User Profile

An Outlook user profile is a set of email accounts, i books, and other features you use in Outlook. The set is stored in one Outlook data file, Outlook.pst by default.

For example, your profile might include an Internet email account, an Exchange Server account, a set of personal folders, and settings determining how Outlook behaves at startup and in operation.

When you use Outlook for the first time, the Startup Wizard will help you create a profile. If you do not add any email accounts, it automatically creates a profile called Outlook. If you do add an email account during the first run, Outlook names the profile after it. From that point forward, each time you start Outlook, this profile is loaded.

Later on you can modify the default profile, or add one or more new profiles. Most Outlook users require only a single profile. However, in some situations it is convenient to have more than one profile. For example, you can maintain one profile for personal matters and another profile for your professional life. Or family members could be using the same computer. In such cases, it makes sense to use multiple profiles. Also, only one Microsoft Exchange Server account can be associated with each profile, so if you have many such accounts, you will need as many profiles.

Email Account

You can have an email account with an Internet Service Provider (ISP), with a Microsoft Exchange Server, or with both.

• Outlook 2003 supports three types of Internet email accounts: POP3 (most common), IMAP, and HTTP (webmail).
• An Exchange Server is used in an organization for internal and external correspondence.

Most people use one or two email accounts, but Outlook allows you to maintain many email accounts of the same or different types simultaneously.

The first email account is usually configured during the installation of Outlook. More accounts can be added later.

Although Outlook may be installed without an email account, it doesn't make much sense. So, before starting the installation you should have ready all the account data, such as user name, etc. See Prepare to add an account for details.

Hint. Usually you can open more than one email account with your ISP. Open an additional account or two for practice - you can send emails between them and try different Outlook features and settings.

Setting up your email

Here's a few suggestions on setting up your Outlook email system:

• Before setting up your first email account at the time of Outlook installation, or before adding an account, prepare required data, see Email accounts.

After a while you may want to:

• Set up your anti-spam (junk email) defenses.

As you get more experience using your email system, you can:

• Create mail folders with sorting rules.
• Set up Search folders.
• Configure Send/Receive settings.

And you can always change, remove, or add any features to optimize the whole thing.

Preparing to add an account

The information usually supplied to you by your ISP or system administrator is:

• Type of account (Exchange Server, POP3, IMAP, HTTP, or other).
• Name of your incoming server and outgoing server.
  Sometimes the same server is used for both incoming and outgoing messages, as with Microsoft Exchange Server.
  For POP3 and IMAP accounts, SMTP server is used for outgoing, and POP3 or IMAP for incoming messages.
• Your email address, for example: someone@example.com. Email i is often used as user name.
• User name.
• Password.

Examples are in Add an email account.

Create a Send/Receive group

During installation Outlook creates one default group All Accounts that performs the basic Send/Receive operation.

To create a custom Send/Receive operation, you need to create a group for that operation, select its settings, and include one or more email accounts in the group.

For example, you may want to download messages (Receive) from one of your accounts manually without sending any messages waiting in the Outbox. If you do it often enough, you would need a shortcut triggering the operation.

The example in Create a group shows how to make it.

When created, a group has its own shortcut in the Send/Receive menu, so you can click the shortcut and have the custom operation performed.

Send/Receive options

The default Send/Receive operation: click the Send/Receive button to send all composed messages, and to receive all mail for all accounts.

You can use the down arrow next to the Send/Receive button to access a few basic options of the operation, see Reference > Mail view > Send/Receive button for details.

You can set each of your accounts to manual or automatic operation with an optimal schedule.

Finally, you can have even more control over Send/Receive events by creating Send/Receive Groups (one email account may be included in many groups, and a group may include one or more accounts).

There are many combinations of Send/Receive settings. A few typical examples here will give you an idea of how to harness the send/receive process.

Junk mail

Anti-spam defenses may seem intimidating at first, but (a) with our clear instructions you should be able to set them up rather easily, and (b) it is worth it, considering the headaches from too much spam.

