contact using the Search People box on the ribbon

This is the quickest and easiest way to find a contact. Position your cursor in the Search
People box, then start typing the first few letters of the person's first name or email address.
As you type, Outlook will continually refine the search. For example, if you type the letter t,
Outlook will return matches such as Tony, Teresa, and Tanya. If you type ta, Outlook will
further refine that list to Tanya.

Search for a contact while composing a new message

When you select the To, Cc, or Bcc buttons in a new message, Outlook will display your
default address book. If you have an Exchange or Microsoft 365 account, that's your
organization's Global Address List. If you're using a POP or IMAP account, you'll see your
Contacts folder.

If you have multiple contacts folders or address books, you can use the drop-down under
Address Book to choose among them. When you do, you'll see an alphabetized list of
contacts, sorted by name.

To search, type part of the contact's name in the Search box and then select Go. You can
select the More columns radio button to search by other fields, including department, phone,
and location. Once Outlook returns a list of contacts, double-click the one you want to add
the contact to the To box, or select the contact and then click To, Cc, or Bcc to add the
contact to the respective boxes.

Search for a contact in the People pane

Choose People at the bottom of the screen.
Above your contacts list, place your cursor in the Search Contacts box.

Note: The Search Contacts box at the top of your list of contacts is different than the Search
People box, which is in the top-right corner of the Outlook ribbon. The Search People box
only searches on names and email addresses. The Search Contacts box searches phone
numbers, addresses, company names, and more.

Type the person’s name or other information—like a phone number or company name—you
want to search for.

Tip: You can search for complete or partial information. If you're searching for someone
named Chris Preston, for example, you can type the full name or “pre,” which represents the
first three characters of the last name.

Outlook displays your search results in card form, showing the contact photo, email address,
business or home address, and phone numbers. Choose the person you want from the
search results.
Note: As you type, Outlook refines its search. For example, if you type the letter J, Outlook
will return results that contain John, James, Jack, Julian, and Julie. If you type Jul, Outlook will
return results that include Julian and Julie in any field, including company name, email
address, and physical address.

Backup and Restore Emails in Microsoft

Outlook
Modern email systems keep your mail in the cloud so you can access it from anywhere, but
even they have storage limits. Here’s how to take a backup of your Microsoft Outlook emails
and restore it if you ever need those messages again.

How to Take a Backup In Microsoft Outlook

Taking a backup in Microsoft Outlook is very easy. Backups are stored in PST (Personal
Storage Table) files, which can be opened directly in Outlook. Here’s how to create one.

Open Microsoft Outlook on your computer, click “File” in the ribbon, and then select Open &
Export > Import/Export.
Click “Export To A File” and then select the “Next” button.
From the next window, highlight “Outlook Data File” and click “Next” to proceed.

You can select an individual folder, such as “Archive,” but if you want to make a backup of all
your emails, click on the name of your mailbox, make sure “Include Subfolders” is checked
and then click “Next.”

By default, your file will be called “backup.pst” and stored in Window’s default Microsoft
Outlook folder, but you can change the location and the file name.
If you save the file with the same name as another PST file in that location, the emails will be
saved to the same file. This is what the “Options” section is for; choose whether to replace
duplicate emails, create duplicate emails, or not to export duplicate emails at all. When you’re
done, click “Finish.”

Outlook will create a PST file in the location you specified. Meta-data such as folder
properties (views, permissions, and AutoArchive settings), message rules, and blocked
senders lists aren’t exported.

Use the backup feature as an offsite backup, to make space in your IMAP account, or to
move emails into a different account or Microsoft Outlook on another device.

Restore a Backup In Microsoft Outlook

Now that you have a PST file, you need to be able to import the data in it back into Microsoft
Outlook, which is just as easy as exporting the file.

Open the Outlook application on your computer, click “File,” and then select Open & Export
> Import/Export.
Next, select “Import From Another Program or File” and click “Next.”

Highlight the “Outlook Data File” option and then select “Next.”
Choose the PST file you want to import and choose whether to replace duplicate emails,
create duplicate emails, or not to import duplicate emails at all. When you’re done, click
“Next.”

Select the folder you want to import—or the whole mailbox, if that’s what you exported—
and choose whether to import the files into the current folder you’re in, or folders with the
same name as you exported.
If you’re restoring from a backup or moving your emails to a new device, you’ll want to
“import items into the same folder in” and choose the mail account to import them into. This
will create the same folder structure you exported to the PST. When you’re done, click
“Finish.”

Your emails will now be imported into Microsoft Outlook. If you’re importing emails from a
different account, and you’re using IMAP or MAPI, the imported messages will be synced
with the email server and you’ll be able to access them from other devices. Depending on
the volume of emails, it might take a little while for the sync to complete.

