Outlook 365 provides users with email services, calendar management, task organization, contact management, and note-taking capabilities. It is available as a desktop application for Windows and macOS, as well as web-based and mobile versions for various platforms like iOS and Android.

One of the key features of Outlook 365 is its integration with other Microsoft 365 services, such as OneDrive for file storage, Teams for collaboration, and SharePoint for document management. This integration allows users to seamlessly access and share information across different Microsoft applications.

Outlook 365 also offers advanced features like email encryption, advanced spam filtering, and integration with third-party add-ins and extensions to enhance productivity and customization.

Overall, Outlook 365 is widely used by individuals and organizations around the world as a comprehensive solution for email communication and personal organization.

The Microsoft 365 interface

The Outlook interface consists of several key elements, each serving a specific purpose to help users manage their emails, calendar events, contacts, and tasks efficiently. Let’s break down each component:

Ribbon:

• The Ribbon is located at the top of the Outlook window and contains various commands organized into tabs.
• The Home tab includes commonly used commands such as New Email, Reply, Forward, Delete, Move, and more.
• Other tabs like Send/Receive, Folder, View, and others offer additional commands and options related to specific tasks and functions within Outlook.
• The Ribbon adapts dynamically based on the context of the selected item or activity in Outlook, providing relevant commands and tools.

The Navigation Pane:

• The Navigation Pane is typically located on the left side of the Outlook window and provides quick access to different modules and folders.
• It includes several sections:
  • Mail: Displays folders such as Inbox, Sent Items, Drafts, and other custom folders. Users can switch between different email folders and views.
  • Calendar: Shows the user’s calendar with options to view different time periods (day, week, month) and manage calendar events.
  • People (Contacts): Contains the user’s contacts and address book, allowing users to manage and organize contact information.
  • Tasks: Displays tasks and to-do items, allowing users to manage their tasks and track their progress.

Main navigation Areas:

• Mail: The Mail view is the central area of Outlook where users can read, compose, send, receive, and manage emails. It displays a list of emails in the selected folder (e.g., Inbox) and allows users to perform various actions on emails.
• Calendar: The Calendar view allows users to manage their schedules, appointments, and meetings. Users can view their calendar, schedule new appointments, invite attendees to meetings, set reminders, and more.
• People (Contacts): The People view provides access to the user’s contacts and address book. Users can add, edit, and organize contact information, as well as send emails or schedule meetings with contacts.
• Tasks: The Tasks view displays a list of tasks and to-do items. Users can create new tasks, set due dates, prioritize tasks, mark tasks as complete, and organize tasks into categories.

Overall, the Microsoft 365 interface is designed to provide users with easy access to essential tools and functionalities for managing email, calendar, contacts, and tasks efficiently. The Ribbon, Navigation Pane, and main areas like Mail, Calendar, People, and Tasks work together to facilitate seamless navigation and productivity within the Outlook application.

Customizing the outlook 365 interface

Users can customize the interface of Microsoft 365 (including Outlook) in various ways to suit their preferences and workflow. Here are some common customization options:

• Theme Selection:
  • Microsoft 365 offers different themes that users can apply to personalize the appearance of their applications. Users can choose from various color schemes to change the overall look of Microsoft 365.
• Customizing the Ribbon:
  • Users can customize the Ribbon by adding or removing commands to better suit their workflow. This can be done by right-clicking on the Ribbon and selecting “Customize the Ribbon.” From there, users can add new tabs, groups, or commands, or remove existing ones.
• Quick Access Toolbar:
  • The Quick Access Toolbar, located above the Ribbon, allows users to add frequently used commands for quick access. Users can customize this toolbar by clicking the dropdown arrow next to it and selecting the desired commands to add or remove.
• Navigation Pane Options:
  • In applications like Outlook, users can customize the Navigation Pane to show or hide different sections like Mail, Calendar, People, and Tasks. Users can also rearrange the order of sections to prioritize the ones they use most frequently.
• Reading Pane Settings:
  • In applications like Outlook, users can customize the Reading Pane to show email messages or other items on the right, bottom, or turned off completely. Users can adjust the Reading Pane settings from the View tab.
• Folder Pane Options:
  • In Outlook, users can customize the Folder Pane to show or hide certain folders, change the folder arrangement, or adjust the width of the pane. Users can right-click on the Folder Pane and select “Folder Pane Options” to make these adjustments.
• Default Font and Formatting:
  • Users can customize the default font and formatting settings for emails, documents, and other content within Microsoft 365 applications. These settings can typically be found in the Options or Preferences menu of each application.
• Keyboard Shortcuts:
  • Users can customize keyboard shortcuts for various commands and functions within Microsoft 365 applications. This can be done through the Options or Preferences menu, where users can assign or modify keyboard shortcuts according to their preferences.
• App Settings:
  • Each Microsoft 365 application has its own settings menu where users can customize various aspects of the application, such as notification preferences, language settings, default view settings, and more.
• Add-ins and Extensions:
  • Users can enhance the functionality of Microsoft 365 applications by installing add-ins and extensions from the Microsoft Store. These add-ins can provide additional features and integrations with third-party services.

These are just some examples of how users can customize the interface of Microsoft 365 applications to tailor them to their specific needs and preferences. The customization options may vary slightly depending on the application and version of Microsoft 365 being used.

Customizing the outlook 365 interface tutorial

Check out this great tutorial by Kevin stratvert On customizing the outlook 365 interface

Click for more recommended Tech YouTubers

Managing Outlook 365 emails: Composing and sending

Creating an Email:

• 1) Open Outlook: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• 2) Sign in: If you haven’t signed in already, enter your email address and password to log in to your Outlook account.
• 3) Navigate to Mail: Click on the “Mail” icon or navigate to the “Mail” section in the Navigation Pane to access your inbox.
• 4) Start a New Email: To create a new email, click on the “New Email” button or press Ctrl + N. This will open a new email message window.

Formatting an Email:

• 1) Add Recipients: In the “To” field, enter the email addresses of the recipients. You can also add recipients in the “Cc” (Carbon Copy) or “Bcc” (Blind Carbon Copy) fields if needed.
• 2) Enter Subject: Enter a descriptive subject for your email in the “Subject” field. This summarizes the content of your email.
• 3) Compose Email: In the body of the email, type your message. You can format the text using the formatting options available in the toolbar. This includes options for font style, size, color, alignment, bullet points, numbering, etc.
• 4) Attach Files: To attach files to your email, click on the “Attach File” button in the toolbar. Browse your computer for the file(s) you want to attach and click “Insert” to add them to your email.
• 5) Insert Hyperlinks: If you want to insert a hyperlink, select the text you want to link, then click on the “Insert Hyperlink” button in the toolbar. Enter the URL and click “OK” to insert the hyperlink.
• 6) Format Email: You can further format your email by using options such as bold, italic, underline, highlighting, etc., from the formatting toolbar.

Sending an Email

• 1) Review Email: Before sending, review your email to ensure everything is correct, including recipients, subject, message content, and attachments.
• 2) Send Email: Once you’re satisfied with the email, click on the “Send” button in the toolbar or press Ctrl + Enter to send the email. You also have the option of delaying the send at this point for a more precisely scheduled delivery.

Additional Tips

• Save Draft: If you need to finish composing your email later, you can click on the “Save” button to save it as a draft. You can find your draft emails in the Drafts folder.
• Spell Check: Outlook automatically checks for spelling errors as you type. Words flagged as misspelled are underlined in red. Right-click on a misspelled word to see suggested corrections.
• Reply and Forward: To reply to or forward an email, open the email you want to respond to and click on the “Reply” or “Forward” button in the toolbar.
• Signatures: You can create and customize email signatures by going to File > Options > Mail > Signatures. This allows you to automatically add a signature to your outgoing emails.