Outlook offers several means of managing junk email:

• Junk Email Filter
• Automatic keyword filtering
• Manual processing, or reviewing, of (a) mail folders to remove junk messages, and (b) the Junk Email folder to restore legitimate email messages to proper mail folders.

Junk mail, identified by Junk Email Filter, custom rules, or manually, is moved to the Junk Email folder. When it is deleted in the folder, it is not destroyed but moved on to the Deleted Items folder.

Only when the Deleted Items folder is "emptied", the messages become unrecoverable. It lets you look through the messages again before deleting them entirely.

Custom Folders

In Outlook you can create folders to store related messages in one place. For example, you can create a folder for each project you are working on, or a separate folder for each important contact, and so forth.

To arrange folders in hierarchies, you can create folders within folders, or drag-and-drop folders into folders.

You can move messages to the folders manually: drag-and-drop, or right-click the message, choose Move to folder, and then select the destination folder in the popup dialog.

Or you can have Outlook move them for you automatically to folders by creating rules, see Creating a message rule.

Search Folders

Search Folders are a new feature in Outlook 2003. Each folder is assigned a search formula and shows messages found by that search in the Inbox and all other mail folders. It's like a cross between a folder and the Find feature. Even though the messages appear in the search folder, they are actually located in their respective folders.

Each message in your mailbox is stored in only one Outlook folder (such as your Inbox), but it may appear in many Search Folders.

By default, Outlook 2003 includes three Search Folders: The For Follow Up folder displays messages flagged for follow-up, the Large Messages folder displays messages larger than 100 kilobytes, and the Unread Mail folder displays messages that are marked as unread.

You can customize the default folders, or create new folders to serve your needs.

Why use Search Folders? It's a quick and convenient way to view your data. To open a Search Folder, just click on it.

Junk Email Filter

The Junk Email Filter has two parts: (a) an automatic feature that sorts out junk by evaluating all incoming mail, based on its structure and content, and (b) three junk email Filter Lists: Safe Senders List, Safe Recipients List, and Blocked Senders List.

The Junk Email Filter is on by default, with the protection level set to Low. It identifies the most obvious junk email messages and moves them to the Junk Email folder.

You can set higher levels of protection.

Keyword filtering

Outlook allows you to set up keyword filters that identify messages containing a certain keyword or a combination of keywords, and move those messages to preset folders. Such filters may be used to catch junk and send it to the Junk Email folder.

The best use of this feature is to apply it in cases when a pest of a spammer is flooding you with messages containing easily identifiable words, for example, pain relief, sexual health, and the like. In an attempt to overcome this, the ever craftier spammers bypass keyword filters by distorting words, ex. Viaggrra.

In more complicated cases keyword filtering may get inefficient and require a lot of manual reviewing.

Reviewing folders

However sophisticated the filters, the final word is human. Depending on the volume and importance of your email, review your Junk Email folder more or less frequently. When you encounter a legitimate message, you can:

• drag-and-drop it to the appropriate folder;
• right-click on it and move it to the appropriate folder;
• click on it, open the Junk Email Filter, add the sender to the  Safe Senders List, or  in some other way secure subsequent messages of this type from being sent to the Junk Email folder.

When reviewing your Inbox or other mail folders, you are likely to run into a junk message. You can delete it, or mark it as junk in either way:

• right-click on the message and click Junk Mail > Add Sender to Blocked Senders List.
  Note. It may be futile because spammers now rarely use the same i many times, so adding all one-shot addresses to the Blocked Senders List would only bloat your data file.
• right-click on the message and click Create Rule to create a keyword filter. See Keyword filtering.

Anti-spam defenses

Initial actions:

• Set up the Junk Email Filter and keyword filters, if any.

Ongoing activity:

• Review the Junk Email folder periodically.
• Process junk messages in the Inbox and other mail folders, reconfigure the Junk Email Filter, and add/remove keyword filters.

Creating a message rule

A message rule defines one or more conditions and tell Outlook what to do with a received or sent message if the message meets the defined conditions.