Remember that meta data such as folder properties ( views, permissions, and AutoArchive
settings), message rules, and blocked senders lists aren’t exported into the PST, so they won’t
be imported either and you’ll have to recreate them.
 Outlook Exercises
Exercise 1. Customize Mail layout

Each section of Outlook has a customisable content pane. This enables you to personalise your
screen in each section. This is a local setting you will have to configure on your workstations.

In the mail section

1. Go to the View tab

2. Click on the Reading pane button

3. Select Off

Using your mouse manually adjust the

width of the:
• Navigation pane
• Reading pane
• To-Do Bar

Email

Electronic mail is a timely and useful communication medium. With such immediacy and
convenience, it is easy to use email tools ineffectively. Ensure that your work processes evolve
alongside your technical skills.
Exercise 2. Create and automate email signatures

Email signature

1. Click New Email

In the new message:

2. Go to the message tab

3. Click Signatures > Signatures…

4. Click New

5. Enter ‘Your name’

6. Click OK

In the Edit signature box:

7. Enter signature details

8. Click OK

In the blank email:

9. Click Signature button

10. Select the new Your Signature signature

This signature will be added into the body of the email
and replace any existing signature.

Default Signature for new emails

In Mail section:

1. Click on File tab

2. Click on Options

3. Click on the Mail option

4. Click on the Signatures… button

5. Select New messages: drop
down arrow

6. Click on the Your Signature signature

7. Click on OK

All new messages will automatically have the

signature applied.
Exercise 3. Create an email template

An email template creates identical copies of itself. Outlook templates are stored locally – so
you may need to transfer or share them at intervals. To update an email template you will need
to open a copy and Save As the changes to replace the existing template.

Creating an email template

1. Start a new email: Home tab –

New Email

2. Enter any recipient details which

will always be required

3. Enter a subject

4. Delete any signature text

5. Enter some body text of your choice

e.g. The quick brown fox

6. Click the File tab

7. Select Save As

8. In Save as type: choose Outlook

Template (*.oft)

9. Click Save

10. Click on File tab

11. Select Close

 12. Click on No

Using an email template

1. Click New Items > More Items >

Choose Form…

2. Choose User Templates in

File System from the Look
In: box

3. Select the template

4. Click Open

The file path will be visible if you need to transfer or

share your templates.
Viewing and managing emails

Composing, managing and filing emails can be a time consuming process. Consider changing
the way you check and respond to your emails, for example:

• Limit checking your emails to two or three times a day and don’t check emails first
thing in the morning to avoid interrupting your plans for the day
• Deal with emails decisively and respond comprehensively so they don’t generate more
emails in response and try not to copy people into emails who don’t need them.

Exercise 4. Manage email settings

Adjust email notifications

1. Click the File tab

2. Select Options

3. Click the Mail menu item in the

Options dialogue box

4. Uncheck the notification boxes as desired

Adjust start and exit settings

1. Click the File tab

2. Select Options

3. Click the Advanced menu item in

the Options dialogue box

4. Click the Browse… button

5. Select a new start folder

6. Click OK
Exercise 5. Searching emails

Locating emails in a crowded inbox is made simple using these search tips…
The search area is in the top right of
the Outlook window

Clicking in the search area activates the Search toolbar

The Scope group controls the part of

Outlook being searched

The Refine group controls what is

being searched for

The More button in the Refine group

allows you to search through many
more email properties

It is possible to search directly in the search area using the correct search parameters

Use the drop down list to search:

• Current Folder
• Subfolders (of the current folder)
• Current Mailbox
• All Mailboxes (if your Outlook is
setup to view multiple
 accounts)
• All Outlook Items (to search Mail,
Calendar, People and Tasks)
Click in the Search area

Enter a search term e.g. the name of

your manager
This will locate items containing that name (Not
case sensitive)

Enter their full name

Locates both names but not necessarily in

that order
Results can be in address, subject or body

Enter their full name in quotation

marks Locates the exact phrase

Enter your managers name preceded by From:

e.g.From:Noela Yates
Locates emails sent by that person
Exercise 6. Adjust email viewing options

Use conversation view

Conversation view aggregates emails and summarizes them by subject. As you receive a new
email with that subject the whole conversation moves to the top of your email list. This can
include emails in other folders.

1. Click the View tab

2. Select Date in the Arrangement group

3. Check Show as Conversations

4. Select This folder button

You can easily return to regular Date View by

deselecting Show As Conversation

5. Click Conversation Settings

6. Enable Show Messages from Other

Folder

Colour code incoming emails

It is possible to use conditional formatting to colour code incoming correspondence.