Optimizing inbox organization

Managing outlook emails effectively is crucial for maintaining productivity and organization. Here are some techniques, including creating folders, using categories, and setting rules for automatic email handling, to optimize inbox organization:

• Create Folders:
  • Organize emails by creating folders to categorize different types of messages. For example, you could create folders for specific projects, clients, departments, or types of correspondence (e.g., newsletters, receipts).
  • To create a new folder in Outlook, right-click on your mailbox or an existing folder, select “New Folder,” and give it a name. You can then move emails into these folders manually or by setting up rules.
• Use Categories:
  • Categories are color-coded labels that you can assign to emails to visually differentiate them based on different criteria (e.g., priority, project, sender).
  • To assign a category to an email in Outlook, select the email, go to the “Home” tab, click on the “Categorize” button, and choose a category color. You can also create custom categories with specific names and colors.
• Set Rules for Automatic Email Handling:
  • Use rules to automate the handling of emails based on criteria such as sender, subject, keywords, or recipients. Rules can be set up to move, delete, flag, categorize, or forward emails automatically.
  • In Outlook, go to the “Home” tab, click on “Rules,” and then select “Manage Rules & Alerts.” Click on “New Rule” to create a new rule and follow the prompts to define the conditions and actions for the rule.
• Flag Important Emails:
  • Flagging emails helps prioritize and keep track of important messages that require follow-up or action.
  • In Outlook, you can flag an email by clicking on the flag icon next to the email in the message list or open the email and click on the “Follow Up” button in the toolbar.
• Use Search and Filters:
  • Utilize search and filtering capabilities to quickly find specific emails or narrow down your inbox based on criteria such as sender, subject, date, or keywords.
  • In Outlook, use the search box at the top of the window to enter search terms or click on the filter icon to access advanced filtering options.
• Archive or Delete Unnecessary Emails:
  • Regularly review and archive or delete unnecessary emails to declutter your inbox and reduce the amount of email storage space used.
  • In Outlook, you can manually archive emails by dragging them to the “Archive” folder or set up auto-archiving rules to move older emails to archive folders automatically.
• Use Quick Steps (Outlook):
  • Quick Steps in Outlook allow you to perform multiple actions on emails with a single click, streamlining common tasks such as moving, categorizing, forwarding, or replying to emails.
  • You can create custom Quick Steps or use predefined ones by clicking on the “Quick Steps” button in the toolbar.
• Regular Maintenance:
  • Develop a routine for managing your inbox, such as dedicating specific times each day to process and organize emails, respond to important messages promptly, and clear out unnecessary emails regularly.

Searching and filtering for emails in Outlook 365

Using the search bar and filtering options effectively can help you quickly find specific emails within your inbox. Here’s how you can make the most of these features in Microsoft Outlook:

I) Search Bar:

1. Enter Keywords: Simply type keywords related to the email you’re looking for into the search bar located at the top of the Outlook window. You can enter sender names, email subjects, specific phrases, or any other relevant terms.
2. Refine Search: As you type, Outlook starts displaying matching results in real-time. If you have a general idea of the email content or sender, but not the exact phrase, you can refine your search by adding more keywords.
3. Use Advanced Search: Click on the search bar to access additional search options. Here, you can specify criteria such as sender, recipient, subject, date range, attachments, and more to narrow down your search results.
4. Search in Specific Folders: By default, Outlook searches in all folders (including Inbox, Sent Items, and subfolders). However, you can narrow your search to specific folders by clicking on the dropdown arrow next to the search bar and selecting the desired folder(s) or subfolder(s) to search within.
5. Search by Category: If you’ve categorized your emails using color-coded categories, you can search for emails belonging to a specific category by typing the category name into the search bar.
6. Search in All Mailboxes (Outlook Desktop): In Outlook Desktop, you can expand your search to include all mailboxes by clicking on “All Outlook Items” in the search bar dropdown menu. This allows you to search across multiple email accounts if you have more than one configured in Outlook.

II) Filtering options:

• Filter by Sender or Recipient: Outlook allows you to filter emails based on sender or recipient. Click on the filter icon next to the search bar, then choose “From” or “To” and enter the email address or name you want to filter by.
• Filter by Date Range: You can filter emails by date range to narrow down search results. Click on the filter icon next to the search bar, then choose “Date” and select the desired date range (e.g., Today, This Week, Last Month, Custom Range).
• Filter by Attachments: To find emails with attachments, click on the filter icon next to the search bar, then choose “Has Attachments.” This will display only emails that contain attachments.
• Filter by Flagged or Unread Emails: You can filter emails based on their status (flagged, unread, or read). Click on the filter icon next to the search bar, then choose “Flagged” or “Unread” to view only flagged or unread emails, respectively.
• Combine Filters: You can combine multiple filters to refine your search further. For example, you can filter emails from a specific sender within a certain date range by selecting both criteria in the filter options.

Attachment issues

Sending and receiving attachments is a common task in email communication. Here are some best practices for handling attachments effectively:

Sending attachments:

• Consider file size: Be mindful of the file size when sending attachments. Large files can take longer to send and receive, especially if the recipient has a slow internet connection. Consider compressing files or using file-sharing services for large attachments.
• Use appropriate file formats: Use common file formats that are widely compatible, such as PDF for documents, JPEG for images, and MP3 for audio files. Avoid sending proprietary formats that may require specific software to open.

• Scan for viruses: Before sending attachments, scan them for viruses or malware to ensure they do not pose a security risk to the recipient. Most antivirus software includes email scanning features for this purpose.
• Rename files if necessary: If a file has a generic or ambiguous name, consider renaming it to provide more context to the recipient. This can help avoid confusion and make it easier for the recipient to identify the attachment.
• Provide context: When sending attachments, include a brief description or context in the email body to explain what the attachment is and why you’re sending it. This helps the recipient understand the purpose of the attachment.
• Use secure transfer methods: For sensitive or confidential attachments, consider using secure transfer methods such as encrypted email or secure file-sharing services. These methods help protect the privacy and security of the attachment during transmission.
• Follow company policies: If you’re sending attachments from a work email account, be sure to follow your company’s policies and guidelines regarding email attachments and data security.

Receiving Attachments:

• Scan for viruses: Before opening attachments, scan them for viruses or malware using antivirus software. This helps protect your computer and data from security threats.
• Verify sender: Verify the sender’s identity before opening attachments, especially if you’re not expecting the email or if it appears suspicious. Look for signs of phishing or spoofing attempts, such as misspelled email addresses or unexpected requests.
• Be cautious with unknown attachments: Exercise caution when opening attachments from unknown or unfamiliar senders. If you’re unsure about the legitimacy of an attachment, consider contacting the sender to verify its authenticity before opening it.
• Save attachments securely: Save attachments to a secure location on your computer or network drive after downloading them. This helps prevent accidental deletion or loss of the attachment and makes it easier to find later if needed.
• Check file extensions: Pay attention to file extensions when opening attachments. Be cautious of executable file types (e.g., .exe, .bat) as they can potentially contain malware. If you’re unsure about an attachment, consult with your IT department or use online tools to analyze the file.
• Report suspicious attachments: If you receive suspicious attachments, such as unexpected attachments from known contacts or attachments with unusual file names or extensions, report them to your IT department or email provider for further investigation.

By following these best practices for sending and receiving attachments, you can help ensure the security, reliability, and efficiency of email communication.

Outlook 365 calendar management

Creating appointments and meetings

Scheduling appointments and setting up meetings in Outlook 365 involves using the calendar feature. The platform provides a plethora of resources for planning practicality. 

Scheduling appointments:

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to Calendar: Click on the “Calendar” icon in the Navigation Pane to access the Calendar view.
• Create a New Appointment:
  • Click on the “New Appointment” button or press Ctrl + N.
  • Enter the appointment details, including the subject, location, start time, and end time.
  • Add any additional details in the body of the appointment if needed.
• Save the Appointment:
  • Click on “Save & Close” to save the appointment to your calendar.

Setting up meetings:

• Go to Calendar: Navigate to the “Calendar” section in Outlook.
• Create a New Meeting:
  • Click on the “New Meeting” button or press Ctrl + Shift + Q.
  • Enter the meeting details, including the subject, location, start time, and end time.
  • Add any additional details in the body of the meeting invitation.
• Invite Attendees:
  • In the “To” field, enter the email addresses of the attendees.
  • Optionally, use the “Scheduling Assistant” to check the availability of attendees and propose a meeting time that suits everyone.
• Set Up a Recurring Meeting (Optional):
  • If the meeting is recurring, click on the “Recurrence” button to set the recurrence pattern (daily, weekly, monthly, etc.).
• Booking Resources (Optional):
  • To book resources such as meeting rooms or equipment, click on the “Rooms” button in the meeting window.
  • Select the desired room or resource, and Outlook will check availability and book it for the meeting.
• Send the Meeting Invitation:
  • Click on “Send” to send the meeting invitation to the attendees.

Additional tips:

• Reschedule or Cancel Meetings: To reschedule or cancel a meeting, open the meeting from your calendar, make the necessary changes, and click on “Send Update” to notify attendees.
• Responding to Meeting Invitations: If you receive a meeting invitation, you can accept, decline, or propose a new time. Outlook will automatically update your calendar based on your response.
• Viewing Others’ Calendars: You can view the calendars of your colleagues or team members to check their availability when scheduling meetings. Right-click on their name in the Navigation Pane and select “Open Calendar.”
• Using Teams Integration: If your organization uses Microsoft Teams, you can schedule meetings directly from Outlook and include a Teams link for virtual meetings.

Keep in mind that some features, such as resource booking, may require integration with your organization’s email and resource management system.

Outlook 365 calendar management tutorial

Another great tutorial by kevinstratvert.com

Contacts and task management in Outlook 365

Adding, organizing, and finding contacts is essential for managing your address book effectively. 

