Microsoft Outlook – Working With Distribution Lists

Working With Distribution Lists. 

A distribution list is a collection of email addresses that you may email of a regular basis, saving you selecting email address individually.

The distribution list can contain email addresses from the corporate address book and Outlook contact folders.

You can create as many distribution list as you wish, but when naming the distribution list make sure you give the group a logical name so that you do not select the wrong one when you choose it when creating an email !!!

To Create a new Distribution List 

1. Select the File menu → New → Distribution List.



2. Enter a name for the Distribution List.



Click on the Select members to display select the available email addresses from Outlook Address books.






4. Select the address book that contains the email addresses that you wish to include in the distribution list.

5. Highlight the contact names.

6. Click on the Members button to add the address to the Distribution List.

7. Click Ok.



8. Click on Save & Close to save the distribution list into your contacts folder.

Addressing an Email using a Distribution List. 

From the contacts folder.

Select the New Message to contact icon




From the Inbox.

Address the email in the normal way, by default the Distribution List will be stored in the contacts folder.

Once the Distribution List has been selected the name of the distribution list will be displayed in the message To: bar.

To view the addresses details for the group select the plus sign to the left of the Distribution List name.

Modifying the Distribution List. 

It is possible to add or remove members from the Distribution List.

To add or remove members, open the distribution list by double clicking on the Distribution List that you wish to modify.

Add New Members: Click on the Select the Select Members icon, and select the addition members, save the Distribution List.



Remove Members: Highlight the members that you wish to remove and select the Remove icon, save and close the Distribution List.

Microsoft Outlook – OneNote

OneNote. 

OneNote is a relatively new addition to the Microsoft Office Suite, it is a document management system.

OneNote is a great way to store (centralize) all your files together for example you may have to run various projects and you wish to keep all the Word, Excel & Emails stored together for easy access.

OneNote creates a folder, within that file you can create folder for each of your projects, store practically any type of file.

The OneNote folder can be accessed by multiple people if stored on a network.

If the OneNote folder is stored on a network it is possible as well to apply security features to folders that held within the OneNote folder.

OneNote is also very portable, copy the OneNote folder onto an external storage drive and all the documents stored within the OneNote folders are automatically copied as well.

Filing a Outlook Task into OneNote 

This is just an overview on how to add an Outlook task into a OneNote folder.

Before you can transfer files into OneNote, you will have to firstly open OneNote and create a OneNote folder to store your files.

When you open OneNote it will prompt you through this process.

Open the Task you wish to file into OneNote.

From the Ribbon select Send to OneNote icon.



The Task will now be displayed within the OneNote folder stored in the Unfiled Notes folder.



For storage purposes the filed Task has been saved with the Task’s subject line, “Task Completed: End of term report”.

The task information has been copied onto a new sheet, like a word document.



The sheet contains a tab on right hand side. This is so that you can select the document.

The tab will be named the same as the heading in this case “Task Completed: End of term report”.

Moving Documents in OneNote. 

In the above example we copied an Outlook Task information into OneNote, the task information was copied onto a new page within OneNote into a folder called Unfiled Notes.

The process to move the Task details to a different  folder: 

Right click on the Page tab

 (the tab is located on right hand side of the page).
 
Click the right mouse button, a short-cut menu will be displayed.

(reverse if mouse has been set for left hand use).

Select Move Page To → Another Section



You OneNote will then prompt for the folder you wish to store the file into.

Microsoft Outlook – Journal Explained

Journal Explained 

Like the internet history keeps a track on what websites we visit, we can now track what we do on our computer.

Have you ever saved a file and forgotten the name and location you save it?

Once configured, the journal can automatically record in a timeline what files you have worked on day-by-day, showing graphically the name file name and icon under the date it was last accessed.



Other applications of the Journal are keeping logs of meeting request, responses etc.

Interaction between the different areas Of Outlook will produce greater efficiency as well as speed up the daily process.

