A tutorial on MS Outlook - your trusted personal manager

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A tutorial on MS Outlook - your trusted personal manager
In Microsoft Office suite of applications, MS Outlook has many great features that makes it your trusted personal manager. It does all the job of a personal assistant and more. But many do not use MS Outlook effectively. Many people think that it is just an Email Client. MS Outlook is not just an Email client but it is a Personal Information Manager (PIM). In this article let us see the main features in MS Outlook so that you can start using MS Outlook effectively.

Features in MS Outlook

Of course the main feature of MS Outlook is to send and receive emails.

You can use the Outlook 'calendar' to record all your appointments and set reminders.

You can use Outlook 'Contacts' to store your contacts addresses, phone numbers emails etc.

You can list your tasks and monitor them so that you don't forget your 'to do' lists.

Outlook Journal is used to integrate your emails and other documents.

Outlook Notes, is used to note down your short notes and short news.
These basic features such as Email, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Journal and Notes are the core of MS Outlook application.

Tips for Effective Use of Outlook

To assign a task to someone using MS Outlook

If you think that a particular person can handle a particular task well then you can assign the job to him and Outlook will automatically email this task to that person.

You can also ask Outlook to monitor the status of the task. And Outlook will inform you of this status.

If the task is completed, Outlook will alert you of the status.
To conduct polls using Outlook

If you have a doubt about something why don't you hold a poll and ask people to vote to find a popular answer.

In outlook there is a Polling feature. Instead of polling machine, emails will be used thats all. Select 'Use Voting buttons' in the email and give your message and an agree and disagree button or an 'Yes' and 'No' button. Then send this email to everybody. When they reply with the answer, outlook will consolidate this answers from everybody and will tell you the final result.


To confirm meetings using MS Outlook

Outlook has a wonderful, 'Meeting Requests' feature. Let us assume that someone wants to meet you. To check whether you are available on that specific day and specific time he can check your calendar and see your appointments. If you are free then he can send you a 'Meeting request'.

If you agree to his request then you can accept his meeting request. Then Outlook will update both your calendars and show as 'Busy' on that day and time. And Outlook will inform the sender that you have accepted his meeting request. Even if you reject his meeting request outlook will inform him.

Outlook will also arrange for both of you to meet using 'Net Meeting'. Outlook will remind you of this appointment so that you don't forget.


To send automatic reply using Outlook

Assume that you are going on a long leave. If someone sends email to you during this time you will not read these emails. The senders may misunderstand that you have not replied.

You can use 'Auto Respond' feature to solve this problem. Just inform outlook the starting date and ending date of your leave and the message that you want to send as a reply. Now Outlook will automatically respond to all emails with this message.