Back to basic with Outlook Express

 

Outlook Express

  Probably the greatest advantage of the Internet is e-mail, and this Masterclass tutorial will show you how to set up Outlook Express and utilise the folders to organise the mail.

Part 1: Understanding Outlook
Outlook is a software package that comes with Windows and allows you to manage your e-mail, from what ever ISP you use and manage the e-mails from one place.
  • You will have an Outlook Express icon on your desktop. Double click on it to open the program
  • To the left of the screen is a series of folders
  • Click on the '+' to open up the 'Local Folders'



The 'Local Folders' are those that are on your computer, not at the Internet Service Provider's (ISP) server. The local folders are Inbox, Outbox, Sent, Deleted and Drafts. When you type and e-mail up it will remain in the Outbox until you dial up to the ISP. The system will then automatically send the mails. The Drafts folder is a good place to store unfinished messages.

Once you have got yourself up and running on e-mail you will receive lots of junk mail, so it is a good idea to get your folders organised so that your system is not clogged up with junk ads.

Toppers tip: Organise your mail into folders

Part 2: Setting up addresses and views
It is easy to set up files in your Outlook Express system and a good way of managing your mails.

  • Click on the 'Inbox' to open it
  • Now select the 'File' menu and from here select 'New'
  • From the pop out menu select 'New Folder'
  • Name the folder



The new folder is now a sub folder of the 'Inbox,' to make your new folder one of the main folders:

  • Click on the folder
  • Drag the folder up to 'Local Folders'



With a number of folders set up for different purposes you can now drag messages from your 'Inbox' into the folders, this way you can keep your 'inbox' fairly empty and well managed.

    • Within Outlook Express you can change the views of the window.
    • Click on the bars to move them, you can increase or decrease the size of different panels
    • Alternatively go to the 'View' menu and select 'Layout'
    • From the dialogue box, tick the options that you would like
    • Click on 'Apply' and then 'OK'


  • To add a new contact to your address book is an electronic version of filling in a Filofax.
      • Click on the 'Addresses' button
      • From the new box select the 'New' menu
      • Select 'New Contact' from the options
      • In the dialogue box fill in the details, press 'Tab' to move across to each new box
      • Once all the details are there press 'Add' and then 'OK'


  • Toppers tip: Send documents directly from the file

    Part 3: Sending an e-mail
    The 'Addresses' file in Outlook Express is a handy part of the package as you can add lots of other information to it such as postal addresses and then import this information to other programs for mail merges for example.
    To send an e-mail:
      • Click on 'New Mail'
      • In the 'To' window begin typing in the details
      • Outlook Express will begin to second guess who you are sending a mail to
      • Once it has found the person press 'Return'
      • If you want to send a copy to anybody, key the details into the 'CC' window
      • Add a description of what the e-mail is about in the 'Subject' window
      • Key in the message


  • It is important to give some good detail in the 'Subject' window so that you can remember the subject matter and the recipient knows what the e-mail is about. E-mails can also be formatted or sent as HTML and formatting them is as easy as typing in Word and you have the same formatting tools. Another advantage of e-mail is that you can add other files as attachments, this is really handy if you are sending pictures or other files.
      • Click on the 'Attach' button
      • From the dialogue box click on the file you wish to attach
      • Click on the 'Attach' button
      • You will see the attachment on the e-mail


  • If you are unsure about the address of the person you are sending an e-mail to, use the 'Check' button, if the correct details are in your system it will under line their name. If at any time you want to check a person's details, right mouse click on their name and then select 'Properties'

    Toppers tip: Customise your layout pain with 'View'
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