Adding contacts can be done in the following ways:

• Manual Entry:
  • Open Outlook 365 and navigate to the “People” section in the Navigation Pane.
  • Click on the “New Contact” button or press Ctrl + N.
  • Enter the contact’s information, including name, email address, phone number, etc., in the contact form.
  • Click on “Save” to add the contact to your address book.
• From an Email:
  • Open an email from the sender you want to add to your contacts.
  • Right-click on the sender’s email address in the email header.
  • Select “Add to Outlook Contacts” from the dropdown menu.
  • Verify and edit the contact details if necessary, then click “Save” to add the contact.
• Import Contacts:
  • If you have contacts stored in other applications or file formats, you can import them into Outlook 365.
  • Go to the “File” tab, click on “Open & Export,” and select “Import/Export.”
  • Follow the prompts to choose the file format (e.g., CSV, vCard) and locate the file containing your contacts.
  • Map the fields from your file to Outlook’s contact fields and complete the import process.

Organizing contacts:

• Create Contact Groups:
  • In the “people” section, click on the “New Contact Group” button or press Ctrl + Shift + L.
  • Enter a name for the group and add contacts to the group by selecting them from your address book.
  • Click “Save” to create the contact group.
• Categorize Contacts:
  • Assign categories to contacts to organize them based on specific criteria (e.g., work, personal, project).
  • Open a contact’s details, click on the “Categorize” button, and select the desired category.
  • You can create custom categories to suit your organizational needs.
• Use Folders:
  • Create folders within the “People” section to organize contacts into different groups or categories.
  • Right-click on your contacts folder, select “New Folder,” and give it a name.
  • Move contacts into the appropriate folders by dragging and dropping them.

Finding contacts:

• Search Contacts:
  • Use the search bar at the top of the “People” section to quickly find contacts by name, email address, or other criteria.
  • Enter keywords related to the contact you’re looking for, and Outlook will display matching results in real-time.
• Filter Contacts:
  • Click on the “Filter” button in the “People” section to access advanced filtering options.
  • You can filter contacts based on various criteria, such as name, company, job title, location, etc., to narrow down your search results.
• Sort Contacts:
  • Arrange contacts in the “People” section by sorting them alphabetically, by company, or by recently modified.
  • Click on the column headers to sort contacts based on the selected criteria.

Outlook 365 task management

Create, assign, and track tasks and to-do items using the Tasks feature. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to perform these actions:

Creating Tasks:

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to Tasks: Click on the “Tasks” icon or navigate to the “Tasks” section in the Navigation Pane to access the Tasks view.
• Create a New Task:
  • Click on the “New Task” button or press Ctrl + Shift + K.
  • Enter the task details, including the task name, start date, due date, priority, status, and any additional notes or details.
• Save the Task:
  • Click on “Save & Close” to save the task to your task list.

Assigning tasks:

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to Tasks: Navigate to the “Tasks” section in Outlook.
• Create a New Task:
  • Click on the “New Task” button or press Ctrl + Shift + K.
  • Enter the task details as described in the previous section.
• Assign the Task:
  • In the “Assigned To” field, enter the email address of the person to whom you want to assign the task.
  • Optionally, set a due date, priority, and any other relevant details for the task.
• Send the Task Request:
  • Click on “Send” to send the task request to the assigned person.

Tracking tasks:

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to Tasks: Navigate to the “Tasks” section in Outlook.
• View Task List:
  • Your task list will display all tasks and to-do items that you have created or assigned to you.
• Track Task Status:
  • You can track the status of tasks (e.g., Not Started, In Progress, Completed) by viewing the “Status” column in the task list.
• Update Task Status:
  • To update the status of a task, double-click on the task to open it, and then update the status field accordingly.
  • You can also mark a task as complete by clicking on the checkbox next to the task in the task list.
• View Assigned Tasks:
  • If tasks have been assigned to you by others, you can view them in the “Assigned To Me” view in the task list.
• Filter and Sort Tasks:
  • Use the filtering and sorting options in the task list to organize and prioritize your tasks based on criteria such as due date, priority, status, etc.

Outlook 365 advanced features

Outlook Rules and Alerts

Rules automate email processing and create alerts for important emails using the Outlook built-in rules and alerts features. 

Setting up rules to automate email processing:

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to Rules: Click on the “File” tab, then select “Manage Rules & Alerts.”
• Create a new Rule:
  • In the “Rules and Alerts” dialog box, click on the “New Rule” button.
  • Choose a template for your rule from the list of options, such as “Move messages from someone to a folder” or “Flag messages from someone for follow-up.”
  • Alternatively, you can create a custom rule by selecting “Apply rule on messages I receive” and clicking “Next.”
• Define conditions:
  • Follow the prompts to define conditions for your rule, such as sender, subject, body, or other criteria.
  • You can add multiple conditions to refine the rule further.
• Specify actions:
  • Choose the actions you want Outlook to take when the specified conditions are met. Actions may include moving messages to a folder, deleting messages, forwarding messages, categorizing messages, etc.
  • You can add multiple actions to the same rule.
• Review and name rule:
  • Review the summary of your rule to ensure it’s configured correctly.
  • Give your rule a descriptive name to easily identify it in the list of rules.
• Apply rule:
  • Click “Finish” to apply the rule immediately or select additional options such as applying the rule to existing messages in your inbox.
• Manage rules:
  • After creating a rule, you can view, edit, or delete it by going back to the “Rules and Alerts” dialog box (File > Manage Rules & Alerts).

Creating Alerts for important emails

• Open Outlook 365: Launch the Outlook application on your computer.
• Go to alerts: Click on the “File” tab, then select “Options” > “Mail.”
• Set email alert options:
  • In the “Mail Options” dialog box, under the “Message arrival” section, check the box next to “Display a Desktop Alert” to enable email alerts.
  • Optionally, you can choose additional options such as how long the alert should be displayed, whether to play a sound, or whether to show the envelope icon in the taskbar.
• Configure alert rules:
  • You can configure specific rules to trigger email alerts for important messages.
  • Go to the “Rules” tab in the “Mail Options” dialog box, click on “New Rule,” and follow the steps outlined in the previous section to create a new rule with the action “Display a Desktop Alert.”
  • Define conditions for the rule to identify important messages (e.g., from specific senders, with specific words in the subject line).
• Apply changes:
  • Click “OK” or “Apply” to save your changes and close the “Mail Options” dialog box.

Outlook 365 plugins and Add-ins

There are numerous plugins and add-ins available for Microsoft 365 (formerly known as Office 365) that can enhance productivity by adding new features, integrations, and functionalities to various applications within the suite. Here are some useful plugins and add-ins across different categories:

1. Productivity tools:

• Boomerang: Allows you to schedule emails to be sent at a later time, set reminders for follow-up emails, and track responses.
• Grammarly: Helps improve writing by checking for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style errors in emails and documents.
• Evernote: Integrates with Outlook to save emails, attachments, and calendar events directly to Evernote for better organization and note-taking.
• OneNote: Enables seamless integration with Outlook for taking notes, capturing ideas, and organizing tasks and projects.

2. Collaboration and communication:

• Microsoft Teams: Integrates with Outlook to schedule and join Teams meetings directly from Outlook, allowing for seamless communication and collaboration.
• Zoom for Outlook: Allows users to schedule Zoom meetings directly from Outlook, making it easier to coordinate virtual meetings.
• Slack for Outlook: Enables integration between Outlook and Slack, allowing users to send emails to Slack channels and direct messages.

3. Email management

• Unroll.Me: Helps manage email subscriptions by organizing them into a digest, allowing users to unsubscribe from unwanted emails easily.
• Mailstrom: Analyzes your email inbox to identify and clean up unwanted emails, helping to declutter and organize your mailbox.

4. Task management and organization

• Trello: Integrates with Outlook to turn emails into Trello cards, helping users manage tasks, projects, and workflows more efficiently.
• Todoist: Syncs tasks between Outlook and Todoist, allowing users to manage tasks, set reminders, and track progress across devices.

5. Email Security and compliance

• Mimecast: Provides advanced email security, archiving, and continuity solutions to protect against email-borne threats and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Proofpoint: Offers email security and threat protection services, including anti-phishing, anti-malware, and data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities.

6. CRM integration

• Salesforce for Outlook: Integrates Outlook with Salesforce CRM, allowing users to view and update customer information directly from Outlook.
• HubSpot Sales: Provides email tracking, templates, and CRM integration to help sales teams manage leads and deals more effectively.

7. Time management

• RescueTime: Tracks time spent on different tasks and applications, providing insights to improve productivity and time management.
• Focus @Will: Offers personalized music channels designed to enhance focus and concentration during work hours.