1. Click the View tab

2. Click View Settings

3. Click Conditional Formatting

4. Click Add

5. Type Manager in the Name field

6. Click the Condition button

7. Click the From… button

8. Search and select your manager’s

name from the address book then click
OK

9. Click the More Choices tab

10. Check the Only items that

are: checkbox

11. Set the list item to unread

12. Click OK
13. Click the Font button

14. Choose a font colour

15. Click OK

16. Click OK to confirm the new condition

17. Click OK to confirm the view change

Exercise 7. Filing your emails

Create new folder

1. Right click your mailbox in

the Navigation Bar

2. Select New Folder…

3. Type the name ‘Training Class’

4. Press Enter on keyboard

Folder will be placed in alphabetical order with

current folders in mailbox

Quick step – move to folder

1. Click the More button in Quick

Steps group

2. Select New Quick Step > Move to

Folder… in the Quick Steps group
on the Home tab

3. Enter the name ‘Move to

Training Folder’
4. Select the Training Class folder

5. Click Finish

6. Select the Timesheet Reminder email

7. Click on the new quick step ‘Move

to Training folder’
Filing with email rules

Rules can be setup to file or delete emails as they arrive, for example, when you receive:
automated reminders from enterprise systems, emails about staff absences or irrelevant emails
from mailing lists.

1. Go to Training Class folder

2. Select the Timesheet reminder email

3. Click Rules button in Move group

4. Select Create Rule…

5. Check Subject contains… button

6. Check Move the item to folder

7. Click Select folder… button

8. Select Training Class folder

9. Click on OK to confirm folder

10. Click OK to confirm rule settings

11. Check ‘Run this rule now’

12. Click OK

Check the Training class folder to ensure the

messages moved are as intended
View, edit and delete rules

1. Click the Rules button > Manage

Rules & Alerts…

• Clear tick alongside rule to switch it off

• Click on Delete button to remove rule

Exercise 8. Applying flags and categories

Email flags

Use flags as a follow up reminder

• Left click the Flag icon on any email

Flagged emails are automatically listed as To-Do
items in Tasks.

• Left click again to indicate complete

• Right click the Flag icon on any email
for specific timeframes or to schedule
a reminder
Categories

Establishing categories for managing mail will only apply to your own account. Other users will
be able to define and apply their own account

Apply categories

1. Right click in CATEGORIES section

to access category menu

2. Click on a category to apply

This can be repeated to apply multiple categories.

Apply a category with one click

1. Right click in CATEGORIES section

to access category menu

2. Select the ‘Set Quick Click…’

3. Choose a category to be applied

4. Click OK

5. Left click on an email in the

Categories section
The defined category will be applied to selected messages

Customise Categories

1. Right click an email > All Categories

 OR

• Click the Categorize tool in the

Tags group on the Home tab

• Select Rename or create

New categories as required

Out of Office Assistant

If you are not going to be responding to your emails for an extended period the Out of Office
Assistant can be used to send a response or forward your emails to a colleague. It is possible to
schedule your out of office period ahead of time.

Important: Any rules set using Out of Office Assistant will apply each time you use it – including forwarding
arrangements etc. Remember to disable/remove any rules for the Out of Office Assistant when they are not required.

Exercise 9. Schedule an out of office message

1. Click the File tab

2. Click Automatic Replies

3. Click Send automatic replies to

send replies until manually disabled

OR

• In addition: check ‘Only send

during this time range’ to schedule
an automated period
 4. Enter a message/s which will be sent
in response to any email during your
absence
Outside the organisation is generally defined as
anyone without a valid UQ email address.

5. Click the Rules button

6. Click Add Rule…
7. Check the Forward box and then
click the To… button

8. Select a colleague
9. Click OK
10. Confirm email forward for all emails
by clicking Yes

These rules will be used each time you schedule an

out of office period unless they are disabled or
deleted.

11. Click OK to confirm the rules

12. Click OK to schedule the out of office period

To stop Automatic Replies

13. Click on File

14. Click on Automatic Replies button

15. Select ‘Do not send automatic

replies’ button

16. Click on OK

The Outlook Calendar

Exercise 10. Customise calendar settings

1. Click the File tab > Options

2. Select the Calendar menu item

Set work hours

• Update work schedule to show others

your usual work hours.
This will adjust shaded sections on the days you select.

Adjust default meeting reminder

• Adjust the Default Reminders dropdown in

Calendar options
Exercise 11. Share your calendar

1. Go to Calendar section of Outlook

2. Click Share Calendar in the

Share group

3. Choose recipients

4. Check Request Permission to

view recipient’s calendar if
appropriate
5. Click Send

Customize sharing permissions

1. Click Calendar Permissions on the

Share group
 2. Select the staff member and
update their permissions as
required
3. Click on OK

Sharing your calendar enables Read permissions

only. You will be required to customise the Write
and Delete permissions as required.