An example of this, you may receive electronically (email message)  the agenda for a possible future meeting. This needs to be communicated to various other parties.

No need to phone around each of the people communicated the date and agenda, a few clicks, an appointment invitation sent, which outlook tracks automatically for the responses.

Configuring the Journal. 

To activate the Journal, Click on the Journal icon.



When the Journal is selected for the first time an information box will be displayed.

The information box details the uses of the Journal feature.

To enable the Journal click on the “Yes” button.



Within the Journal Options select the areas of Outlook that you wish to record.

Press the Ok button to confirm changes.

Modifying the Journal Options. 

It is possible to modify the Journal options at anytime.


Tools menu →Options →journal options.



The Journal Options dialog box will be displayed.

Make the required modifications and commit the modifications that you wish the Journal to record.

Entering a Manual Journal Entry.

Another useful feature of the Journal is being able to enter a manual entry. For example you may is to keep a record of when you phoned clients

1. From the File menu → New → Journal Entry.



The Untitled Journal Entry dialog box will be displayed.

2. Enter a subject for the Journal entry.

3. Select the Entry Type, in this example “Phone Call”.



4. Enter any additional details for the Journal entry, for example outcomes of the phone call.

5. Select Save & Close to save the Journal entry.

Microsoft Outlook – What is a Task

What is a Task?

We all like to make lists of things to do, within outlook we can store out lists electronically within Tasks.

Task information can be very detailed, Task Name, Due Date, Date Started).

It is also possible to set Reminders so that we do not forget to do a Task, no more forgetting to send that birthday card….

We can track the progress of our tasks by using the status and percentage completed features.

We can utilize the Task views to help organize our tasks, grouping tasks by category can be very useful when running several projects.

Not only can we enter tasks for ourselves, we can also create a task and send it via email to others to accept, if they accept the task it will be added to  their Task list. They are even able to send updates on how far through a task.

Tasks can be viewed in the Task screen, but they can also be viewed within the Calendar screen. In the calendar screen tasks are displayed at the bottom of the calendar screen.

In the daily view for example the tasks will be displayed when the calendar reaches the required task date.

Other features to look out for are the “red flags”, the flags change to a deeper colour of red as the tasks reach their required dates.

Microsoft Outlook – Printing the Task List

Printing the Task List. 

It is possible to Print the entire Task List or highlight select tasks to be printed. Either select Print from the File

Menu or select the Print icon from  the Task toolbar.



The Print dialog box will be displayed.



Select the required options, click the Ok button to Print the tasks or the Preview Icon to preview the task information before printing.

Deleting a Task. 

Either highlight and press the Delete button of the computer keyboard.

OR

Highlight the task and press the Delete icon from the Task toolbar.

Microsoft Outlook – Creating a Task

Creating  a Task. 

1. From the Ribbon click on the New icon.



The Untitled task  dialog  will be displayed

2. Enter a Subject for the Task.

3. Enter a Start Date & Due Date for the task.

4. Set a Priority for the Task ( Low, Normal or High ).

5. Enter a Reminder date if you require Outlook to remind you of the task.

6. Enter a Category for the task.

7. Set a Recurrence for the task.

8. Save & Close the new task.



9. Update the Status of the task.

Preview of the Task Screen.

Microsoft Outlook – Assigning Tasks

Assigning Tasks. 

It is possible to create a  task and then assign the Task to another Outlook user.

Once the task has been sent, the recipient will receive a Task Request into their Inbox.

If the recipient accepts the Task Request, the task is then added to their Task List and a notification is automatically sent back to the creator (sender) of the task.

It is possible for the recipient of the task to send the progress of the task back to the creator throughout until the completion of the task.

Assigning a Task Request.

1. Select File Menu → New → Task Request.



2. Address the task to the recipient.

3. Enter a subject (description) for the Task Request.

4. Set the task parameters (Start Date, Due Date, Priority etc..)




5. If you wish to keep a copy and status report select the check boxes required.

6. Press Send button to generate the Task Request.

Receiving a Task Request. 