8. Document management:

• Adobe Sign: Enables electronic signature workflows within Outlook, allowing users to send, sign, and manage documents securely.
• DocuSign: Integrates with Outlook to streamline electronic signature processes, making it easier to sign and send documents for signature.

These are just a few examples of the many plugins and add-ins available for Microsoft 365 that can enhance productivity across various areas. Users can explore the Microsoft AppSource marketplace or third-party providers to discover more options tailored to their specific needs and workflows.

Outlook 365 signature templates to take and use

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Integration with other Microsoft 365 applications

Integrating Outlook with other Microsoft 365 apps like ms Teams and OneNote can significantly enhance productivity by streamlining communication, collaboration, and information management. Here are some tips on how to integrate Outlook with Teams and OneNote for seamless productivity:

1. Outlook 365 and Microsoft teams Integration:

• Schedule meetings from Outlook: When composing an email in Outlook, you can easily schedule a Microsoft Teams meeting by clicking on the “Teams Meeting” button in the ribbon. This creates a meeting link that participants can use to join the Teams meeting directly from Outlook.
• Join Teams meetings from Outlook: Outlook integrates with Microsoft Teams, allowing you to join Teams meetings directly from your Outlook calendar. Simply click on the meeting invitation in your calendar and select “Join Microsoft Teams Meeting” to launch the meeting in Teams.
• Share emails to Teams: You can share emails from Outlook to Microsoft Teams channels or chats by clicking on the “Share to Teams” button in the ribbon while viewing an email. This allows you to collaborate on emails with your team members directly within Teams.
• Teams presence in Outlook: Outlook displays the presence status of your Microsoft Teams contacts, showing whether they are available, busy, or away. This helps you quickly identify the best time to communicate with your colleagues via Teams.

2. Outlook 365 and OneNote Integration:

• OneNote integration in Outlook Tasks: You can integrate OneNote with Outlook tasks, allowing you to create tasks in Outlook and link them to OneNote notebooks or pages for more detailed notes or project management. Simply create a task in Outlook, click on the task, and select “Notes about this task” to link it to OneNote.
• Send emails to OneNote: You can send emails from Outlook to OneNote for easier reference and organization. Simply open the email in Outlook, click on the “Move to OneNote” button in the ribbon, and choose the notebook and section where you want to save the email.
• Link OneNote pages in Outlook: When composing an email in Outlook, you can easily insert links to specific OneNote pages or sections by clicking on the “Attach File” button and selecting “OneNote” from the dropdown menu. This allows you to reference relevant OneNote content in your emails.
• OneNote meeting notes: When scheduling a meeting in Outlook, you can create and attach OneNote meeting notes directly to the meeting invitation. This allows participants to access and collaborate on meeting agendas, action items, and notes within OneNote.

By leveraging these integration tips, you can seamlessly connect Outlook with Microsoft Teams and OneNote to enhance productivity, streamline communication, and improve collaboration across your organization.

Outlook365: Windows vs. Mac, mobile, and web

Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac are both robust email clients developed by Microsoft, but they have some differences in terms of features, user interface, and integration with the operating system. Here are some key differences and unique features in Outlook for Windows and Outlook for Mac:

Outlook 365 for Windows:

• Integration with Office Suite: Outlook for Windows offers seamless integration with other Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. This allows users to easily attach Office documents, edit them directly within Outlook, and collaborate on files using Office Online.
• Extensive third-party add-Ins: Outlook for Windows supports a wide range of third-party add-ins and plugins from the Microsoft Store, providing users with additional features and integrations for tasks such as email tracking, productivity tools, CRM integration, and more.
• Focused inbox: Outlook for Windows includes the Focused Inbox feature, which automatically sorts incoming emails into two tabs: “Focused” for important emails and “Other” for less important emails. This helps users prioritize their inbox and focus on important messages.
• Advanced search: Outlook for Windows offers advanced search capabilities, allowing users to perform complex searches using various criteria such as sender, subject, keywords, date range, and more. Users can also save search queries for future use.
• Customizable ribbon: Outlook for Windows features a customizable ribbon interface, allowing users to customize the toolbar with their most-used commands and actions for quick access.
• Integration with Cortana: Outlook for Windows integrates with Cortana, Microsoft’s digital assistant, allowing users to use voice commands to perform tasks such as sending emails, scheduling appointments, and setting reminders.

Outlook 365 for Mac:

• Integration with macOS: Outlook for Mac is designed to integrate seamlessly with macOS, providing users with a native Mac experience and support for macOS features such as Dark Mode, Touch Bar, and system-wide notifications.
• Unified inbox: Outlook for Mac offers a unified inbox view, allowing users to view emails from multiple email accounts in a single inbox. This makes it easier to manage and prioritize emails from different accounts.
• Focused inbox (Recent Update): Similar to Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac now includes the Focused Inbox feature, which automatically sorts incoming emails into two tabs: “Focused” and “Other,” helping users focus on important emails.
• Integration with macOS Calendar and Contacts: Outlook for Mac integrates with the native macOS Calendar and Contacts applications, allowing users to view and manage their calendar events and contacts seamlessly within Outlook.
• Touch Bar support: Outlook for Mac supports the Touch Bar on MacBook Pro models, providing users with context-sensitive shortcuts and controls for common tasks such as composing emails, scheduling appointments, and switching between calendar views.
• IMAP and POP Support: Outlook for Mac offers support for IMAP and POP email accounts, allowing users to easily add and manage accounts from various email providers.

Mobile Outlook 365 guide

The user experience (UX) of Outlook on iOS and Android provides a seamless and intuitive interface for managing emails, calendar events, and tasks on the go.

Email management on Outlook365 mobile:

• Unified inbox: Outlook on iOS and Android offers a unified inbox that combines emails from all configured email accounts into a single view, making it easy to manage multiple accounts in one place.
• Swipe gestures: The app includes customizable swipe gestures that allow users to quickly perform actions such as archiving, deleting, marking as read/unread, or scheduling emails for later using Outlook’s “Swipe Actions” feature.
• Focused inbox: Similar to the desktop versions, Outlook on mobile devices includes the Focused Inbox feature, which separates important emails from less important ones, helping users focus on the emails that matter most.
• Conversation view: Emails are displayed in conversation threads, making it easier to follow the flow of a conversation and reducing clutter in the inbox.
• Quick actions: Outlook’s mobile app includes quick actions such as reply, reply all, forward, and snooze, accessible directly from the email list view for faster email management.

Mobile calendar management:

• Integration with Email: Outlook seamlessly integrates calendar events with emails, allowing users to quickly add events to their calendar directly from emails and vice versa.
• Agenda View: The app offers an agenda view that displays upcoming events in a chronological list, providing users with a clear overview of their schedule.
• Meeting Invitations: Users can respond to meeting invitations directly from the app, including options to accept, decline, or propose a new time.
• Reminders and Notifications: Outlook sends reminders and notifications for upcoming events and meetings, ensuring users stay informed and prepared for their schedule.

Task Management:

• Integration with To-Do: Outlook integrates seamlessly with Microsoft To-Do, allowing users to create, view, and manage tasks within the app. Tasks created in Outlook sync with Microsoft To-Do, providing a unified task management experience across platforms.
• Flagged emails: Users can flag emails as tasks and assign due dates, categories, and reminders to them, effectively turning emails into actionable tasks.
• Swipe gestures: Similar to email management, Outlook’s mobile app includes swipe gestures for managing tasks, allowing users to quickly mark tasks as complete, delete them, or schedule them for later.
• My Day View: Outlook offers a “My Day” view in the calendar tab, displaying a summary of tasks and events for the day, helping users prioritize their tasks and stay organized.

Overall, Outlook’s mobile app provides a user-friendly and efficient experience for managing emails, calendar events, and tasks on iOS and Android devices, allowing users to stay productive while on the go. The app’s intuitive interface, seamless integration with other Microsoft services, and various productivity features make it a popular choice for mobile email and calendar management.

Office 365 UX on the web

Outlook’s user experience in a web browser offers a comprehensive set of features and functionalities similar to its desktop counterpart, providing users with access to their emails, calendar, contacts, tasks, and other tools within a web-based interface. While there are some unique aspects to the online interface, there are also limitations.

Unique Aspects:

• Cross-platform access: Outlook in a web browser allows users to access their emails and other Outlook features from any device with an internet connection, including desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. This flexibility enables users to stay connected and productive on the go.
• Consistent interface: The web-based Outlook interface is designed to closely resemble the desktop version, offering a familiar user experience for users who are accustomed to using Outlook on their computers. This consistency makes it easier for users to transition between different platforms.
• Real-time updates: Changes made in the web version of Outlook, such as reading, sending, or deleting emails, are synchronized in real-time across all devices and platforms connected to the user’s account. This ensures that users have access to up-to-date information regardless of the device they are using.
• Integration with Office Online: Outlook in a web browser seamlessly integrates with other Office Online applications, such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote. This integration allows users to create, edit, and collaborate on documents directly within Outlook without switching between multiple applications.
• Customization options: Users can customize their Outlook web experience by adjusting settings such as themes, layout preferences, email signature, and inbox organization. This customization allows users to tailor the interface to their preferences and workflow.

