As an Outlook user, you are probably familiar with its robust feature set. But just because an app has tons of features doesn’t mean they’re worth all your effort. Here are several of Microsoft Outlook Features you should use.
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Scheduling emails for effective time management
If you are someone who uses time blocking to manage tasks throughout the day, email scheduling can be beneficial. You can create all the emails you need during your time block and choose the dates and times to send them.
To schedule an email you dial, go to the Options tab and select “Delay Delivery”.
In the lower section of the Properties window, check the Do not deliver before box. Then use the drop-down lists on the right to choose the date and time.
If you wish, you can use the additional features of the Properties area. You have settings with voting and tracking options at the top and additional delivery options at the bottom.
When you’re done, click “Close” to apply the schedule.
Contact groups for distribution lists
When you regularly email the same group of people, there’s no easier way to add all those email addresses than by creating a distribution list. Outlook’s Contact Group feature helps you achieve this.
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To quickly create a contact group, go to the Home tab, select the New Items drop-down menu, and choose More Items > Contact Group.
Select “Add Members” and choose the location of your stored contacts.
Choose a contact from the list and click “Members” to add them. Continue this process until you have everyone in the group and click “OK”.
Give your contact group a name at the top and select “Save and Close”.
When you want to send an email to this new group, click the To button in the compose window and select the group. Or, start typing the name of the group in the To field and select it from the suggestions.
Inbox Rules for Auto-Organizing
Although messaging rules can seem daunting to set up, they are worth saving you hassle later on. You can automatically move emails to foldersmark messages with priority, play a sound for important emailsand more.
To configure a new rule From scratch, navigate to File > Manage Rules & Alerts and click “New Rule”.
Or, to create a new rule based on an email you received, open the message in its own window. Click on the Rules drop-down menu in the Move section of the ribbon and select “Create Rule”.
Depending on the option you choose above, select conditions and actions, then follow the next prompts for your new rule.
When you’re done, you can apply it to existing messages in your inbox or just click “Finish” to save the rule for future messages that come in.
Multiple email signatures for proper closes
To ensure that all your messages have appropriate closings, you can create multiple emails signatures in outlook. This allows you to use a specific signature for work emails versus personal messages.
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To create a signatureselect Signature > Signatures in the Message tab of the compose window.
On the Email Signature tab, choose the email account at the top if you have more than one. Then select “New” on the right. Give your signature a name and click “OK”.
Configure the signature in the Edit Signature area and select “Save” when done.
Optionally, you can make signature the default signature for new messages, replies, and forwards using the drop-down lists at the bottom.
Repeat the same process to create additional signatures and select “OK” when finished.
When you want to use a signature, return to the Signature drop-down menu on the Message tab and choose the one you want to use. If you set up a default signature, it automatically appears in your email.
AutoArchive for inbox and folder cleanup
Cleaning up your inbox and folders of outdated and unneeded emails can take time. By using the AutoArchive feature in Outlookyou can automatically delete old messages that you no longer need.
Go to File > Options and select “Advanced” on the left. Next, click “AutoArchive Settings” on the right.
Complete each of the fields in the AutoArchive pop-up to know when and how to archive your emails. You can choose when to run the tool and receive a prompt before it runs.
You can also choose how to handle certain messages during the AutoArchive process, such as the age of items, which archive folder to use, and even permanently delete old items.
When you’re done, click “OK” to apply the settings.
Convert messages to meetings for reference
How many times have you received an email inviting a meeting? You can convert email to meeting in the Outlook calendar to save a lot of time. Additionally, the message that inspired the meeting is automatically attached to the event for reference.
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To turn an email into a meeting, click on the three dots at the top right of the message and select “Meeting”.
You will then see a new event request window open with the email as the description. You can then complete the application like any other; add attendees, set the date and time, and choose a location.
Send your appointment request When you’re done, your attendees will see the invitation with the email in the body.
Mail filters to quickly find messages
Another handy feature of Outlook helps you find the emails you need quickly. You can definitely use it Outlook basic and advanced search options, but to quickly see unread, flagged, important, or filed messages, use the Filter Emails feature.
On the Home tab, select “Filter emails” and choose an option.
Once you’ve applied the filter, you can adjust it as needed. In the Refine section of the ribbon, add another filter, or in the Scope section on the right, choose mailbox or folder.
When you’re done with the filter, click “Close Search” on the right side of the ribbon.
Although all the features provided by Outlook are useful in one way or another, some are more useful than others. With this list, you have the basic features you need to save time, improve your productivity and manageyourbox better.
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