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Additional Email Features

Changing Email Views

There are different ways to view email in Outlook.  To change where you preview your email, click on VIEW to READING VIEW and then choose either RIGHT, BOTTOM, or OFF.

preview

There is also a preview view that will allow Outlook users to view a segment of the email in their Inbox.  To turn on AutoPreview, click on VIEW to AUTOPREVIEW.

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Configuring Junk Mail

By default, this filter is set to a low setting designed to catch the most obvious junk e-mail messages. Messages caught by the filter are moved to a special Junk E-mail folder, where you can access them later. If you want, you can make the filter more aggressive (perhaps mistakenly catching more legitimate messages), or even set Outlook 2003 to permanently delete junk e-mail messages as they come in. To change junk e-mail settings in Outlook 2003:

  1. On the TOOLS menu, select OPTIONS.
  2. In the Options dialog box, in the E-mail section, click Junk E-mail.
  3. Choose the level of junk e-mail message protection you want. Click OK.

junk_mail

For more information about the junk mail feature in Outlook, please visit Microsoft's Junk Mail web page.

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Understanding AutoArchive

Your Microsoft Outlook mailbox grows as items are created in the same way that papers pile up on your desk. In the paper-based world, you can occasionally shuffle through your documents and store those that are important but that are rarely used. You can discard documents that are less important, such as newspapers and magazines, based on their age.

You can quickly complete the same process in Microsoft Office Outlook 2003. You can manually transfer old items to a storage file by clicking Archive on the File menu, or you can have old items automatically transferred by using the AutoArchive feature. Items are considered old when they reach the age that you specify. With the AutoArchive feature, you can either delete or move old items. Outlook 2003 can archive all kinds of items, but it can only locate files that are stored in an e-mail folder, such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a Microsoft Word document, that is attached to an e-mail message. A file that is not stored in an e-mail folder cannot be archived.

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Creating an AutoReply

  1. Log into http://email.law.harvard.edu.
  2. On the left Navigation bar click OPTIONS. Result: This will open a page of options.
  3. Under "Out of Office Assistant" click the radio button next to "I am currently out of the office".
  4. Type your out of office reply under "Autoreply only once to each sender with the following text:".
  5. Click SAVE AND CLOSE at the top of the page. Result: Your out of office notice will be created. NOTE: To turn off your out of office message, remember to visit this page and select "I am currently in the office".

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Using Mail Forwarding / Creating a Redirect

Mail forwarding is ideal for faculty or staff who wish to have email directed to another email account. If you would like to have your mail forwarded to another email account, please contact the Faculty-Staff Help Desk. Please let the help desk know what account you would like you email forwarded to and also if you would like to leave a copy of your mail on the HLS server. If you leave a copy of mail on the HLS server, you need to monitor this account so it does not go over the 250MB quota. To manage your email via the web email client, please visit https://email.law.harvard.edu.

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Understanding the Favorites Folder

In Outlook 2003 there is a part of the Navigation Pane called "Favorite Folders". This is a section that is designed to give you quick access to all of the folders you use most often. By default, this list contains the Inbox, Sent Items, and two search folders (Unread Mail and For Follow Up). You can also add folders to this list by right-clicking on the folder and select Add to Favorite Folders. Folders in the Favorite Folders list are copies; the original folder remains in its default position.

favorites

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Adding a Signature

An Outlook email Signature is a block of text that you use to identify yourself, and often includes contact information. Some individuals include favorite quotes or sayings in their signature to reflect their personality. In Outlook you can also have multiple Signatures.

To create a signature:

  1. From the TOOLS menu, select OPTIONS. Result: The Options dialog box appears.
  2. Select the "Mail Format" tab.
  3. In the Signatures section of the dialog box, click SIGNATURES. Result: The Create Signature dialog box appears.
  4. To create a new Signature, click NEW. Result: The "Create New Signature" dialog box appears.

signature

  1. In the "Enter a name for your new signature text" box, type a short descriptive name for the Signature such as Work or Business.
  2. Under "Choose how to create your signature", select START WITH A BLANK SIGNATURE.
  3. Click NEXT. Result: The Signature Text box will appear.
  4. In the Signature text section, type your signature (include spaces and returns as appropriate). Use FONT if you want to change the size, color, or font of your text.
  5. Click FINISH. Result: This will return you to the "Create Signature" dialog box.
  6. Click OK. Result: This will return you to the Options dialog box. NOTE: From here you should select which signature (if any) you wish to have as a default.
  7. Click OK. Result: Your signature will now be set.

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Searching in Outlook

Basic Find: At the top of the main Outlook view is a “Look For” box. Next to the  “Look For” box is the “Search In” box.  Type what you are looking for in the “Look For” box and then choose the folder you want to search in the “Search In” box. Then click FIND. Note: If the Find box is not available, click on TOOLS to FIND to FIND.

Advanced Find: For more advanced find features, click on TOOLS to FIND to ADVANCED FIND. Add your criteria and then click FIND NOW.

find_box

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Changing your Mail Format

  1. Click on TOOLS to OPTIONS. Result: This will open the “Options” dialog box.
  2. Click on the MAIL FORMAT tab. Result: This will display all mail format options.
  3. Next to “Compose in this message format” choose either HTML, PLAIN TEXT, or RICH TEXT.  Result: This will be your default message format.

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Adding a Stationary

Outlook enables its users to select different stationery. Note: Stationery may not appear in all email programs.

To select a stationary:

  1. Click on TOOLS to OPTIONS. Result: This will open the “Options” dialog box.
  2. Under “Stationary and fonts” click STATIONARY PICKER. Result: This will list and preview all Outlook stationary options.
  3. Select which stationary you prefer and then click OK. Result: Your stationary will be applied to all outgoing messages.

stationery

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Understanding Outlook Address Books

In Outlook, you will have two address books: a personal address book and a global address book.

Your personal address book is populated when you add a contact into Outlook. 

Your global address book will populate as more and more people at HLS switch to Microsoft Exchange.  The goal of the global address book is to provide you with a central, convenient location to find the email addresses of other HLS individuals.

To use your address books:

  1. Open a new email message.
  2. Click TO. Result: This will open your Outlook address books.

to

  1. By default, the global address book will appear.  To change to your personal address book, click the down arrow next to “Show name from the” and select CONTACTS.

address_book

  1. Select to whom you wish to send an email to by clicking TO, CC, or BCC.
  2. Click OK.  Result: Your email will be addressed to these individuals.

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