Limitations:

• Offline Access: Unlike the desktop version of Outlook, the web-based version has limited offline functionality. Users may not be able to access their emails or perform certain tasks without an internet connection.
• Performance: Outlook in a web browser may not perform as smoothly or quickly as the desktop version, especially when dealing with large volumes of emails or complex tasks. Performance may vary depending on factors such as internet speed and browser compatibility.
• Advanced Features: Some advanced features available in the desktop version of Outlook, such as advanced email rules, certain calendar functions, and integration with third-party plugins or add-ins, may be limited or unavailable in the web-based version.
• Browser Compatibility: Outlook in a web browser may have compatibility issues with certain web browsers or versions. Users may experience differences in functionality or performance depending on the browser they are using.
• Limited Offline Access: While some basic functionality is available offline in Outlook on the web, such as viewing previously accessed emails, composing new emails, and accessing calendar events, users may find that certain features are limited or unavailable when working offline.

Outlook’s user experience in a web browser offers a convenient and accessible way for users to manage their emails and other Outlook features from any device with an internet connection. However, users should be aware of the limitations compared to the desktop version of Outlook and adjust their expectations accordingly.

Outlook 365 troubleshooting and support

Common issues

The human/machine interaction does not come without its… miscommunications. Below are some of the more frequent occurrences a user might experience and their solutions, though you will find they are no worse than most software issues one might encounter.

1. Performance Issues:

• Problem: Outlook 365 may experience slowdowns, freezes, or crashes, especially when handling large volumes of emails or running on older hardware.
• Solution:
  • Ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements for running Outlook 365. Consider upgrading your hardware if necessary.
  • Disable unnecessary add-ins and plugins that may be causing performance issues.
  • Compact your mailbox regularly to reduce the size of the Outlook data file (PST or OST).
  • Clear the Outlook cache to remove temporary files and improve performance.

2. Connectivity Issues:

• Problem: Users may encounter issues with connecting to the Exchange server or accessing their emails, calendar, or contacts.
• Solution:
  • Check your internet connection to ensure that it’s stable and working properly.
  • Verify that your Exchange server is online and accessible. Contact your IT department or email administrator if necessary.
  • Restart Outlook and try again. Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve connectivity issues.
  • Disable any VPN or proxy settings that may be interfering with Outlook’s connectivity.

3. Email Syncing Problems:

• Problem: Emails may not sync properly between Outlook 365 and the Exchange server, leading to missing or outdated emails.
• Solution:
  • Check your Outlook sync settings to ensure that they are configured correctly. Go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings > Email tab > select your email account > click on Change > More Settings > Advanced tab.
  • Verify that there are no conflicts between multiple devices or email clients accessing the same email account.
  • Manually refresh the mailbox by clicking on the “Send/Receive” button or pressing F9 to force Outlook to sync with the server.

4. Password Issues:

• Problem: Users may encounter issues with password authentication when logging into Outlook 365.
• Solution:
  • Ensure that you are entering the correct username and password for your Outlook 365 account.
  • Reset your password if you suspect that it may have been compromised or forgotten.
  • Check for any password expiration policies set by your organization and update your password accordingly.

5. Email Formatting Problems:

• Problem: Emails may display incorrectly or have formatting issues when viewed in Outlook 365.
• Solution:
  • Check the email format settings in Outlook 365. Go to File > Options > Mail > Compose messages in this format. Select “HTML” or “Rich Text” format for better compatibility.
  • Avoid copying and pasting content directly from external sources (e.g., web pages, Word documents) into Outlook emails, as this can sometimes lead to formatting issues.
  • Use the “Paste Special” option (Ctrl + Alt + V) to paste content as plain text or HTML to preserve formatting.

If issues persist, users may need to seek assistance from their IT department or Microsoft support for further troubleshooting and resolution. learn more at Microsoft Support for Outlook 365

Further support resources

In addition to Microsoft Support, there are several community forums and online tutorials available to help users with Office 365. These resources provide valuable tips, troubleshooting guides, and peer-to-peer support for various Office 365 applications. Here are some popular options:

1. Microsoft Community

The Microsoft Community is a user-driven support forum where users can ask questions, share knowledge, and seek help from other Office 365 users and Microsoft MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals).

2. Reddit – Office365

The Office 365 subreddit is a community-driven forum where users discuss Office 365-related topics, share tips and tricks, and seek assistance with issues related to Office 365 applications.

3. Learn.Microsoft.com

The TechNet Forums, Microsoft’s official forums for IT professionals, developers, and Office 365 users, have migrated to Microsoft Learn. Here, users can ask technical questions, share knowledge, and seek assistance from Microsoft experts and community members.

4. YouTube Tutorials

There are numerous YouTube channels and video tutorials dedicated to Office 365, offering step-by-step guides, tips, and tricks for using various Office 365 applications such as Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, and more. Channels like Microsoft 365 and Office 365 Training provide official tutorials and tips directly from Microsoft. Additionally, channels like Vlad Catrinescu, Collab365, and PowerApps offer in-depth tutorials and discussions on Office 365 topics.

5. LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com)

LinkedIn Learning offers a wide range of online courses and tutorials on Office 365 applications, covering topics such as email management, document collaboration, project management, and more.

6. Blogs and Websites:

Advanced techies can excited for specialist blogs Petri and Practical 365.

Final words

Outlook 365 stands as a versatile and powerful tool that combines essential functions for seamless email management, calendar organization, task tracking, and collaboration. With its intuitive interface and integration with other Microsoft 365 applications, Outlook 365 empowers users to enhance their personal and professional efficiency.

Key features such as a unified inbox, Focused Inbox, and advanced search capabilities streamline email management, allowing users to prioritize important messages and stay organized amidst the influx of emails. The integration with Microsoft Teams enables seamless communication and collaboration, while the integration with OneNote facilitates comprehensive note-taking and task management.

Outlook 365’s calendar functionality simplifies scheduling and managing appointments, meetings, and events, with features like agenda view, meeting invitations, and real-time updates. Furthermore, the integration with Microsoft To-Do offers a comprehensive task management solution, allowing users to stay on top of their tasks and projects.

By exploring and utilizing the full potential of Outlook 365, users can optimize their personal and professional workflows, improve productivity, and effectively manage their time and resources. Whether for personal use or within a professional setting, Outlook 365 offers a suite of tools and features that cater to the diverse needs of users, enabling them to achieve greater efficiency and effectiveness in their day-to-day activities.

The post Outlook 365: The Complete User Guide appeared first on WiseStamp.

Why would I want to send an Outlook email later? 

There are a myriad of reasons why one should embrace the wonderful world of email scheduling. Control, time management, seizing the moment, optimization, are but a few of the benefits. You know the order you will need to place at the end of the month, but if you send the email to your rep now, it might get lost in the shuffle. Just found out your client’s birthday? Write the email today, schedule the send for then, and ensure you don’t miss it.

Worried you might forget to follow up with an account at the end of the quarter? No problem with scheduled email sending. Another task for later taken care of now. Working ahead is essential to staying on top of ever-mounting to-do lists.

Email scheduling is your very own personal assistant bot to help keep you from getting overwhelmed. It’s even smart enough to manage time zones. Furthermore, scheduling in advance for later can ensure your emails adhere to your recipients’ availability. Lastly, scheduling for emails to be sent at a future date can be an unrivaled ally in the pursuit of consistency in communication. Perhaps you write most clearly and patiently in the evenings but need your emails sent in the morning? Thank you Microsoft Outlook for your “schedule send” function. 

How to schedule email in Outlook: Step by Step

The process is nearly identical to sending an email immediately, save for a few added clicks that can spare you an amalgam of agonies down the line. 

(You can delay the delivery of an individual message or you can use rules to delay the delivery of all messages by having them held in the Outbox for a specified time after you click Send.) 

Outlook scheduling for desktop

Step 1

In the top left corner of your Outlook homescreen you will find a boldly blue “New mail” icon

Step 2

A dropdown menu will appear when you scroll over the icon

Click “New Mail” and craft your message: mail address of recipient, subject, body, and, most importantly, your Email signature. BUT WAIT!! Your instincts will want to click the send button, while sitting humbly to its right is your portal to elevated strategy

Step 3

Tap the down arrow to reveal the Schedule Send option

Clicking this will open a new window where you can select future dates and times for flexible sending.

Step 4

Once you set your date and time, clicking ok inserts your email into your draft folder.

