|
Academic
|
Microsoft Outlook Express Tips and Tricks
Maximizing Your Desktop View Screen:
The first tip is to maximize
your desktop view screen and organize your workspace to make it easier to use. From the Layout page select the following: Outlook
Bar, Folder List, and Folder Bar. This
provides additional options to compose and edit email more quickly.
Steps: View > Layout.
Check All Of Your Email Accounts Simultaneously:
This allows you to select which email accounts you can access remotely with Outlook
Express. From this screen select Add to add a
new email account or newsgroup account. Once
an account is set up in this screen, it can be accessed with Outlook Express. Multiple email accounts can be accessed at the
same time once they are included in this screen.
Steps: Tools > Accounts.
Using Inbox
Assistant/Screening and Organizing Incoming Files:
This feature allows you to organize and filter incoming emails. To set up a new set of rules or protocols, in this
screen select Add. This will allow a new rule
to be entered. You can set up rules to apply
to all incoming messages or to specific ones from a certain user or account type. You can also place a size stipulation on incoming
emails as well as save certain messages from certain email addresses to different
folders.
Steps: Tools > Inbox Assistant.
Newsgroups:
This allows a user to add newsgroups as they would new email accounts. This
option is accessed in a similar manner as screening email messages as outlined above.
Filters can be added to incoming news messages.
Steps: Tools > Accounts > Add.
Newsgroup Filters:
This will allow you to organize and filter incoming newsgroup messages. To set up a new set of rules or protocols, in this
screen select Add. This allows a new rule to
be entered. You can set up rules to apply to
all incoming newsgroup messages or to specific ones from a certain user or account type. You can also place a size stipulation on incoming
messages as well as save certain messages from certain user to different folders.
Steps: Tools > Newsgroup Filters >
Add.
Signature Files:
This option allows a user to set up and use a signature file. A signature file is attached to the end of an
email message and provides information to the recipient about the sender such as contact
information.
Steps: Tools > Stationary > Signature File.
Email backgrounds:
Backgrounds are an excellent way to personalize your email. Backgrounds can be event specific as in the case
with the Happy Birthday and Congratulations backgrounds.
Steps: Tools > Stationary > Select
Stationary from List.
Prioritize Sent Email:
This allows the person composing the email to set a priority level for the message and
helps the person on the receiving end of the message to ascertain the importance of the
email.
Steps: Tools > Email
Priority
Viewing Email Priority:
Email priority is automatic. When another user sends you an email the priority
of the message sent to you is displayed.
Steps: Automatically displayed
Automatic Spell Checking:
Outlook Express can check the spelling of all email messages before they are sent. You can select the spelling options to provide
possible corrections for spelling mistakes.
Steps: Tools >
Options > Spelling.
Spelling and Gammar:
Another option to ensure
correct email is to compose the message in Microsoft Word and then perform the Spelling
and Grammar check in that program under Tools > Spelling/Grammar Check. After the message has been checked, cut and paste
it into the Outlook Express.
Addressbook:
Your address book is the most useful part of Outlook Express. The address book is where email addresses are
stored. This is basically a rolodex of email
addresses. There is also an option for group
sending of emails to more than one recipient.
Steps: Address book
> New Address.
Blocking:
Use this feature to block unwanted mail.
Steps: Message > Block Sender.
Special thanks to Karl Shamstrom, USC Honors Program for the information on this site.