Note: You can also quickly set the importance level to High or Low using these buttons on the new mail message toolbar:

• Sensitivity level: When a recipient opens the message, he/she sees an information bar in the header of the message indicating how the message is to be treated. For example, it might read, “Please treat this as Private.” The default level is Normal and the recipient sees no note in the header .

Note: Marking a message as Personal or Confidential only shows a note in the recipient’s header. However, marking a message as Private puts a note in the recipient’s header and does not allow the recipient to alter your words if they choose to forward the message.

• Use voting buttons: Often times an email is sent to receive feedback or opinions on a particular issue or subject. Voting buttons offer a unique way to keep track of responses. In part 2 of this tutorial, voting buttons are presented in greater detail.

• Tell me when this message has been sent: The server can send you a receipt if it has successfully been able to leave this message for the intended recipient(s). Check this box to have this receipt delivered to you.

• Tell me when this message has been read: The server can also send you a receipt after the recipient has actually opened the email. Check this box to have this type of receipt delivered to you.

Note: If you delete a message you have received with a "Tell me when this message has been read" receipt attached to it without opening it, the sender receives a receipt that states you deleted the message without reading it.

• Have replies sent to: If another user needs to handle all replies to this email, check this box and enter the user’s name in this field. As before, press the Tab key to move to the next field and Outlook finds the matching name in the address book and underlines it. Use the Select Names button to select from a list. When the recipient chooses the Reply button on the message, the reply is automatically addressed to the user you specified. The default setting is to have replies sent back to you.

• Save sent message to: If you would like to save this message in an Outlook folder other than the Sent Items folder, choose the Browse button and select the appropriate folder.

• Do not deliver before: The server can hold a message and deliver it on a specific date and time. To select a delivery date, choose the drop down arrow to the right of this field. Select a date from the calendar. Position your cursor in the field to type a different delivery time.

Note: You can also use "natural language" to place a date in a field. For example, you can type, "next Wednesday" or "two weeks before Christmas". When you move off of the date field, Outlook finds the correct date and places it in the field. Try it - but remember, spelling counts!

• Expires on: When a message is sent that is no longer relevant past a certain date (for example, a meeting agenda), you can specify when the message is to expire in the recipient’s inbox. A message that has expired is indicated in gray with a strike through as shown below.

• Categories: Outlook items can be associated with specific categories. In this way, you can easily keep track of and find all items in a particular category.

Using Voting Buttons

From time to time, messages are sent to a group of people inquiring about their positions or opinions on certain issues. Outlook provides voting buttons that can be attached to a mail message so that the recipient needs only to choose a button to respond to the sender. The sender automatically tracks the responses to this message.

To add voting buttons:

1. In the Message Options dialog box, check the box next to Use voting buttons. 

2. Select from the default button list under the drop down arrow or make your own. Button names can be typed directly into the button field and are separated by semi-colons as shown below. 

3. Select any other desired message options, and choose Close. The voting buttons appear as a special toolbar at the top of the message, and a note is added to the header as shown in this graphic. 

4. If desired, type a note in the body of the message. For example, if you are sending to recipients that are not familiar with the use of these buttons, you might want to emphasize that they are to respond by choosing one of the above voting buttons.

Note: Voters will not see the voting buttons if the message is viewed using the preview pane in the inbox.  They must double-click to open the message in its own window to see the buttons.

To see tracked votes:

You must open the email replies when they arrive in your Inbox to begin tracking. Votes are tracked in the original sent message. Navigate to the Sent Items folder and double-click on the original message that was sent to open the message in its own window. Choose the Tracking tab to see the tracked responses. 

Note: Outlook is smart! If someone tries to vote more than once, the person's first vote is eliminated and the most current vote is counted.

Using Flags

You can place a red flag next to a message in the recipient's Inbox to indicate that some type of action must be taken. For example, you might want the recipient to call you to discuss an issue by a particular date. When the action is complete, the message flag can be removed.

To add a flag to a message:

1. Choose the button on the message toolbar. The Flag for Follow Up dialog box appears as shown below.

2. Select an action from the drop down arrow for the Flag to field or type in your own action. 

3. Select a date from the calendar under the drop down arrow for the Due by field. 

Note: You can also use "natural language" to place a date in a field here. For example, you can type, "next Wednesday" or "two weeks before Christmas". When you move off of the date field, Outlook finds the correct date and places it in the field. Try it - but remember, spelling counts!

4. Choose OK. The flag note appears in the header of the message.  The flag is also visible next to the message in the recipient's inbox so that the recipient knows the message requires some action.

To clear a flag:

To remove a flag after the action is complete, double-click and open the flagged message. Choose the flag button on the message toolbar to open the Flag for Follow Up dialog box and select Clear Flag. Choose OK.