For example, you can create a rule that tells Outlook to move all messages from a specific sender into a specified folder.

Or you can order Outlook to move messages with specific words in the subject, in the message body, or in other fields, to different pre-defined folders, rather than leaving them in your default Inbox.

Although creating rules in Outlook is not very intuitive, you can get all the basic information you need from reading the screens of the Rules Wizard.

POP3

Short for Post Office Protocol, a protocol used to retrieve e-mail from a mail server.

Most email clients, such as MS Outlook or Eudora, use the POP protocol.

With a POP3 account, you connect to an email server, and download your messages to your local computer.

But before you can connect to the email server, your email client needs to be properly configured.

Composing and sending email

To compose and send an email message, you need to open the New message form, fill it out, and click the Send button.

You can use either Outlook or Microsoft Office Word 2003 as your email editor. To choose between them, go to Tools > Options > Mail Format.

You can open the New message form in any Outlook view.

Optionally, you can attach one or more files of any type to your email.

Note. It is easy to attach a file. But one should be careful with attachments - they are the primary source of viruses and other malicious interventions. Most email users are rightfully suspicious of attachments.

Fill out New message form

The basic procedure is simple, though every step may have variations.

- Specify the recipient's email address

- Enter the subject of the message

- Type the message

- Check the spelling (optional)

- Click the Send button

In addition, you may use special methods of delivery:

- Send a Carbon Copy (Cc) of the message to someone

- Send a Blind Carbon Copy (Bcc) of the message to someone

   Note. When you send "Carbon Copies" to a group of recipients, every one of them sees the whole list. The list of recipients in "Blind Carbon Copies" is invisible.

Standard signature

A signature is a predefined block of text that can be inserted, manually or automatically, at the end of your messages.

Signatures can include any text you like. Typically, it is your name, title, and company name.

Signatures can be formatted in the same ways that message text can be formatted. If you use HTML as the message format, signatures can include both text and graphics. In Plain Text, graphics are removed.

You can create a unique signature for each email account. When you send a message using an account, Outlook appends that account’s signature to the outgoing message. You can create multiple signatures for different uses, such as formal business e-mail, casual business email, and personal email.

HTML message format

The default format of messages in Outlook is HTML. This format supports text formatting, such as bold, italic, colored fonts, numbering, bullets, alignment, pictures, HTML styles, stationery, signatures, and other capabilities.

On the downside, the HTML format has certain security risks when receiving unsolicited email.

When you send an HTML message to others whose mail program doesn't understand HTML, their mail program automatically displays a plain text version of your message.

Alternatively, you might prefer to use plain text format to reduce security risks or to process your email faster.

Attaching files

You can attach most types of files to email messages: text files, image files, mp3 files, and so forth.

Files of all types are attached in the same way. Examples here show how to attach files and how to remove attachments.

Sending the message

Sending a message to one recipient: fill out the new message form as described in this section, and click the Send button.

If you want to send a message to a group of people, you can enter the recipients in the To: box, or put one of them in the To: box, and the rest in the Cc: or Bcc: box.

Note. Recipients must be separated by a semicolon.

When the group is large and you send them messages from time to time, a better solution is to create a distribution list and re-use it.

Occasionally, you may be interrupted while composing a message, or you might want to finish it later, then you can save the message in the Drafts folder.

Receiving email

After you've added at least one email account to Outlook, it starts checking automatically for new mail every 10 minutes. By default, Outlook downloads email from your mail server(s) to your computer.

New email messages appear in the Inbox.

You can change the Outlook settings and check for new mail manually, or at a different interval.

You can also change how Outlook downloads email messages. For instance, it can download only message headers instead of complete messages.

Viewing email

Single email message

By default, new messages are stored in the Inbox. Click Inbox to view the list of messages, then you can view individual messages.

Double-click a message to open it in its own window.

If the Reading Pane is on, you can click a message and read its entire contents in the pane.

Another option is to use the AutoPreview feature, which shows the first few lines of your listed emails.

