You use Microsoft Outlook to manage your email, your appointments, your contacts, and your to-do lists. In other words, you use it to manage your work life. So when this program doesn’t behave the way it’s supposed to, you have a nightmare.
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You cant change the protocol on your existing account; youll have to create a new one. You can do so in the Account Settings dialog box. To get there in Outlook 2007, select Tools, Account Settings. In Outlook 2010, click the File tab, the Info option in the left pane, Account Settings, and Account Settings again.
Once there, choose the E-mail tab, and then click the New button. On the first page of the resulting wizard, check Manually configure server settings or additional server types. When you get to the page with all the other fields, be sure to select IMAP in the Account Type field. Check with your provider for other settings.
This tip works only if your email provider supports IMAP. Check with the provider to find out.
Those Aren’t the Contact Details You Want
You check your contacts, but you don’t see the specific information you need. Sure, you have everyone’s name and phone number, but you can’t see the city they live in without extra effort.
Here’s how to change the contact fields that Outlook displays automatically. The directions differ entirely for Outlook 2007 and 2010.
Outlook 2007
In the left pane’s Contacts section, under Current View, pick the view of your choice. If you don’t find the perfect view, find the closest to what you prefer.
Once you’ve selected a view, scroll to the MCITP Online Training – Free MCTS Training – bottom of the list of views and click Customize Current View. In the resulting dialog box, click the Fields button to select which fields you want–and don’t want–displayed, and in what order. You may find the other buttons in this dialog box helpful, as well.
Outlook 2010
Click the Ribbon’s View tab, then Change View (the leftmost icon on the Ribbon). Select the view that’s closest to what you want.
To make it exactly what you prefer, click View Settings (immediately to the right of Change View). In the resulting Advanced View Settings dialog box, click the Columns button (if the button is grayed out, try closing the dialog box, returning to Change View, and selecting another view). In the resulting Show Columns dialog box, you’ll be able to select which fields to display, and in what order.
Back in the Advanced View Settings dialog box, you may find some of the other buttons useful, too.
A Final Note
In addition to the previous five nightmares, you may have some confusion about which Outlook software you’re using. Maybe, for instance, youve heard that you can manage tasks and appointments in Outlook, but you cant find those features in the program.
This may make you feel a little silly, but the answer to this problem is easy: Youve probably confused Outlook with another Microsoft program, Outlook Express. Outlook, the focus of this article, comes with Microsoft Office and handles contacts, email, calendars, and so on. Outlook Express last came with Windows XP, and all it does is email.
If youre using the right program–and youre using it correctly–the challenges of managing your email, your calendar, your contacts, and your to-do list shouldnt disturb your sleep. And a good nights rest can really improve your outlook on life.