Nowadays, it’s assumed that everyone “knows how to use Microsoft Outlook,” and hardly anyone ever takes the time to share basic tips and tricks that can help you in your workspace. 

 If you use Outlook, you are aware of how difficult it can be to do basic tasks such as managing your inbox, identify emails, schedule meetings, and keeping up with your calendar. This article will break down some basic Microsoft tips and tricks to help you better utilize the platform. 

1. Categorize your emails with labels 

Emails can be easily categorized using labels for simple searches. I use them so I can immediately identify the email’s importance level by getting a quick glance of who the email is from. Keep it simple; that’s the key. Limit the number of labels you make to a reasonable number. Heres how you can categorize your emails with labels in Outlook:

1. Click the caret next to the Categorize symbol to create a category label.

2. Choose “New category.”

3. Click Save after naming your category and selecting the color of the labels.

2. Draft emails faster with My Templates in Outlook 

It makes sense that you would try to streamline your work if a significant portion of your duties involved responding to repetitive emails. Using a Microsoft Outlook template to reply can be a terrific substitute for writing emails from scratch. Here’s how to create a message template:

1. Click New email under the Home tab.

2. Within the email ribbon, select Message.

3. Click My Templates after selecting the More options button (which resembles an ellipsis) from the Message toolbar.

4. Click + Template in the My Templates pane.

5. Give your templated response a title, and then draft the message in the composition box.

6. Click Save.

3. Use Auto-Reply when you’re out of the office

 Outlook has an automatic reply feature for when you’re not at work. Your contacts can choose to wait till you’re in the office or get in touch with someone else by using Auto-Reply to let them know you’re not accessible. Follow these steps to configure an auto-reply for your Outlook.com account: 

1. Click Automatic Replies under File.

2. Select Send automatic replies from the Automatic Replies box.

3. Write the response you want to send to teammates or coworkers when you are away from the office on the Inside My Organization tab.

4. To save your settings, click OK.

4. View the calendar and inbox side by side   

The inbox and the Calendar are two features of Outlook that many users utilize regularly in their day-to-day tasks. In Microsoft Outlook, you can view the inbox and calendar folders simultaneously by opening them side by side. Heres how you can view your calendar and indox at the same time in Outlook:  

 1. On the Navigation Pane, right-click any of the side buttons.

2. Choose “Open in New Window”

3. Following that, move that window to your second monitor.

Summary 

The tips and recommendations in this article are just the beginning of what you can do with Microsoft Outlook. Mastering the various tools and features that Microsoft Outlook has to offer can help you in so many different ways in any work environment.

Hopefully this article has taught you some useful tips and tricks that can help you navigate and better utilize Microsoft Outlook.