She Asks IT, He Answers IT

Beyond Email: Unlocking the Secrets of Outlook

She Asks IT

Nancy Drew always intrigued me, mainly because nothing she ever came across was “simple.” You could count on a locket containing a hidden, note-filled compartment, an insignificant room concealing a sinister staircase or a scrawled bunch of numbers turning into a decipherable code that provided the vital clue to solving a huge mystery.

I view Microsoft Outlook much the same way. It is one of the first programs I open in the morning and the last I shut down. It sends my emails, lets me know when I receive new ones and reminds me of appointments and tasks. And it does all of those things well.

But I am quite certain something else is lurking there. Bill Gates is a complex man. One of his “signature” programs must contain more tools that will make communication within and outside my office better.

The trick is, just like Nancy Drew, to find out what they are and use them effectively.

So, what are some key “concealed compartments” that Microsoft Outlook holds, some “hidden staircases” I might not know about? Am I missing something that would make my job easier? Can Microsoft Outlook improve communication and make my office more efficient, beyond email, a calendar and a task list?

In other words, what are “The Secrets of Microsoft Outlook” – and how do I unlock them?

He Answers IT

Where do I start? Most businesses have instant communication with tens or hundreds of valuable contacts every day, and a great deal of this communication occurs in Microsoft Outlook.

Without specifically addressing how to accomplish the tasks, I will simply touch on some of the terrific features available in Outlook 2010. (Please note, however, that some features are only available if you have your own Exchange server or use a Hosted Exchange solution.)

One thing I really like is the “People Pane” view. You can instantly view all communication you have had with a specific individual. On one screen, you can see all the attachments you have received from that person or all of the meetings involving him or her. You can even view someone’s social media activity with Outlook 2010’s “Social Media Connectors.”

A similar feature is the new “Conversation View.” It allows you to group emails by subject. This prevents you from having to search through all of your folders to find every email about, say, the “Upcoming Project.” No matter what folder the email is in, if it has “Upcoming Project” in the subject line, it will show up in “Conversation View.” And, if a new “Upcoming Project” email is received, the conversation itself jumps to the top of you Inbox, so you always know when there is a new message related to that particular subject. (Note that there is a difference between “grouping” and “sorting.”)

Scheduling an email to send at a later time is a feature I do not use enough. With it, you can go ahead and create the message and you do not have to remember to send it later. Create it, click send, and it will remain in your Outbox until the specified time. If you are on an Exchange or Hosted Exchange server, Outlook does not have to be open to send the message. Otherwise, Outlook must be running to complete the task.

RSS Feeds are another great “secret feature” not used enough in Outlook. Rather than sifting through all the latest news on msn.com, you can subscribe to their RSS Feed and read the articles right in Outlook as they are published. You can subscribe to our RSS Feed right now by clicking here and hitting “subscribe.” All of our news articles and blog pieces will be delivered straight to Outlook as soon as we publish them.

Although it is not new, one of the best features Outlook offers is the convenience of running on an Exchange or Hosted Exchange server. All of the information and almost all of the functionality is available from all of your devices wherever you are. There is no syncing, no third party apps, and no awkward sharing of calendars.

Also, Public Folders provides a great place to share information between all of your employees without having to send the same thing to multiple recipients. Just put the document somewhere appropriate in Public Folders and everyone can go directly to it. You can even have your resources and equipment, such as conference rooms and projectors, available for scheduling in Public Folders.

Entire books are written about Outlook. Most people are not aware or just have not been comfortable enough to try and use many of the capabilities because they think it will be difficult. Do not get buried under tons of emails, appointments and attachments. With a little setup and education, you can have a brighter and more effective Outlook.