Basic Microsoft Outlook 2003 Part 1

This handout is simply an outline to be used as a guide in class. Microsoft Outlook offers many ways to accomplish different tasks. The steps below identify at least one way to accomplish a task in Microsoft Outlook.

What is Microsoft Outlook?

Microsoft Outlook is a program that helps you to manage your messages, appointments, contacts, and tasks. Microsoft Outlook can help you create, share, and manage information easily. When using Microsoft Outlook and the Exchange Server, information is sent and received immediately.

What version are you using?

When seeking help from the help desk or purchasing a book, you need to know the correct version of the software that you are using. To find the version that is installed on your computer, follow the steps below:

1. Click the Help menu.
2. Click About Microsoft Office Outlook.
3. The version is displayed in the dialog box. In this example, we are using Microsoft Office Outlook 2003.
4. When finished click OK.

Getting & Using Help

There are three different ways to open help:

1. Pressing F1 on the keyboard.
2. Clicking the Help menu on the menu bar and clicking Microsoft Office Word Help.
3. Clicking on the Help button on the Standard toolbar.
   

Contacting the MSU HelpDesk

Call 389-6654

Online at http://helpdesk.mnsu.edu

E-mail helpdesk@mnsu.edu

Visit us on the 3rd floor of the Memorial Library

Outlook Today

The Outlook Today view provides a preview of your day. By using Microsoft Outlook Today, you can see a summary of your appointments, a list of your tasks, and how many new e-mail messages you have. You can set this page to be the first page that opens when you start Outlook, and you can change the way Outlook Today appears.

Make Outlook Today The Startup Page

1. Click the Outlook Today button.
   
2. On the Outlook Today page, click Customize Outlook Today.
3. In the Startup area, select the When starting, go directly to Outlook Today check box. This will open the Outlook Today view whenever Microsoft Outlook is opened.
   

Add folders to Outlook Today to easily access the MSU news server

1. Click the Choose Folders button.
2. Open the folders (by clicking the plus sign next to the folder) in the following sequence to access the news folders:

   + Public Folders

   + All Public Folders

   + MSU-Announcements

   + MSU

   + Announce

3. Click the box next to the folders that you want displayed on the Outlook Today view.
4. Click OK.
5. Click Save Changes.

TIP: To move quickly back to the previous window, click the Back button on the toolbar. The Back button works in the same manner as the Back button in a web browser.

Changing Views in Microsoft Outlook

The Outlook Bar from previous versions of Outlook has been replaced by the new Navigation Pane. The Navigation Pane is the column on the left side of the Outlook window that includes panes such as Shortcuts or Mail. The Navigation Pane also provides centralized navigation and easy access to sharing features.

Within the Inbox, click the View menu to:

• Turn on/off the Navigation Pane
• Adjust the Reading Pane
• Turn on/off the Preview Pane
• Turn on/off the AutoPreview

Navigation Pane

Unblocking Image Downloads in Outlook 2003

To protect your privacy from junk e-mail senders, Microsoft Office Outlook2003 is configured by default to block image downloads from the Internet. A blocked image appears as a red X placeholder.

1. Click the InfoBar at the top of the message and then click Download Pictures to display the pictures for this individual message.

Changing the Default

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Security tab.
3. Under Download Pictures, click Change Automatic Download Settings.
4. Clear the Don't download pictures or other content automatically in HTML e-mail check box.

Research Services

With the Microsoft Office System, you can quickly reference information online and on your computer without leaving your Office program. The new Research task pane is available from the Tools menu, Research command or by clicking the button on the toolbar.

Research Services are available in Microsoft Office Excel2003, Microsoft Office PowerPoint2003, Microsoft Office Publisher2003, Microsoft Office Word2003, Microsoft Office Visio2003, Office OneNote2003, and Microsoft Office Outlook2003 (in e-mail reading and composing views only).

