10 Techniques to Dramatically Improve Your Workflow with Outlook Email

Lifehacker [Japan Version] Reprinted from the article published on December 8, 2021

If you're spending a lot of time using Outlook, take a look at your workflow. You can always save time by considering the best use of your software.

Introducing know-how to organize and manage Outlook and save time.

Email organization know-how

Outlook has many built-in email management features. The know-how is to use the following three-part strategy.

-Organize your inbox with action folders

· Define inboxes in color-coded categories

・ Prevent the inbox from being congested with junk mail

1. Create an action folder

Well structured and used Outlook folders are the key to success.

Action folders form the second level of mail. This method works best when the volume of email is medium or lower.

If you've received a lot of email in a particular category, use this method in combination with other tips.

You can create a folder by right-clicking on a folder or account in the sidebar and selecting "New Folder".

You can create folders for clients, topics, and personals so you never miss an email from your boss.

For most folders, you can create three action subfolders: "ToDo", "pending", and "solved".

When new mail arrives in the main folder, reply appropriately and decide which folder to put the received mail in.

The role of each action subfolder

・ ToDo: Communication by this email is ongoing and no immediate action is required.

・ Hold: We have already replied from here and are waiting for a reply from the other party.Or you need to take further action

-Resolved: Communication by this email has been completed.All you have to do is decide whether to delete or archive the email

2. Organize by color by category

Inbox management becomes very easy by color-coding by category separately from folder management.

By using colors, you can easily see what kind of email you have, but let's moderate it. If your inbox is too cluttered, it will be difficult to use.

There is one big problem with color coding. That is not supported by IMAP accounts. In other words, you need to create and use a separate POP3 email account.

Alternatively, create a "Only this computer" folder.

To get started with the color classification system, open the Home tab and find the Tags section. If it is not displayed, tap the small arrow on the far right to expand the "ribbon".

Now go to "Category"-> "All Categories". This will bring up a list of currently active categories. You can now edit the color, name, and keyboard shortcuts for that category.

If color categories are not available

If you have a POP3 account but you can't use the color category, you need to turn on the color category.

Find your email address in the sidebar. Right-click on the account name and select "Data File Properties". At the bottom of the properties panel, you'll see an option called Upgrade to Color Category.

This may take some time, depending on the size of your existing Inbox. But when you're done, you'll have access to all color categories.

If you're having trouble setting color categories using your IMAP account, you can also use an automatic formatting system.

3. Raise the level of junk mail filter

Thankfully, Outlook has its own spam filter.

However, not all obvious debris coming into your inbox can be caught. Disposing of such trash literally takes a few minutes of your life.

By default, Junk E-mail Filter is turned on, but it is set to Low. You can increase the effect by increasing this.

To change the level of anti-spam, check the Delete Options on the Home tab.

From "Junk E-mail", select "Junk E-mail Options". You can now select the level of the filter in your inbox. If desired, it can be set for each account.

More advanced "junk mail" measures

In Outlook, it has been pointed out that there is a risk if you set the junk mail filter to "high". This filter can move regular emails to "spam", so check your "spam" regularly.

If moving to junk mail isn't enough, you have another option.

You can check the "Delete suspicious junk e-mails altogether instead of navigating to the junk e-mail folder" checkbox.

If you enable this option when the filter level is "High", you will not be able to recover legitimate email if it is flagged as junk email.

Know-how for mastering email

Email replies are often delayed. However, if you use features and techniques that are not surprisingly known, you will not accumulate emails.

Use the following three-part strategy to avoid being swayed by unread emails.

-Send an email to the action folder using "rules"

・ Follow-up "flag" to clarify the priority

-Schedule to automatically send emails whose sending time is important

4. Automate using Outlook "rules"

"Rules" are important to keep emails flowing from your inbox to your Actions folder. "Rules" can be found in the "Move" section of the Outlook 365 Home tab.

"Rules" are the rules for sorting emails.

Outlook runs this rule regularly while the program is open. For example, you can set "If the sender is grandma, put it in the family folder".

Create a sorting rule

Right-click on the email and browse to "Rules" or select "Rules" from the "Move" section of the "Home" tab.

If you want to regularly move email from a particular address to a particular folder, there is a quick option.

You can select "Always move to" and select the appropriate folder.

If you have multiple criteria for filtering email, select Create Rule. If you need more options, select Advanced Options.