Copies of messages you send are kept in the Sent Items folder. Open the folder to see the messages.

List of email messages

Each Outlook folder has a default view. It is one of several standard views available for that folder. You can also create custom views.

A view is a way of looking at information items in a folder. There are many settings defining views. The main are sorting, grouping, filtering, controlling the amount of detail displayed, or combining criteria to arrange items in very specific views.

Opening an attachment:

Just double-click it.

Sorting message lists

Normally, Outlook displays for messages such columns as From, Subject, Received, Size, Flag, Attachment, and Importance.

You can sort messages by clicking column headers and choosing options from popup menus or, with some headers, change the order of messages. 

For example, to view messages sorted alphabetically by sender, click the column header of the From column. To sort messages by date received, click the column header of the Received column.

In addition, you can group messages using the popup menus. For example, you can group messages based on sender, and then on date received, and even more criteria.

Filtering Messages

By filtering messages you can display only those messages that meet some criteria, which you define by Filters options. When all the options you selected are applied, you'll have a custom view displaying only the messages you need.

If you like this powerful feature, explore it - this example only nudges you in the right direction.

Finding messages

You can search for messages using Outlook’s Find or Advanced Find features, depending on the complexity of the task.

Simple Find can be better targeted by specifying folders for searching.

Advanced Find allows you to search through the text of every message or only the Subject field, and so forth.

In most cases simple Find will do the job.

Archiving

Archiving in Outlook is moving old data to a file that is separate from the main data file. As a result, the main data file remains relatively small and more efficient, while archived data is accessible in an additional file, named Archive.pst by default.

Backup

Backup is copying information to a safe storage device, which allows you to recover information in the case of data loss.

There are two scenarios:

If you use a Microsoft Exchange Server mailbox, Outlook stores all your data on the server. The network administrator is generally responsible for backing up the server.

If you don’t use Exchange Server, Outlook stores your current data in an Outlook storage file (the file is Outlook.pst by default) on your computer. The PST file contains all the data: email, contacts, tasks, etc. You are generally responsible for backing up your data.

Notes.
•  There are ways to backup your data on your computer even if you use Exchange Server.
•  Archive files are separate from data files. Users who archive their messages should also back up these archive files.

Archiving messages

Archiving operation is normally performed every 14 days, at which time all data older than six months is removed from the main data file and stored in the archive file.

Archival settings are very flexible: you can choose between manual and scheduled operation, define the age of archived items and the AutoArchive interval, set these options globally for all folders or for any individual folders.

If you don't specify AutoArchive settings for a folder, Outlook uses the global settings.

Backup

Four primary options are available for backing up Outlook data:

● Copying the PST file to another disk

● Using a backup program to save a copy of the PST file to tape, another hard disk, a Zip drive, or CD-R/CD-RW

● Exporting some or all information to a backup PST file

● Free Outlook 2003 Add-in from Microsoft

Backup using file copy

Simple scenario

Make a copy of the Outlook data file and keep it in a storage medium independent of your computer.

Outlook keeps all messages (as well as contacts, calendar data, etc.) in a single file that ends with a .pst extension (typically Outlook.pst in the C:\Documents and Settings\<Your Name>\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder). If it's not there, you can find it by right-clicking the Outlook Today icon in Outlook, choosing Properties > Advanced, and looking in the Filename box. If you archive old email, look for a file named Archive.pst in the same folder.

Just copy these files to a disk or another computer. To restore them, copy them back to their original locations.

Note. If you use Outlook on a network with Exchange Server, there won't be any .pst files on your system. Your Exchange administrator should be doing backup for you.

A more complex scenario

Personal folders or archive files can be extremely large — often hundreds of megabytes. Any of the following options would be acceptable to back up such files by copying:

● Recordable (CD-R) or Rewritable (CD-RW) CD drive

● Zip drive or some other large-capacity storage disk

● Network server drive

● A drive on another computer on the network

● A separate hard disk in the machine where the PST is stored

Using a backup utility

Both Microsoft Windows 2000 and Microsoft Windows XP include a Backup application in System Tools. You can use this application or another backup utility. They offer the following enhancements over a standard file copy:

● Allow setup of a backup plan by using wizards

● Have options for verifying the backup

● Have built-in restore and scheduling options

To use the Windows Backup tool, open Backup by choosing Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools.