The following research services are also available from the Research task pane:

• Dictionary – Look up words or phrases in the Microsoft Encarta English dictionary easily while you work. The Encarta dictionary contains approximately 400,000 entries
• Thesaurus – Look up synonyms while you work and insert them into your document directly.
• Encyclopedia – Research your subject in Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia, which contains more than 42,000 articles.
• Translation – Get translations quickly using bilingual dictionaries on your computer and online, or use machine translation on the Web.
• Stock quotes and company information – Look up stock quotes and company information while you work.

To research a word: Hold down the Alt key on the keyboard and click on the word. The Research Task Pane will open and you can choose by which method you want to research the word.

Create a Message

1. On the File menu, click New, Mail Message or click the New button.
2. Enter recipient names in the To, Cc, and Bcc boxes.
   
   To select recipient names from a list, click To, Cc, or Bcc. Another method to insert recipient names is to type part of the name or the entire name. Pressing the Tab key on the keyboard will then move the cursor to the next box and also verify the name. Another method to verify a name is to click the Check Names button on the toolbar.
3. In the Subject box, type the subject of the message.
4. In the text box, type the message.
5. Click the Send button.

BCC

Bcc is an abbreviation for blind carbon copy. If you add a recipient's name to this box in a message, a copy of the message is sent to that recipient and the recipient's name is not visible to other recipients of the message. If the Bcc box isn't visible when you create a new message, you can add it. In a new message, click the arrow to the right of the Options button, and then click Bcc.

Setting Message Importance

To set a message with high importance, click the red exclamation point on the toolbar.

To set a message with low importance, click the blue arrow on the toolbar.

Information Rights Management

IRM can be used in Office Outlook 2003 to help prevent messages from being forwarded, printed, or copied. This is not yet available on MSU's Exchange server.

Using Message Flags

Flagging a message adds a flag icon to it. You can use the flags to remind yourself to follow up on an issue or to indicate a request for someone else.

1. Click the Message Flag button on the toolbar.
2. In the Flag for Follow Up box, click the flag you want in the Flag to box.
3. Enter a date and time in the Due by boxes.
4. Click OK when finished.

Message Formats

HTML is the default format in Outlook 2003. This format supports text formatting, numbering, bullets, alignment, horizontal lines, pictures (including backgrounds), HTML styles, stationery, and web pages. Since most popular e-mail programs use HTML, it's the recommended format.

Plain Text is a format that all e-mail programs understand; however, it doesn't support bold, italic, colored fonts, or other text formatting. It also doesn't support pictures displayed directly in the message body although you can include them as attachments.

Rich Text (Outlook Rich Text Format) is a Microsoft format that only Outlook can understand.

Message format can be changed per message, if necessary. When sending a message, a drop down box is available enabling you to change the format of your message.

Reply to a Message

1. Select the message you want to reply to.
2. Click the Reply button on the toolbar. Clicking on the Reply to All button will send the message to all of the original recipients of the message except the Bcc recipients.
3. If necessary, enter recipient names in the To, Cc, and/or Bcc boxes.
   To select recipient names from a list, click the To, Cc, or Bcc button.
4. Click the Send button.

Forward messages

1. Select the message you want to forward.
2. Click the Forward button on the toolbar.
3. Enter recipient names in the To, Cc, and/or Bcc boxes.
   To select recipient names from a list, click the To, Cc, or Bcc button.
4. Click the Send button.

Address Books

The Global Address List is the address book that contains all user, group, and distribution list e-mail addresses at MSU. The Exchange server administrator maintains this address book. The Global Address List may also contain public folder e-mail addresses. You cannot add to or modify this address list.

Create a Contact

The Contacts folder is your e-mail address book and information storage for the people and businesses you want to communicate with. Use the Contacts folder to store the e-mail address, street address, multiple phone numbers, and any other information that relates to the contact, such as a birthday or anniversary.