"Rules" also free you from annoying email chains. If you work for a large organization, you may get caught up in a long email chain, even if it's a subject that doesn't relate to you.

To reject annoying group messages, open Advanced Options, check "My name in the CC box" and select "Next".

Then you can choose to move to a specific folder or mark it as read. But there are other options.

There are various actions that can be set when the "rule" is activated. You can set various rules such as adding categories, flagging messages, forwarding, sending automatic replies, and more.

Five.Flag and follow up

The flag acts as a system of high priority. When you receive an email, you can prioritize it so that it is added to a dynamic to-do list that you can manage as you work.

To set the flag, click Follow Up in the Tags section of the Home tab.

The priority ranges from "Today" to "No Date", and there is also a "Custom Flag" option that allows you to select a date. You can also set to receive notifications at the time specified in "Add Reminder".

Flagged emails, tasks, appointments, and meetings appear in your to-do list.

The "To-Do List" is displayed in "Calendar" and "Contacts" in the sidebar. You can also move the cursor to see the quick view.

You can organize your to-do list by priority and schedule, as well as complete and adjust items from here.

6. Send an email later using the scheduler

The scheduler is also a great feature. You can send the created email at a later specified time.

This is very useful when the timing of sending an email is important, such as when you are sick or busy. Conversely, if you send an email too early, check out the article on how to unsend an email in Outlook.

Write an email, switch to the Options tab and click Delay Sending.

In "Send Options", check "Do not send before XX" and enter the details. You can choose not only the date, time and priority, but also what to do with the reply. Click Close when you are done.

By the way, if you are using an Exchange server, you can quit Outlook first, but if you are using an IMAP or POP3 account, you need to start Outlook until the scheduled email sending time. there is.

Email efficiency know-how

With good organization and automated email management, you're already mastering your inbox. However, with one last twist, you can save time and effort in your work.

・ Focus the time to reply to emails at the scheduled time

-Save frequently used search items in the "Search folder"

-Use "quick parts" to generate the contents of the email

-Create a "backup" of your Outlook data.

7. Set the time to manage emails

Choose some time during the day to respond to emails. For example, in the morning or before finishing work. This can reduce the time it takes to analyze when, to whom and what should be replied first.

First, open the "To Do" view. Then click the "New Item" dropdown and select "Appointment". Set your favorite time so that it repeats every weekday.

Create one event like the one above for each time you set to check your email.

Separating email time is similar to the batch file process. Process it all at once so that you don't have any leftovers.

Also, when it's time to process mail, batch process again and manage your inbox.

8. Create a search folder

If you're always typing the same word using the Outlook search bar, why not create a "search folder"? It will automatically search and put the results in a folder, so all you have to do is check it.

Open the "Folders" tab and select "New Search Folder". This will bring up the "New Search Folder" criteria panel.

Outlook templates are sorted for regular searches, such as flagged emails or emails from specific people.

If you want more control, there are many options in "Custom Search Folders".

You can completely customize the criteria. Criteria are like "rules" that specifically classify items into new search folders.

9. Set up quick parts

If you often type the same thing in Outlook, this will free you from the daunting repetition.

"Quick Parts" can be used for any plain text item, such as automatically completing long names or adding quick lists.

First, click "New Email" on the "Home" tab to open the email composition software.

To save your favorite phrases as quick parts, highlight the text you want to add, switch to the Insert tab, and go to Quick Parts> Save Your Selections in the Quick Parts Gallery.

Later, when you start typing that phrase, it will pop up as a candidate for auto-completion. You can also add custom folders to organize your quick parts even more.

10. Make a backup

Outlook contains more data than you think.

Your account may contain a number of important emails.

I'm trying to back it up to a safe place, but I think it's not quite possible. Let's do it now.

Exporting is easy in Outlook.

From the account you want to back up, go to "File"-> "Open and Export"-> "Import / Export" and select "Export to File".

Next, select "Outlook Data File (.pst)".

Then select the folder you want to back up. You can also back up the entire root of your mail directory.

Finally, select where you want to save the backup. If you want to back up only a specific part of your account, use the advanced options. Select Overwrite Duplicates to keep the old backup.

If you already have a separate backup, it is useful to know how to merge Outlook PST files.

summary

The best thing to do is to do all of the above. Of course, the method may change depending on the needs of the person.

However, managing and maintaining your inbox in an efficient and stress-free way can help you spend the day without distractions.

Original Article: The 10 Best Practices for Outlook to Boost Your Workflow by MakeUseOf