Outlook is one of the most popular email tools . We have been using this program for many years to manage our email. Not surprisingly, it is an effective system, endowed with countless tools that help us a lot to be organized.
And it is that in addition to working as a tray for our email, Outlook also functions as an agenda and allows us to configure alerts for any event or task . Today we set out to answer 20 practical Outlook questions. We hope you find them useful.
1. Can I use keyboard shortcuts?
Of course. This is one of the most practical functions that all the programs in the Microsoft Office suite have. If you learn these keyboard shortcuts, you can manage your mail more quickly . The most used are the following:
- Alt + S : Send an email
- Ctrl + R : Reply to an email
- Ctrl + M : Send and receive emails
- Alt + W : Go to the next email or switch to the weekly calendar view
- Alt + R : Reply all or switch to weekly work calendar view
- Ctrl + G : Open the "Go to date" box to jump to the day we want on the calendar
2. Is it possible to delete the messages that do not interest me in a more automatic way?
Yes. And it is a good way to manage your messages faster. All you have to do is create a rule. For example, if you are interested in deleting messages from a certain sender, you just have to do the following: click on the message with the right mouse button and then choose Create Rule. Check the Delete option and specify the sender . When you're done, don't forget to click on Create Rule or OK.
3. Is it possible to create one or more signatures for emails?
Of course. It is one of the most classic functions of Outlook. If you want to create a signature or different signatures for your emails, you have to do the following: write a new email, opening a new message. Click on the Signature button to configure it: you have the option to add as many as you want.
When you want to add it to the email, you just have to click on it so that it is inserted automatically . Repeat the same process for all the signatures you need to include.
4. How can I save time writing message?
There is a function that allows us to insert certain quick elements into the text. They can be phrases or fragments that you write often. To add them to an email automatically, select the text and click on Quick Items> Insert . Enter a name. You can insert them whenever you want and you won't need to rewrite it.
5. How to insert an image in the mail?
If you want to insert an image into an email so that it is displayed with the text you have added, it is also easy for you. Instead of adding an attachment, click on the Insert menu > Image or Clipart. The image will be pasted directly into the body of the message and you can edit and resize it as you want.
6. How to do more efficient searches?
You may often look for the same thing. For example, the emails Marta sends you. To make these searches more efficient, you can set up a search folder. Create a New search folder , choosing between different default options (specific people, important emails ...) and configuring a custom search.
To find messages faster, you can also use filters. Within the Filter email option , you can select the Home tab and choose what type of emails you want to see: unread, choose categories, with attachments or those received this week.
7. Can I better organize my mail?
There is a section from which you can create rules. This means that if you want, you can execute different automatic actions on your email. And this will make things much easier for you. Simply click on the Rules and Alerts menu button .
Choose New Rule to configure the option you consider . You will see that you can mark the messages of a certain person for follow-up, move messages to specific folders or play certain sounds when receiving emails from someone. The options are very wide and fully configurable.
8. What if I want to send a message without showing any recipient?
It is a very simple gesture, but many people forget it. And this happens very often. If you want to send messages without showing any recipients, all you have to do in Outlook is add all the recipients in the Bcc box instead of CC. This way, no one will see who else has received the message.
9. Can an email be scheduled to be sent at a specific time?
Scheduling an email message is pretty easy. Within the message in question, access the Delay delivery button. From here you can choose what time you want to send the message and many other options. In this way, you can deliver your message at the time you want.
10. How to configure an automatic reply?
It's vacation time, so you have to set up the classic auto-reply messages. They are very useful to warn our contacts that we will not be available during certain days. To set it up, choose File> Automatic Replies> Send Automatic Replies.
You can set a specific interval for these messages to be sent automatically. Although you can also disable the responses manually. In the space Within my organization you will have to write the answer that interests you and click OK.
11. Do I have the option to add notes or reminders?
Of course, we have already indicated that Outlook is a very useful tool for managing email, but also for acting as an assistant. You can add notes by clicking the following shortcut Ctrl + Shift + N . You will see that immediately a kind of note similar to a post-it appears, which you can hang in any space.
In principle it has a yellowish tone, like the real post-its , but you can modify the tone with the color you want. Then you can manage these notes as it suits you.
12. Can I create a distribution list?
Yes, it is a very practical option to avoid having to add the same senders as always to an email or distribution list. Within the name space, choose the name of your contact group.
Next, you will have to choose the different members. You can do it from the contact book. Then Save and close. Your distribution list will have already been created and you can send the common messages you want .
13. How to save space?
The inertia of the day to day makes that many times the messages accumulate. Within the File section you will have different options, which you can see by clicking on the Cleaning Tools button. Here you will find Mailbox Cleanup, Empty Deleted Items folder, and Archive . Use them regularly to keep everything in order.
14. Can I use Gmail in Outlook?
The answer is yes. And it will come in handy if you prefer to use Outlook to organize yourself. Open Gmail and click on the Settings section. Then, in the Forwarding and POP / IMAP mail tab, choose the Enable IMAP option. Save the changes.
Next you will have to access your email and enter the information corresponding to the account. You have the information you need below. Access Account Settings, in File , to enter them and start enjoying your Gmail email in Outlook.
15. How to make a backup copy of my emails?
Backups are vital if we want to preserve the most important emails. Especially if we use them for work. Select File> Open> Import. Choose the Export a file option. Select Outlook Data File (.pst) and click Next.
Choose the account / folder you want to back up, choose a location to store the file and click OK. You can also password protect it.
16. How to create templates?
Open a new message and write the template you want. It should be a text that you send often and that in this sense, you will not need to repeat. When you're done, choose File> Save As> Save As Type> Outlook Template . Enter a template name and save.
To use the template, within Outlook go to Home> New> New items> More items and Choose form . Tap Look in> User templates in file system. You will see that the template folder opens and you have to rescue the most appropriate one. Choose Open, add recipient and send.
17. How to keep the agenda more visible?
The Outlook calendar is very useful, but to access it you have to do a bit of searching. An interesting option is to download this add-on, which will allow you to install the agenda as your computer's wallpaper . In this way, you will have all your appointments and tasks in view. It's called Outlook On Desktop and has to be downloaded as an extra.
18. Can I group the messages?
With Gmail we are used to seeing messages grouped by conversations. Well, luckily in Outlook you can do the same. To group your messages, go to the view tab and choose the option Show as conversations. Inside you can "Organize by" and choose different ways to configure your emails.
19. Can I configure different views?
Of course. Outlook will allow you to configure the views of your email inbox as you wish. So you can decide if you want to see a preview of the messages, choose not to open them or choose a right, left or horizontal vertical view. The options are multiple, so to go testing the configuration that best suits your work rhythm, it is best that you access the View section.
20. What if I only want to receive notifications for the most important messages?
If you are two who receive dozens and dozens of messages a day, perhaps it would be interesting to configure an option to receive only the most important messages. Go to File> Mail and go to the section Arrival of the message. We recommend you configure this section to receive only notifications about what interests you. At the same time, you will have the option to configure how you want the desktop alerts to be.