If you have decided to change the scheduled delivery, simply click cancel send and redo the process, either by sending now or creating a new schedule for later.

Scheduling Emails with Outlook on the web 

Nearly identical to the process with the desktop version, scheduled send is also perfectly easy on the web software, save for some fewer options to make the process even more straightforward. If you can schedule a later send on the desktop, you can do it for online version.

In Outlook on the web, rules for systematically delaying delivery of messages aren’t available. But you can delay the delivery of individual messages. 

For example, to set a new time zone for a scheduled send, go to Outlook settings (preferences on a mac), and find the calendar tab. 

Opening this tab, a drop down bar with every settlement on earth is available. Before you schedule your email, set the correct time zone of your recipient for the system. (Or account for the time difference manually). 

Tips for effective email scheduling in Outlook

Optimizing the benefits of email scheduling requires strategic considerations and best practices. Always be cognizant of the recipient’s time zone when scheduling your email send. Run tests to yourself to ensure the process is working. You can also experiment with different send times to determine which are most effective at eliciting positive responses from your recipients.

Use the scheduled send option to your advantage by dedicating specific time slots each day for batched email composition and schedule sends for maximum efficiency. Avoid scheduling too far in advance to ensure the email’s content remains relevant. Lastly, review your draft box regularly to make sure your scheduled sends are still current with plans and schedules. 

Mastering email scheduling in Microsoft Outlook is not merely about setting delivery times; it’s about optimizing communication efficiency and effectiveness. By understanding the benefits, mastering the process, and incorporating best practices, users can navigate the complexities of email management with ease, ensuring messages are delivered with precision and impact in today’s demanding digital landscape. 

Scheduling Outlook emails and adding an Email signature

When scheduling your emails in Outlook, a feature that enhances both the timing and professionalism of your correspondence, it’s essential to include a well-crafted email signature. This signature not only adds a personal touch but also provides vital contact information and potentially, a link to your website or social media profiles.

Click for a detailed step-by-step guide on adding an Outlook signature to your scheduled emails. This resource breaks down the process into simple, easy-to-follow instructions, ensuring that your emails always leave a lasting impression.

See Outlook signature templates for inspiration

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Final words

In a world where every minute counts, email scheduling in Microsoft Outlook empowers users to take control of their communication strategies, enhance productivity, and foster meaningful connections.By adhering to best practices and leveraging the powerful features of Outlook, users can navigate the complexities of email management with ease, ensuring that their messages are delivered with precision and impact.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a newcomer to Outlook, this comprehensive guide is designed to be your go-to resource for mastering the art of email scheduling and optimizing your communication workflows.

The post Email scheduling in Outlook: A comprehensive guide appeared first on WiseStamp.

What is Outlook Sweep?

The post Outlook Sweep – how to find & use it to organize your inbox appeared first on WiseStamp.

The post Organize Outlook emails by thread (easy 1-minute guide) appeared first on WiseStamp.

With these handy tips, you’ll be able to organize your Outlook inbox so that you become more effective, stay on top of your tasks, and feel less stressed when looking at your emails. Want to know the secrets? Keep reading to find out.

Before we get into the top tips on how to organize emails in Outlook, it’s important that we first make the distinction between folders and categories. Many people confused the two since they sound the same, but they’re both individual tools that serve different purposes.

Outlook folders vs categories

Folders are a way to organize how you store your emails, while categories are a way to organize emails visually in your inbox using color codes.

How do Outlook folders work?

Folders work a lot like the folders on your computer; they allow you to organize and group files in specific locations, so you’ll know where to find them.

Folders and categories may use the same exact labels or they may overlap.

A few examples of commonly used folder labels:

• Drafts (default in Outlook)
• Sent Mail
• Priority
• Spam
• Clients
• Suppliers
• Collaborations
• [client]
• [project]
• [campaign]

If you don’t know, you can save a lot of time by automating the process of sorting emails into folders. We have a separate post that covers everything to know in order to organize Outlook emails automatically into specific folders using rules.

How do Outlook categories work?

Categories are a way to visually Organize your Outlook inbox in order to help you scan for emails of a certain group. Outlook categories let you assign a color-coding and a label to specific emails to set them apart for special treatment or action. If you’re familiar with Gmail, then categories in Outlook work like labels in a Gmail.

You can decide on whatever labels you see fit, and you can assign whatever color you like to each label; just keep your colors unique for each label and stay consistent with your color-label match over time.

Examples for commonly used category labels:

• Priority
• Low priority
• Follow-up
• Dev
• Design
• Legal
• Support
• Made into task
• Payments

The options for categories are endless. The point is to help you improve your email workflow and better organize emails in Outlook. So, play around with different labeling and colors till you arrive at what works best for you.

How to create a new folder in Outlook 365

This technique will let you organize your In Outlook web incoming emails into specific folders by topic or category

1. Find the folders on the left-hand side of the navigation bar.

There are a number of default folders:

• Drafts
• Sent Mail
• Spam
• Trash
• Deleted Items

2. Select the Folders tab on the top menu ribbon

3. Click on the New Folder icon.

4. Name your new folder in the text box.

5. Make your new folder a subfolder by placing it in an existing folder.

6. Save your work by clicking OK.

How to create and use categories in Outlook 365

1. Click on the Inbox tab > Click on Categories in the top ribbon > select All Categories.

2. Select a category > click on the Rename button to change the category name. 

Note: by default will be named after colors Outlook has pre-set categories named after colors.

3. Create a new category by clicking on the New Category button.

4. Name your category

5. Choose a color code for your category

6. Click Save when you’re finished,

7. Apply a category to an email by selecting an email > clicking on the Categories button > and choosing the relevant category.

Now that you know how to use both folders and categories, you’ll have a much easier time organizing your Outlook inbox. Ready for some organization tips? Let’s jump in.

6 Best ways to organize emails in Outlook

The following tips and techniques are the most efficient methods Outlook experts use to organize their inbox and achieve inbox harmony.

If you suffer from a bloated inbox these tips will change your life for the better. it’s not complicated to apply these tips, nor does it take a lot of time. I employ them and most of my friends do too, now it’s your turn.

1. Sort emails by priority

This is where folders come in handy. Categories can help here too, but folders will really help you sort your inbox and group them into similar email collections.

When looking at your inbox, you should be able to judge which emails are a high priority and which ones can wait a little longer.

How you choose to order your emails into folders is entirely up to you and your preferences, but of course, we have some recommendations.

Create a few different folders that are similar to the following:

• To do: emails that need to be answered or dealt with but that aren’t highly urgent.
• Follow up: a reminder folder for emails you need to follow up on if you’re waiting for a reply or for further information.
• Later: for emails that aren’t urgent at all or don’t require a response, but that you’d like to review at a later date when you have more time.

Another recommendation is to leave your high-priority messages in your inbox so that they’re the first thing you see when opening Outlook. This is where you can use categories to mark an email as urgent. 

Aside from the standard categories listed above, you can also create folders for very specific ones.

For example, if there’s a special project you’re working on, you can create a folder for it or a designated folder for email conversations with a certain manager or coworker. 

2. Create automatic rules

Wouldn’t it be nice to have your Outlook incoming emails set into specific folders automatically? Well, it’s your lucky day, because I have a way for you to do just that with automated Outlook rules.

Automated rules will help filter and sort emails when they come into your inbox. Creating rules helps emails land in the right folder so that they avoid distracting you from the high-priority messages you still have in your inbox. 

You can create rules so that emails from a specific sender will always go to a designated folder, or emails with a set word or phrase in the subject line will go to a certain folder.

Alternatively, if you’re regularly getting spam messages that land in your inbox, you can set them to go to the trash folder (just be careful that you don’t accidentally send important memos from your boss to the trash as well). 

How to create automated rules in Outlook (just a few short steps):

1. Right-click on an email and in the dropdown menu click on Rules and then Create Rule.

2. A popup will appear with a few different options. For example, to send a message to a folder with a specific word in the title, select Subject Contains, and set your words.

3. Next, select the folder it will go to by ticking the Move the item to folder box and then click on Select Folder to choose which one.

4. Click on OK to apply the new rule.

3. Organize Outlook inbox with colored categories

We already looked at the basics of categories and color-coding, but this can be an extremely helpful organization tool, so it’s worth taking a second look at.

Before, we saw how color categories can be used to label emails based on their priority, but there are many more ways to use these colored labels to organize your emails in Outlook.

You can create categories for the following types of messages:

• Email priority
• Appointments
• Meetings
• Purchase confirmations
• Personal emails
• Newsletters
• Notes and ideas
• Performance reviews
• Special project
• New contacts
• Specific senders

As you can see, there are many different ways you can use categories in your inbox.

It may seem like a lot to handle, but having emails visually labeled with color-coding can really help you immediately see what’s important so that you can prioritize your tasks efficiently.