1. In Contacts, click the New button to create a new contact.
2. Type the contacts name.
3. Enter the information you want to include for the contact. Tip: You can quickly create another contact with the same company information. In the current contact, on the Actions menu, click New Contact from Same Company.
4. When finished entering information:
   • Click the Save and Close button to save and close the contact.
   • Click the Save and New button to save the contact and create a new contact.
   • Click the Save button to save the contact.

     

TIP: A contact can also be added from an e-mail that has been received. To add the contact, right click (Ctrl+click on the Mac) on the name and click on Add to Contacts.

Distribution Lists

A distribution list is a collection of contacts. It provides an easy way to send messages to a group of people. You can use distribution lists in messages, task requests, meeting requests, and other distribution lists. You can easily add and delete names in a distribution list, send it to others, and print it.

Distribution lists are identified with and are stored by default in your Contacts folder. The personal distribution lists that you create in your Contacts folder are available only to you, but you can share them by copying and sending them to others.

To create a distribution list:

1. Click the arrow next to the New button on the toolbar and select Distribution List.
   
2. In the new distribution list, type a name for the list.
3. Click the Select Members button to choose member/recipients to be included in the distribution list.
   
4. When finished selecting members, click Save and Close on the toolbar.

New Feature!

You can expand distribution lists and address lists in Outlook 2003.

1. Enter the list name in the To:, Cc:, or Bcc: line.
2. When the list is verified, a plus sign will appear to the left of the list name.
3. 
   Click on the plus sign to expand the list and see the members of the list.

Create a Folder

Folders are created to store, archive and organize items and information in Microsoft Outlook. Within these folders you can store e-mail messages, tasks, appointments, contacts, and notes.

1. On the File menu, point to New, and then click Folder.
2. In the Name box, enter a name for the folder.
3. In the Folder contains box, click the type of items you want the folder to contain.
4. In the Select where to place the folder list, click the location for the folder.
   

To move a message into a folder:

1. Select the message.
2. On the Edit menu, click Move to folder
3. Select a folder from the list and click OK. The message will be removed from the existing folder and placed in the selected folder.
   

Print an item

1. Select or open the item you want to print.
2. Click the Print button on the toolbar.

Delete Messages

1. Select the item you want to delete.
2. Press the Delete button on the keyboard or click the delete button on the toolbar. When you delete, the message has been moved to the Deleted Items box. Make sure that you periodically empty the Deleted Items box. These messages are still taking up space in your mail quota. Tip: By pressing Shift+Delete on the keyboard, the selected message will be permanently deleted rather than moved to the Deleted Items box.

Create a Signature

You can use a signature to automatically add text to the messages you send. For example, you can create a signature that includes your name, job title, and phone number. You can create multiple signatures, and select a signature to insert in a message after you have created the message. These steps are

1. Click the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Format tab. NEW: If you use more than one account, you can set up signatures for each account.
2. Click the Signatures button.
3. To create a new signature click the New button.
4. Enter a name for your signature and choose how to create your signature. For most new signatures start with a blank signature.
5. Click Next.
6. Type the text you want to use for your signature. Formatting can also be applied from this dialog box.
7. Click Finish.
   
8. The newly created signature is displayed in the list. Click OK to complete the steps.
9. Click OK to close the Options dialog box.

Sending File Attachments

1. 
   Create a new message and enter the necessary information (To, Subject, Message).
2. Place the insertion point in the text box of the item and click the Insert File button.
   
3. Choose the file that you want to attach and then click Insert.
4. Click Send.

Creating a Hyperlink in a Message

1. Type the web address (hyperlink).
2. On the keyboard, press Enter or the space bar. This will create a hyperlink in your message. The text will be underlined and a different font color.
3. To test the link, hold Ctrl down on the keyboard and click the link.

NOTE: This also works with e-mail addresses in a message.

Open a Hyperlink in a Message

1. Open the message containing the hyperlink.
2. Click the hyperlink.
3. This will open the browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape) and go to the selected address.