Exporting to a backup PST file

You can use the Import And Export Wizard to export messages to a file. It has more options compared with file copying, but it lacks scheduling, incremental backup and a few more options compared with specialized backup features.

Outlook 2003 Add-in

1. Go to www.microsoft.com/downloads

2. In the Search box, type 'Personal Folders Backup' and click Go.

The title Outlook 2003 Add-In: Personal Folders Backup appears.

3. Click the title.

A new page appears, showing the download button.

4. Click Download to launch the Download Wizard.

This wizard is valid for Outlook 2000 to 2003 versions.

5. Click the Run button to install the pfbackup.exe software.

6. Follow the Download Wizard.

The backup software is downloaded and installed.

Restore email messages

Recovering your data depends on the method used for backup:

● re-copy your backup PST file from the backup location where you copied it;

● run the Backup utility and use the Restore feature to bring back the missing file or files.

It’s important to be familiar with the restore process before a disaster-recovery process is underway. You should occasionally try restoring your backed-up PST file to another computer to verify that your backups work. This will help to ensure that the restore process will work and that you know how to perform the necessary tasks.

● import the previously exported file(s) using the Import And Export Wizard

● run the Outlook 2003 Add-in: Personal Folders

Only the use of the Import And Export Wizard is described here, since other options are outside Outlook skills.

Using i Book

The Address Book in Outlook is a collective name for a set of i lists, none of which is required: the Address Book may be empty. Here's the lists that may contribute to the Address Book:

Outlook i Book (OAB).
On installation, Outlook creates a default Outlook Address Book. It contains the contacts in your Contacts folder. You can add data from other contacts folders to the OAB.
Notes.
• Only contacts with email or fax No. are displayed in the OAB.
• OAB is stored in the Outlook data file (Outlook.pst).
• Each Outlook profile can have only one OAB.

Global i Book (GAL)
When you use an Exchange Server account, you have the Global i List. This i list resides on the Exchange Server. Only the system administrator can make any changes to the list.

Personal i Book (PAB)
The PAB was the predecessor to the Contacts folder and works in a similar fashion. However, it uses older technology, doesn't support Unicode, and is present in current versions of Outlook only for backward compatibility. The PAB i list is stored in a file, and you open that file when adding the PAB to the i Book of Outlook.

Internet directory services (LDAP)
LDAP email directories are Internet-based and you need registration to access them. Outlook supports direct use of LDAP directories.

Explanatory Note. The whole collection of i lists is called "Address Book", and each list is also called an "address book". E.x., the OAB is an "address book", the i lists within the OAB, if any, are also called "address books". Three levels of "address books" in this branch only, not counting PABs, GAL and other i books.
Just keep in mind that this is a poor naming practice perpetuated in the Outlook Help and elsewhere, and you'll be less confused.

Opening the i Book

You can open the Address Book using its icon on the toolbar, or through the main menu. There is also contextual access to the Address Book, for instance by clicking the To: button on the New message form. It is mentioned where appropriate.

Initially, you can view only Global i Book (GAL), if you have an Exchange Server account, or Outlook i Book OAB) created at Outlook installation.

Later you can add more i books: one or more Outlook contacts lists (contacts folders from other Outlook data files), PAB(s), LDAP(s), or third-party i books. However, you can view only one i book/list at a time.

Adding an i book

You can add i books based on contacts folders in Outlook archive files or data files other than the current data file, as well as Personal i Books from previous versions of Outlook, LDAPs, or third-party i books.

Each type of i books is added in its own way. The more typical are i books based on contacts folders and PABs.
Manipulations with contacts folders are rather convoluted but not difficult once you get the pattern.

Contacts lists added to the OAB are contained in Contacts folders of Outlook data files. So, the lists will have to be imported from those data files. There are two options.

