Improve Productivity with 5 Essential Microsoft Outlook Tips
Microsoft Outlook is widely accepted as being one of the best tools on the market for business focusses email management software, however the software consists of so many different functions, settings and abilities that mastering them and being able to fully benefit from the program’s features is no easy task.
Majority of Microsoft Outlook users though have never become fully aware of the program’s capabilities because they never take the time to investigate the various menus and features within Outlook. To bring attention to some of the more useful functions found in Outlook this list of handy tips has been compiled, helping you to get more out of the software and maximize productivity.
Email Filtering
Nobody is a stranger to the barrage of new emails flooding our inboxes every day. This can make it difficult and time consuming to find the emails and messages of importance, as our inboxes are cluttered with many unnecessary and irrelevant deliveries. Outlook has answered this concern with the Filter Email function. This filter allows users to instantly sort their mailbox and display only certain emails, depending on the designated criteria. It also allows you to further narrow your search with the search box.
Instantly Compose New Emails
Outlook has implemented a shortcut designed to save users time when switching back and forth between Outlook and other programs. Users are able to create new emails, appointments, contacts, meetings and other tasks with ease, regardless of what is currently displayed on the screen by simply right clicking on the displayed Outlook icon and opening a list of these direct shortcuts.
Assign Categories
For users that receive large volumes of email on a daily basis Outlook helps by allowing the creation of categories where email addresses can be assigned to their corresponding groups. Outlook allows users to create categories that are organized by color code to determine their precedent, such as red for urgent, green for done, and so forth, making it fast and easy to identify the individual status of each email and make prioritizing tasks simple.
*To create a new category simply right click on the Categories column and select All Categories from the drop down list.
Folder Creation
Folder creation is a very useful, not to mention the basic email management tip that more times than not gets overlooked. Keep your inbox from being cluttered by creating custom folders for specific emails. Outlook puts no limit on the number of folders that users can create, however an s a general rule of thumb it is wise to create a folder for each individual client or subject. Folders can be created by simply right clicking on the left navigational panel of Outlook and selecting New Folder from the drop down menu. All that is required to move emails from your main inbox into a custom folder is a simple drag and drop.
Email Templates
Templates are an excellent way to save time and increase productivity if you find yourself often sending emails that consist of the same information or content, with little change. Templates can be created by composing a new email message, and leaving a visible blank space in the body for new information to be added or changed with each additional email. Once your message is complete, navigate to the Files tab and select Save As. When the dialog box appears, change the file type of the document to outlook template (*.oft) and proceed to save. Whenever the template is needed in the future, it can be obtained by selecting New Items/ More Items/ Choose From and you will be able to select your template from the list that appears.
Microsoft has provided users with fantastic email communication software that comes included with the Microsoft 365 package.
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