Exercise 12. Group shared calendars

1. Click Calendar Groups > Create New

Calendar Group

2. Enter a group name and click OK

3. Add group members and click OK

The group will appear in the navigation bar. Calendars

can be turned on and off as required
Appointments and meetings

Appointments and meetings are similar in Outlook, with one main difference: meetings have
attendees, and generate invitations, appointments do not.

Exercise 13. Schedule a meeting

1. Home Tab > Inbox > select any email.

2. Click the Meeting button in

the Respond group
When you click Send – meeting invitations will be sent
out to recipients.

3. Click the Scheduling Assistant button

4. Add recipients

5. Select a date and time, based on

the displayed availability

6. Click on Send

Converting appointments and meetings

Convert meeting to appointment

• Click Cancel Invitation

Convert appointment to meeting

• Click Invite Attendees

Recurring appointments
 When setting up a meeting:

1. Click the Recurrence button in

the Options group

2. Select recurrence options

including frequency and an end
date
3. Click OK

This offers an invitation to recipients to a series

of meetings which will be entered into their
calendar.

Exercise 14. Respond to meeting invitations

An Outlook meeting invitation is an enhanced email with Yes, Tentative and No buttons on it. It
is good practice to answer these invitations and to have Outlook send a response. This ensures
that meeting convenors are aware of attendance and can reschedule if necessary.

Click the email invitation:

1. Click one of the attendance options:

Accept/Tentative/Decline

2. Choose the Send the Response

Now option

OR

• Click Propose New Time with

a provisional Tentative or
Negative response
 • Alter the start and end times and click
Propose Time

Exercise 15. Print your calendar

In the Calendar section:

1. Click the File tab

2. Click Print

OR

• Press CTRL + P

3. Alter the Calender print settings

4. Click Print

People
Contacts can be found by clicking the People heading. Contacts can be updated or have notes
recorded against them. They can be added to email distribution lists and organised in Contact
Folders and the folders into Folder Groups.

Exercise 16. Add notes to a contact

Go to the People section:

1. Double click a contact

2. Click Notes

3. Add relevant notes about

relevant interactions with this
user

Exercise 17. Create a contact group

A contact group is an email distribution list you can access from any of the address fields when
creating an email or meeting.
 1. Click New Contact Group

2. Enter the name ‘Outlook 2016 Course’

3. Click Add Members > From Outlook

Contacts

4. Select contacts as appropriate

5. Click Save & Close

This group will now be available via autocomplete

when you start typing a recipient when sending an
email.

Exercise 18. Create a contacts folder

Contact folders hold individual and groups of related contacts.

1. In the Navigation Bar right click on

the Contacts folder
2. Click New Folder…
 3. Type in the name: ‘Outlook’

4. Select the Contacts folder

Ensure a subfolder isn’t selected

5. Click OK

Populate folder with contacts

1. Select the Contacts folder

2. Locate existing contacts and

contact groups
Changing the Current View to List may speed
this process.

3. Hold down the right mouse button over

a contact and drag and drop it into the
‘Outlook’ folder

4. Click the Copy menu option

Exercise 19. Share a contacts folder

1. Select the Outlook 2016 contact folder

2. Click Forward Contact in the Share

group of the Home tab > As an
Outlook
Contact

3. Add recipients to the email and

change subject to Outlook Course
4. Click Send
 The contacts will be sent as an attachment.

Save a contact attachment

5. Click and drag the attachment over

the Contacts section

6. Drop the contact into a contacts folder

Exercise 20. Create folder groups for contact folders

Contact groups are essentially an organizational device which groups contact folders.

1. Right click the My Contacts folder group

2. Click New Folder Group

3. Name the group ‘Outlook Training’

4. Drag the ‘Outlook’ contacts folder

into the ‘Outlook related’ folder
group
Tasks

The Tasks section contains basic functionality for creating, assigning and tracking progress of
activities. Its primary benefit is its integration with Outlook. Emails that have been flagged will
appear in the To-Do List in the Tasks section.

Exercise 21. Create a task

In the Tasks section:

1. Click New Task

2. In the Subject field, type: ‘Create

new timesheet form’

3. Set the start date as today and the

finish date one week from today

4. Click Details in the Show group

5. Add ‘2 hours’ to the Total work: field

6. You can now save this task for

completion or assign it to
someone.
Exercise 22. Assign the task

1. Click Assign Task in the Manage

Task group

2. Add a recipient

3. Add any relevant details

4. Click Send

Completing an assigned task

In the Mail section when a task

assignment arrives:

1. Click Accept or decline as appropriate.

2. Either send a custom response or

simply an automated acceptance or
rejection notification

3. Hover on Tasks at the bottom to see

a quick view of your tasks
4. Go to the Tasks section and click
the Tasks list:
5. Double click the Task to
update it including % complete
6. Click Mark Complete when the task
is completed