The Task Request will be delivered into the recipients Inbox



2. Select either to Accept or Reject the Task Request.



3. The Accepting Task dialog box will be displayed.

You are able to Edit or Send the response back to the Creator of the Task Request.



The task is now entered onto the recipients task list, the recipient now becomes the Task ‘Owner’.

Sending a Status Report. 

1. Open the Task that you wish to update.

2. Enter the Percentage completed



3. To edit the response select from the Ribbon select the Send Status Report.



4. Enter you additional response.

5. Click on Send.



The response will be sent back to the Task creator (sender), the Task information will be updated automatically on the creator’s (sender) task pad

Preview:
Task update message from the task recipient (owner).



Once the Task Request has been completed by the recipient (owner), an email will be sent back to the task creator to notify that the task has been completed.

Microsoft Outlook – Applying a Current View

Applying a Current View 

There are thirteen different Views available within tasks, it is also possible to create a custom View as well.

The To-Do List groups the task by

Current Week, Next Week, Next Month and Later.





If you have entered a Category for your tasks, select the By Category to group by Category.



This is useful when running several projects. Create a Category for each of your projects, select the custom Project Category when entering each of the project tasks.

Apply the By Category to view the tasks grouped by the Category.

Microsoft Outlook – Notes Explained

Notes Explained 

.
A place to keep general notes, this is the equivalent of the old post-it note that we all loved to stick over the monitor.

Yes we still have them, not only can we apply several different colours to our note, we can also forward them to others.

Microsoft Outlook – Forwarding a Note

Forwarding a Note. 

Select with the mouse the Note that you require to forward.

Click the right mouse button, a short-cut menu will be displayed.



(reverse if mouse has been set for left hand use).

Select Forward option, the note will be attached to a new email message. Address the email message and send.

Microsoft Outlook – Creating a Note

Creating a Note. 

File menu → New → Note.

A blank Note will be displayed.

Enter text that you wish the Note to contain.



The first line of the Note will be used as the name of the when saved and closed. To close a note select the cross which is found at the top right corner of the Note.

Microsoft Outlook – Applying a Category-to a Note

Applying a Category to a Note. 

By applying a Category to a Note will enable you to retrieve your Note by grouping them together.

Applying a Category to a Note.
By applying a Category to a Note will enable you to retrieve  your Note by grouping them together.

Select with the mouse the Note that you wish to Categorise.

Click the right mouse button, a short-cut menu will be displayed.

(reverse if mouse has been set for left hand use).

Select the Category you wish to assign the task.

Microsoft Outlook – Apply Note Views

Apply Note Views. 

The default view for Notes is  “icons”.


To change to a different view from the Current View, select the view required.

Microsoft Outlook – The Contact Screen

The Contact Screen. 

1. Address Cards: Contacts Details.

2. Views: Switch between views to change the address cards display and details.

3. Navigation Bar: Address cards are stored in alphabetical order, select the letter required to locate the required address card.

4. Status Bar: Displays Outlook Status, (Online / Offline).

5. Enable Instant Search: If installed, you can search for email, documents and other files located on the computer.

Microsoft Outlook – Printing Contacts

Printing Contacts. 

Contacts can be printed in various different layouts, each of the layouts display different level of contact detail.

For example the Phone Directory style displays the contacts in alphabetical order, displaying the contact name and telephone number.

To print the contact style, select from File menu → Print.



Select the Print style, and any other require option require, you can either Preview or Print the List

Microsoft Outlook – Inserting a Contact Picture

Inserting a Contact Picture. 

It is possible to include in the Contact card an individuals picture, it could be their photo or business card.

Some people do not like their photo used without permission, so it maybe an idea to get there ok first…

1. Click on the Contact Button



1. Locate the picture that you wish to attach.

2. Click Ok to attach the picture.



Preview: Contact card.



Preview: Business card.