4. Use Flags to set reminders

Folders, categories, and automated rules are all great tools to help you manage and organize your inbox, but sometimes you just need an extra reminder for a really important email. That’s where flags come in.

Flagging an email sets it as a reminder for something that needs immediate attention or a message that you might need to follow up on. Not only will the email get flagged in your inbox, setting you a visual reminder, but it will show up in other places as well.

Flagged emails also appear in your Outlook To-Do Bar, your Tasks, and in the Daily Task List in the calendar. 

The easiest way to flag an email is in your inbox itself. Each message should have a greyed-out flag that will turn red when clicked on. You can right-click on a flag to change the date if you want to set the reminder for tomorrow or next week.

When you’re done tending to the flagged email, click on the flag again and it’ll turn into a check to mark the message as completed.

Besides flagging an email for yourself as a reminder, you can also set a flag for your recipient if you need a swift reply or want to mark your message as important.

How to flag your Outlook emails in just a couple of steps:

1. Before you hit the Send button, click on the Tags button in the Messages tab.

2. Click on the Flags button in the Messages tab. From there, select Follow Up and then click on Custom.

2. Select Flag for Recipient and then select the date you want to set the reminder.

3. Now, the reminder should appear in the info bar of the email you’re about to send.

5. Organize by conversation thread (to clean up clutter)

Have you ever left for vacation and upon your return, just a week later, your inbox seems to have exploded? Don’t worry, you don’t need to sort through each message one by one to organize your inbox and calm your beating heart.

Outlook has a handy Clean Up feature that you can use to organize your emails in just a few simple clicks. What this does is remove duplicate emails that come from long conversations with multiple replies. This feature will group your conversation thread together to give you just one comprehensive thread.

Clear the clutter – It’s pretty easy to get started, here’s what you need to do:

1. In your inbox on the top menu bar, click on the Sweep button and then select Sweep Up Folder.
2. You’ll get a popup to confirm the action, so here click again on Clean Up Folder.
3. Outlook will then remove all duplicate emails, leaving you with a more organized inbox.
4. Repeat this process in each folder where you want to clean up your messages.

Video: what is email clutter?

You can also choose to clean up an entire folder including all its subfolders, or just clean up a conversation to condense it, foot forward to help you organize your emails in Outlook.

6. Advanced Outlook organization with Quick Steps

Quick Steps is a great tool to use to get more advanced organizational functionality out of Outlook. With Quick Steps, you can create an automated set of actions that will occur with a specified trigger.

With this tool, repetitive or common tasks will be automated, saving you tons of time on those time-consuming yet necessary tasks. There are a few different Quick Steps you can set, including default ones.

For example, automatically forwarding a message to a manager or others on your team, or deleting an original message when the reply is opened in order to cut down on clutter. You can also customize the default Quick Steps to create your own.

How to create Quick Steps automation:

1. Navigate to the Home tab.
2. You’ll see a scrollable gallery with Quick Steps options. Here, click on the lightning bolt icon titled Create New.
3. A box will pop up, and here you can enter the title of your Quick Steps in the Name box.
4. Under Actions, you can set what you want your Quick Steps to do, or you can click on Add Action to add additional ones.
5. If you want to add a keyboard shortcut, select one in the Shortcut key box dropdown menu.
6. Click on Finish and you’re done. Repeat this process if you want to create more Quick Steps.

Video: Advanced Outlook organization using the Quick Steps function

To wrap it up

Hopefully, you’ve learned a thing or two about how to organize emails in Outlook. As you can see, there’s more than one way to get a clean and organized inbox, so the tools you use will really come down to your personal preferences and your individual needs for your email inbox.

Aside from organizing your inbox, there are many other ways to make the most out of Outlook and of each email you send. One of the ways is to add a personalized email signature to Outlook that can be used on each email. 

Wisestamp’s Outlook signature creator allows you to create a personalized email signature complete with an image, social icons, links, banners, and more. It’s simple to add to outlook and will make your emails stand out even more. So, after you’re done organizing your inbox, it’s time to add a little extra sparkle to your emails with a customized signature.

To

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Make it yours

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How to create a distribution list

1. Launch Outlook and navigate to the left-hand side bottom tab
2. Click on the “People icon“

3. Click on “New Contact” from the top left-hand side of the Outlook ribbon
4. Select “Create new contact group“

5. Give your contact group a name, window opens, provide a descriptive name for your contact group. Make sure that you chose an easy-to-remember name and one that you can quickly search
6. Click “Create at the bottom” when done naming the contact group

7. In the “Add members” section, type in the email address of the people you want in the group
8. Then click on the “Add” option at the bottom

8. Test the distribution list to make sure that your distribution list works
9. Navigate to the “Create new email option”
10. Type in the “To:” section, the name of the distribution list, it should appear as a suggestion

Adding owners to a distribution list in Outlook 365

Note: By default, whoever created the distribution list is the owner. You can add other people as owners if you want them to have administrative rights over the distribution list.

Here is a quick guide on the different management operations for your distribution list:

1. Login to OWA
2. Click on the “Settings gear“

3. Click on the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side

4. Click on “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups, from the Settings page.
5. Select the option “Edit distribution groups I own“

6. Click on the “Pen icon” to edit

7. Navigate to the “Ownership” section tab on the left-hand side in the new window
8. Click “+ sign” that will open another window where you can choose owners

9. Click on “My Contacts”
10. Select “All Users“

Removing owners to a distribution list from Outlook 365

Note: If you are the owner of a distribution list (you created it), you can remove other owners to effectively revoke their administrative rights over the group. Note that removing ownership, does not mean removing them all together.

1. Login to OWA
2. Click on the “Settings gear“

3. Choose the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side.

4. Click on “General” from the Settings page
5. Click on “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups

6. Click on the “Edit” icon under “Distribution groups I own“

Note: You cannot remove all owners from the group. All groups must have at least one owner whose role is to manage the group.

7. “Navigate to the Ownership tab”
8. Click on the “Ownership tab” which is below the general options. This reveals a list of owners if there are many
9. “Select the owner” that you would like to remove
10. Click on the “minus sign” to effective this action
11. Select the “Save the changes“

Change the email addresses that send to the group

Outlook 365 gives you the ability to edit who can and cannot send to your distribution group. This is a powerful feature especially when you want the communication amongst the group members to be private without external interferences.

Note: By default, only senders inside your organization can send messages to this group. To allow someone outside your organization to send to the group, contact your email admin. To restrict the senders inside your organization who can send to the group, add users or groups to the list. If you do this, mail sent by anyone else will be rejected

Follow these steps to edit who can send email to your distribution list:

1. Access the distribution groups page via Outlook
2. Login to OWA
3. Click on the “Settings gear“

4. Choose the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side

5. Click on “General” From the Settings page
6. Choose “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups.

7. “Click” the edit icon under groups I own

8. Navigate to “delivery management” From the new page shown, This is to set who can send emails to your distribution list

Allow members to remove or add themselves in a distribution list

You can control whether members added to the distribution list can remove or add themselves.

Follow these steps to edit who can send email to your distribution list:

1. Login to OWA
2. Click on the “Settings gear“

3. Choose the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side

4. Click on “General” From the Settings page
5. Choose “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups

6. Click the “edit” icon under distribution groups I own

7. Navigate to the “membership approval” section to set what members are able to do

8. Options to choose from

There are 3 options shown here:

• Open: Choose the Open option if you want anyone to join and leave the distribution group without owner approval.
• Closed: Closed option means members can only be added by group owners. Any request to join is automatically rejected.
• Owner approval: Owner approval will require the group owners to approve any requests to join.

Hiding the distribution list from Outlook Address Book

By default, when you create the distribution list, it shows up on the Outlook Address Book. However, you can disable this by hiding it so that only those who know the distribution list can type it in the “To:” section of the email composed.

Note: this setting stops Outlook from auto-completing the email when users type it.

1. Login to OWA
2. Click on the “Settings gear”

3. Choose the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side

4. Click on “General” From the Settings page
5. Choose “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups

6. Click the “ Edit” icon under distribution groups I own

7. Choose the “General tab” from the left-hand side

8. Check the box written “Hide this group from shared address book” so that it will no longer appear in the Outlook Address book
9. Click on the “Save” button

Create a MailTip

MailTips are a brilliant way to inform users while they are composing a message. As the user is typing a message, Exchange analyzes recipients and the user gets notified with a MailTip in case a problem is detected.

Here is how you can create a MailTip for your Outlook 365 distribution list:

1. Login to OWA
2. Click on the “Settings gear”

2. Select the “View all Outlook Settings” option at the bottom right-hand side.

3. Cick on “General” on the settings page
4. Choose “Distribution groups” to reveal existing distribution groups
5. Click on the “Edit pen” icon under “Distribution groups I own”

6. Select “MailTip” section, the last option on the list

7. “Create a MailTip” in the text box to be displayed when people send emails to the group.
8. Click “ok” and “save“

The post Create & manage distribution lists in Outlook Office 365 appeared first on WiseStamp.