You may want to import the data from the Contacts folder of an external data file directly into your current Contacts folder.

Or you may want to import it as a separate contacts list and include it in the OAB as a new section, or "address book".

Important Note. Contacts lists are not included in the OAB automatically, even the first list. See Add an i book to OAB for details. It's not intuitive, so it has to be reminded.

Adding a PAB is another thing.

Deleting messages

When you delete a message, it is not destroyed. It is moved to the Deleted Items folder. You can restore the message by moving it from the Deleted Items folder to a regular folder.

To delete items permanently, you need to delete them from the Deleted Items folder, or as Outlook puts it, "to empty the Deleted Items folder". You can do it manually, or set Outlook to empty the folder on exiting.

One more thing. When you "empty the Deleted Items folder", the items are not removed from the Outlook data file (PST). The data file must be compressed. You can compact it manually, or let Outlook compact it in the background during idle time.

All three steps are described here in detail.

A few hints

— This Use Simulator is best viewed at a screen resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels or higher.

— The Use Simulator has two parts:

• Reference uses the "ask by pointing" concept: point your mouse at a screen element in question for an answer.
  For instance, if you want to know what "Display name" in the Outlook i Book means, open the i Book in Use Simulator, as you would open it in Outlook, and point your mouse at "Display name". An explanation will pop up. Incidentally, such quick answers invite exploration.
• How to use describes over 100 essential actions for a proficient Outlook user. Open the needed action and click through it step by step to observe each step with its comments. You can move back and forth, pause, skip.
  Practice actions on interactive interface till you can do them easily. Only the correct control is active at each step, so you can't make a mistake.

— Navigation is easy:

• Use the 'Close' button in How to use, or the 'Back' button in Reference to return to a previous screen. It's impossible to get lost: you'll never be more than three clicks away from the main screen.
• in a comment shows that you can click to open the item.
• in a comment shows that a new window will open on click. The window will have a 'Back' button to return to the previous screen.
• Due to technical and learning reasons: (a) when it says right-click for Outlook, just click; (b) when it says type something in a box - just click in the box.

USE SIMULATOR for MS Outlook 2003 Mail / G.Bedjanian

Copyright © 2007 by Amphibia Publishing

USE SIMULATOR for MS Outlook 2003 Mail is simulaneously published as an ebook (ISBN 978-0-9784507-0-0)

Trademarks: All brand names and product names included in this ebook are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders.
Outlook 2003 is a product name of Microsoft, Inc.

Please email your comments or inquiries to:

info@usesimulator.com

Foreword

What is a Use Simulator? It is a new hypertext product that looks like an ebook in some ways, but is much farther from the "flat" paper book mentality. This Use Simulator creates a virtual model of MS Outlook 2003. The model is both informative and interactive. It has the following main uses.

• Reference. "Ask-by-pointing" is the most intuitive and easy way to ask, and have answers. Now that you have the Use Simulator, you can get the feel of it and see for yourself how it works.

• Exploration. Software applications are almost always underused. We can't make the most of them because we don't know a lot of what they can do. Reading manuals or asking other people is often impracticable. Now you have a working solution. Browse through Use Simulator and discover Outlook, which is often not user-friendly, but powerful and well worth a closer look.

• How to... This section describes over a hundred actions you can do with email. Many of them can save you time, help overcome mail overload, alleviate spam, and make your email messaging look more professional. You can explore the section to find new solutions to everyday tasks, and also use it for reference.

• Practice. You can practice each action on the Outlook interface in Use Simulator. Only relevant buttons and other controls are active, so the practice is easy and effective. After doing an action several times in Use Simulator, you will feel confident doing it in Outlook.

Use Simulators can also be used in other environments: in software training, for demo purposes at sales and other presentations, as a part of a product website, and more.

They can model not only software, but also 3D objects, and about anything that we use. The underlying hypertext technology is very versatile, and we are only getting acquainted with it.

You can find more information at www.usesimulator.com