05 May 2009 - Updated and much improved from Outlook 2003 and part of Office 2007 we list five of Outlook 2007's key features and their practical usage for business
Before we recommend specific features, you may want a quick look at Microsoft Office Outlook 2007, and see how much easier it is to do the things you've always done. Learn how the Ribbon, part of the Microsoft Office Fluent user interface, and the Quick Access Toolbar put the commands you need right at your fingertips. You'll see that it's quick and easy to compose and format your message, add attachments, and then send. Tracking tasks, making appointments, scheduling meetings, working with contacts -- Outlook 2007 makes it all easier than ever. Watch the demo and get acquainted!
In day to day usage though five of the best features we have found are:
1. Create and Assign Colour Categories
Colour Categories are used to group together related items across email, calendar items and tasks so you can quickly track and organise them - Create and Assign Colour Categories
2. Organise your Mailbox to get on with the real work
An organized mailbox is critical to getting work done, especially if most of your day involves working with Outlook. However, spending more time organizing your mailbox means there's less time to spend on real work - thus it's important to find a system that is both simple and efficient.
Here is a suggested system that we have implemented and ranks as one of the most useful tips we've ever implemented in Outlook combining 'Categories' and 'Search Folders' - Setting up your Mailbox
3. Adding RSS Feeds to your Outlook 2007 Mailbox
Not sure what RSS is? Also known as "Really Simple Syndication," it's an easy way for the people who create Web sites to send information to you. An RSS Feed is just an Internet address that tells Outlook (and other RSS readers) where to find new information from a particular site.
See how to find, add, and read articles or blogs in an RSS Feed in Outlook 2007 - View Article
4. Dump the Junk - Setup your Junk e-mail Filter
You're never done managing the spam email. Begin to fight back by setting up your Outlook junk mail filter.
5. Add your own specific information to Outlook Contacts
You can add four customised bits of information using the 'user defined' fields within Outlook contacts. It's a good start but not a patch on the 40 configurable fields you can name and define within Outlook Business Contact Manager 2007 which comes with Office 2007 Small Business and Professional versions.