Outlook 2000 in a Nutshell

Chapter 1. Outlook “in a Nutshell”

Outlook 2000 is more than just a flexible, robust email client. It is a multidimensional program made up of six powerful components: Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Notes, and Journal. These components work seamlessly to perform the following functions:

• Communicate electronically

• Schedule activities and events

• Maintain an intelligent address book

• Manage and track projects

• Save and organize notes

• Log and time various activities

To realize the full potential of Outlook 2000, you must understand that Outlook is a database that stores items (e.g., mail messages, addresses, dates, times, notes, etc.) in folders. Regardless of the component, Outlook uses forms as containers to input and display items. Outlook items have properties , such as date, owner, and category, that can be used as selection criteria for Outlook views, which allow you to display, sort, and filter items almost endlessly. You can use predefined views, sorts, and filters, create custom views based on predefined views, or create your own views from scratch. Outlook 2000 provides access to all of its commands via menus and toolbars that are customizable and adaptive, as well as via powerful context menus (launched by right-clicking an area). It provides the Outlook Bar (a container for shortcuts) and the Folder List (a tree-like folder display) to help navigate the program.

The remainder of this chapter covers the Outlook components, providing you with common uses, the command-line syntax, some keyboard shortcuts, and a task list for each component. The task list is a mini-index that points out some of the interesting features of a given component and the page where it is discussed. Think of this chapter as the jumping-off point to the rest of the book; revisit when you want an overview of a component and its capabilities.

Mail

Mail is used more often than any other component, both because email itself is a common task and because other Outlook components use Mail to extend their functionality.

Outlook Mail is very configurable. You may use the default editor or Word to send email using Plain Text, HTML, or MS-RTF. Outlook Mail has myriad other options that are covered in Chapter 5, and Chapter 6. Given the feature richness of Mail, it’s no surprise that we devote two chapters to it.

Uses and Functions of Mail

• Check the spelling of a mail message before sending it

• Create filters to automatically control incoming messages

• Use a read receipt to “track” a mail message

• Use stationery to jazz up outgoing mail messages

• Forward a Task request to several Contacts

Command-Line Syntax

To open Outlook with the Inbox folder displayed:

outlook.exe /select Outlook:Inbox

To open a new default mail message without starting Outlook:

outlook.exe /c ipm.note

Keyboard Shortcuts

Create a new mail message: Ctrl+Shift+M

Mark a message as read: Ctrl+Q

Reply to a message: Ctrl+R

Reply to All: Ctrl+Shift+R

Check for new mail: F5

Mail Task List

Change default mail editor to Microsoft Word: See Note in Section 1.1.4

Change default font for new mail messages: Section 5.4.1.1

Send a one-time read receipt: Section 5.4.4

Create new mail message: Section

Enable automatic name checking: Chapter 6

Override default mail editor for one message: Section

Color-code junk email: Section

Check Outbox for pending messages to send: Section

Create a new rule: Section

Assign categories based on content: Section

Permanently delete message: Section