Publishers of technology books, eBooks, and videos for creative people

Home > Articles > Productivity

Using the Outlook 2003 Inbox to Manage Messages

In this sample book chapter, you'll learn how to work with E-mail messages, open or save file attachments, use Instant Messaging, send faxes, organize your messages with rules, and block junk e-mail messages.
This chapter is from the book

You can use the Outlook Inbox folder—as well as the other mail-item folders (Drafts, Outbox, and Sent Items)—to receive, send, and manage email, and send fax messages. Here's how these folders are normally used:

  • Incoming email messages are delivered to your Inbox by a mail account or by an email information service.

  • While you are composing a message, before you send it, it's normally stored in the Drafts folder.

  • When you send a message, it's temporarily stored in the Outbox folder until the next time Outlook connects to the mail server to process outgoing messages, thereby sending it to the recipient. Sometimes messages are transmitted immediately and are stored in your Outbox only briefly, because Outlook connects to your mail server right away to send the outgoing message.

  • A copy of each message you send is normally stored in your Sent Items folder.

In this chapter, you'll learn how to:

  • Receive email messages in your Inbox.

  • Read email messages and open or save file attachments.

  • Use Instant Messaging

  • Send email messages

  • Send fax messages

  • Organize your messages with rules

  • Block junk email

TIP

The instructions in this chapter assume that you've already set up your email and fax accounts or information services, as explained in Chapter 1, "Setting Up Outlook 2003," and Appendix A, "Configuring Outlook."

The instructions also assume that you've opened your Inbox or another mail-item folder. (Otherwise, you won't find some of the commands mentioned.)

The different ways to open folders are explained in "Opening an Outlook folder" in Chapter 2, "Getting Started Using Outlook.". Keep in mind that with the initial Outlook setup, the icons for the Inbox , Drafts, Outbox, and Sent Items folders are in the Folder List.

Receiving Email Messages

You can have Outlook automatically receive your email messages from one or more accounts at specified intervals, or you can manually receive them at any time. If you don't set up automatic receiving, then you'll have to receive manually.

The procedure for setting up automatic receiving depends upon whether an email account uses a full-time Internet connection or a dial-up connection. A full-time connection is one that provides access to the Internet at all times, usually through a company local area network (LAN) connected to your computer. A dial-up connection uses a modem in your computer and is typically made only when you are actually exchanging email or accessing an Internet site.

Outlook uses send/receive groups to logically manage mail accounts. Send/receive groups consist of one or more email accounts in any combination (Figure 6.1). This section explains how to use send/receive groups to process messages. See Chapter 12, "Using Advanced Features," to learn how to create, change, and manage send/receive groups.

Figure 6.1Figure 6.1 Send/receive groups control how and when messages are sent.

TIP

The different types of connections are described in the section "To add a Mail Account with the Internet Connection Wizard" in Appendix A.

When Outlook receives email messages, it might also transmit outgoing email messages from your Outbox, as described later in the chapter.

To receive email messages automatically for all accounts:

  1. Choose Tools > Options and click the Mail Setup tab in the Options dialog box.

  2. Check the Send/Receive button to display the Send/Receive dialog box.

  3. In the Send/Receive Groups dialog box, highlight the Group Name you want to configure. Check the box Schedule an Automatic Send/Receive Every "number" Minutes. Enter the desired interval in minutes at which you want Outlook to automatically receive your email messages. Then, click Close.

  4. If one or more of your email accounts uses a dial-up connection, check the Automatically Dial During a Background Send/Receive option (Figure 6.2) in the Mail Setup tab. (If you don't check this option, a dial-up account will be skipped when Outlook automatically receives email.)

  5. Figure 6.2Figure 6.2 Selecting options on the Mail Setup tab of the Options dialog box to have Outlook automatically receive your email messages (via a full-time or dial-up account).

  6. Click the OK button.

  7. Outlook will then begin receiving your email messages at the interval you specified (Figure 6.3), automatically dialing your modem for any account that uses dial-up access. It will place any messages you receive in your Inbox folder.

  8. Figure 6.3Figure 6.3 The dialog box that Outlook displays when it's receiving and sending email.

TIP

Outlook will automatically receive email only from accounts that have the Include This Account When Receiving Mail or Synchronizing option checked. To access this option, choose Tools > Options, click the Mail Setup tab and click Send/Receive. In the Send/Receive Groups dialog box, select the group name and check the box Include This Group in Send/Receive (F9). Then click Close (Figure 6.4). (This option is enabled by default.)

Figure 6.4Figure 6.4 The Send/Receive Groups dialog box.

If you do not configure an email account to store your password, Outlook will prompt for the password each time it attempts an automatic send/receive. To fully automate the process, direct Outlook to save your password for the account when prompted.

If you are working offline, Outlook will not automatically receive email from an account with full-time Internet access. It will, however, continue to automatically dial up and receive email from an account with dial-up access. To switch between working online and working offline, choose File > Work Offline. When you're working offline, an Offline icon appears at the right end of the status bar and the right end of the System Tray (Figure 6.5).

Figure 6.5Figure 6.5 The Offline icon on the Status bar indicating that you're working online or offline.

If you're working offline and manually receive email messages (as described next), Outlook switches you back to working online temporarily for the Send/Receive process, and then switches back to working offline.

You can also open the Send/Receive Groups dialog box by choosing Tools > Send/Receive > Send/Receive Settings > Define Send/Receive Groups. You can also press Ctrl+Alt+S to open the dialog box.

To receive email messages manually:

  • To receive email from all your enabled email accounts, click the Send/Receive button on the Standard toolbar, or choose Tools > Send/Receive > Send/Receive All, or press F9.

  • or

  • To receive email from a specific account (whether or not it's enabled), choose Tools > Send/Receive and then choose the name of the Send/Receive group from the submenu (Figure 6.6).

  • Outlook will then connect with the email account or accounts, and it will place any messages you receive in your Inbox folder.

  • Figure 6.6Figure 6.6 Receiving messages from just the tailspintoys.com account.

Peachpit Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from Peachpit and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about Peachpit products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites; develop new products and services; conduct educational research; and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email ask@peachpit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by Adobe Press. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.peachpit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020