STEP 1: Create a new rule

• Navigate to your Inbox and choose the email for which you would like to create a sorting rule.
• From the toolbar on the top right, find the “Rules” button
• Click the drop-down arrow on “Rules” and select “Create Rule”

STEP 2: Set conditions to your Outlook rules

Outlook rules conditions filter emails into folders that are done automatically based on the conditions that you have set up. For example, If I want every email that has the words “influencers” in the header I will go into a specific folder. To set rules in Outlook you need to answer 2 questions.

When setting up rules the first thing you’ll be asked to do is answer the question “When I get an e-mail with all of the selected conditions”. What you need to do here is specify the conditions under which the rule will run. Only after ALL the defined conditions are met will the rule be triggered.

• Check the box to the left of the rule/s you wish to define. You will only be presented with the 3 predefined rules.
• For the complete list of rules available- click “Advanced Options“

• Under “Which conditions do you want to check?” – check the desired boxes.
• See glossary below to determine which conditions to activate and see next step to see how some common conditions are used.

Condition glossary:

Note: click the conditions in blue, to see examples of how these conditions are used

1. From – Create a rule based on the email from a particular address
2. Marked as importance – You will have to choose from different importance options: Low, Normal, or High
3. Marked with sensitivity – Requires you to choose from different sensitivity options: Normal, Personal, Private, or Confidential
4. With specific words in the body – This condition will require you to define the words that must be in the body
5. With specific words in the recipient’s address – Define the words that are included in the recipient’s address
6. With specific words in the sender’s address – Define the words that are included in the sender’s address
7. Assigned to any category – Creates rule that looks into any of the available categories
8. With specific words in the message header – This condition will require you to define the words that must be in the message header
9. With “text” in the subject – Create a rule as per particular words in the email’s subject
10. Sent To – Create a rule based on the email sent to a given address
11. With “text” in the subject or body – The email rule looks for specific words in the subject or body
12. Through the specified account – Select the account for which the rule will apply
13. Sent only to me – The rule emails that were specifically sent to you without other people CC’d or in the To line
14. Where my name is in the To box – Checks whether your name is in the To line to execute the rule
15. Which is an automatic reply – Helps create a rule for automatic replies received or sent
16. Which has an attachment – Affects the emails that have an attachment
17. With a size in the specified range – You have to define the email size range that you are looking for
18. Received in a specific date span – Indicate the emails After and Before dates that the rule will affect
19. Uses the form name form – Select the forms that would be incorporated in the rule
20. With selected properties of documents or forms – Define the document or form properties that match a given criteria
21. Sender is in a specified Address Book – Presents you the address list within which the sender must be specified
22. Which is a meeting invitation or update – Used to create a rule that filters meeting invitations
23. From RSS Feeds with specified text in the title – Creates a rule affecting RSS feeds you have subscribed to. You have a list to choose from.
24. From any RSS Feed – Creates a rule that affects all the RSS feeds that you have subscribed to
25. Of the specific form type
26. On this computer only – Creates a rule that affects emails that are only saved on the computer. Use this condition mostly when you want to know the emails that are not backed up to the respective email service provider servers

STEP 3: Specify condition details to organize Outlook folders

Example 1: From

Example 2: Marked as importance

Example 3: Marked with sensitivity

Example 4: With specific words in the body

Example 5: With specific words in the sender’s address

Example 6: Specific words in the message header

Example: 6 Assigned to category

STEP 4: Set the folder to which your rule applies

At this stage you’ll need to set the rule to “Move the item into folder” – this will tell Outlook to automatically move any email that obeys the rule to a folder that you define.

• Click on the Select Folder to define the destination of emails under this rule.

• Select an already existing folder such as “conversation history” or click the “New” to create a new folder.

• Provide a name for the folder and choose the folder contents from the drop-down arrow “Folder Contains.”

• Click “OK” to execute the rule. You will see a prompt on the screen that the rule for the selected email has been created.
• Check the box “Run this rule now on messages already in the current folder” to move other emails to the specified folder.
  

STEP 1: Create a rule

• Open Outlook 365
• Click the gear icon in the top right corner of your Outlook 365.

• Scroll down the settings menu that opens on the right
• Click on “View all Outlook settings” at the bottom

• Select “Rules” from the left sidebar in the search box at the top of the “Settings panel“.

Note: If you have never created any rules for your email, the page will be free. Any other rules you have set, including those done in the Outlook desktop app, will show here.

• Click on the “Add new rule” section.

Note: A new rule prompt shows where you have to make some important definitions depending on the kind of rule you want to build.

• Name the “Rule”

STEP 2: Set the condition for your rule

Conditions are specifications that have to be met in order to trigger a rule. Conditions are broad way to define a certain class of messages that you wish to be sorted into the same folder, or be subject to some other automated action, such as, deleted, flagged, marked as read, etc.

To better understand all available conditions and what they do, go over our conditions glossary below. Skip the glossary to get straight into how conditions are set up.

Conditions glossary:

Note: click the conditions in blue, to see examples of how these conditions are used

• From – Filters the rule based on the specific email address from which you received an email. You can input either one email or multiple emails. All emails that have ever contacted you are recommended, and it’s a matter of just choosing.
• To – Filters the rule based on the specific email address to which you sent an email. You can add as many emails as you would like.
• I’m on the To line – The rule affects conditions where your name is on the To line
• I’m on the Cc line – The rule affects conditions where your name is on the Cc line.
• I’m on the To or Cc line – The rule covers situations where your name is either on the To line or Cc line.
• I’m the only recipient – This rule will apply in conditions where you are the only recipient of the email.
• Subject includes – Use this option if you know some of the words included in the subject, and you want to filter out the specific emails based on that
• Subject or body includes – You may be unsure whether it’s the body or the subject with certain terms. In that case, this condition can help avoid confusion as it scans both the subject and the body for the terms you have specified.
• Message body includes – Use certain keywords in the body to create a rule that meets your needs. For instance, you may want any email you receive and have specified keywords to be filtered into a particular folder
• Sender address includes – This condition functions almost like the “From” condition. However, in this case, you can enter all or part of the sender’s address.
• Recipient address includes – The condition affects the person’s email address to which you sent an email. You do not have to enter their complete address.
• Message header includes – Use this option when looking for emails whose message header has particular words.
• Importance – You can create a rule that focuses on the importance attached to your emails. The three options to choose after selecting this condition are: High, normal, and low. Use this option if you normally associate particular importance with your emails.
• Sensitivity – Use to create email rules by considering the sensitivity of our emails – company confidential, normal, personal, or private.
• Flag – Use to create email rules by considering how the email was flagged when it arrived in your mailbox.
• Type – There are different types of emails, including requests for approval, automatic reply, invitation, and many others. This option allows you to create a rule based on that.
• Has attachment – Use this condition when looking for emails that have an attachment,
• Message size – You can create a rule that affects emails of a particular mail size. Apply to all messages – You may have a general rule that affects all emails in your mailbox.
• Apply to all messages – You may have a general rule that affects all emails in your mailbox.

Now, let’s see how to define conditions for a rule...

• Click on the down drop down arrow “Add a condition”

STEP 3: Add an action

Once you determine the rule’s conditions, you now need to “add an action”.

Rule actions are the automated functions that you want the system to make when the rule conditions you defined are met. These can be split into 3 classes of actions: Organize. Mark, and Route. These actions are an imensly powerful way to organize your Outlook 365 inbox. You can use them to sort emails into folders, prioritize emails with colors, pin to top important messages and much more.

Actions glossary

• Organize– The aim here is to take actions that help you be more organized. You could:
  • Move to a folder
  • Copy to a folder
  • Delete the email
  • Pin it to the top
• Mark message– If the email satisfies the conditions specified above,
  • You can mark as read
  • Mark as junk
  • Mark with importance
  • Categorize as desired.
• Route– You have 3 routing options for emails that meet your conditions:
  • Forward to another email or emails
  • Forward as an attachment
  • Redirect to a specific email or emails

This section requires you to add an action that complies with the condition.

• Click on the drop-down arrow on “Add an action”

STEP 4: Specify the action details to organize Outlook folders

Example: “move to” if you want to create folders for specific emails, the action you are interested in from the drop-down list is

• Select the “move to” option under organize

• Choose the drop-down arrow next to “Select a folder“

• Choose “New folder” to create a new folder for the rule (You can also use pre-existing rules).
• Name your “new folder” and hit the “save” button.

• Check the box “Run rule now” to execute the rule.
• Click on “Save” to finalize the rule creation process.

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