Using Microsoft Outlook Web Access

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Getting Started

Working with Messages

Managing the Inbox

Creating Rules

Selecting Options

Logging onto Microsoft Outlook Web Access

  • Load a web browser.
  • Go to the web address mail.cod.edu The following logon screen appears:

                                   

  • Position the cursor at the User name dialog box.
  • Enter your Logon Name and press TAB to position the cursor at the Password.
  • Enter your Password.
  • Select OK to continue. Microsoft Outlook Web Access loads and your Inbox is displayed.
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Identifying Items on the Inbox Toolbar

The toolbar icons provide point and click access to the most popular features of Outlook Web Access. The following list provides a description of each icon.

New Create a new message

Reply to sender of selected message

Reply to all recipients of selected message

Forward the selected message

Check for new mail messages

Search messages

Move or copy the message to a new location

Delete the selected message

Show/Hide preview pane

Address book / find names

Help Help icon

Log Off Log Off Outlook web access


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Navigation Pane

The Navigation Pane, located next to the main window, is made up of two areas:

  • An expandable folder list that provides access to your personal Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access folders (your Inbox and Calendar, for example) and any folders you create.

The folders are displayed in a hierarchy that you can expand to view the folder contents or collapse to view only the top-level folder. The plus sign Icon imageicon next to a folder indicates that the folder contains other folders (subfolders). To view the subfolders, click the plus sign Icon image.

  • A set of buttons that provide one-click access to your Inbox, Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks folders and to your public folders. An Options button allows you to set user options, such as calendar or task reminders.

A horizontal splitter bar Horizontal Splitter Bar imagelocated between the folder list and the buttons allows you to collapse the buttons into a button tray:

Button Tray image

When you click any folder or button in the Navigation Pane, its contents are displayed in the Outlook Web Access main window.

Identifying Buttons in the Navigation Pane

     Displays the contents of the Inbox

     Displays the calendar

     Displays your contacts list

     Displays your task list

     Displays public folders

     Displays rules created for incoming messages

     Displays options for customizing functionality, features, and appearance

 
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Identifying Items on the New Message Toolbar

The toolbar in the new message window provides a means for sending, saving, checking the validity of names, and setting message importance.

 

 

Send the message

 

 

 

 

Save the unsent message in your inbox for later

 

 

 

 

Print the current message

 

 

 

 

Opens attachment window

 

 

 

 

Check the recipients names before sending to insure proper delivery

 

 

 

 

Set the message importance as high

 

 

 

 

Set the message importance as low

 

 

 

 

Set message options

 

 

 

 

Help

 

 

 

 

Select font type and size

 

 

 

 

Select font color

 

 

 

 

Select font style, Bold, Italic or Underline

 

 

 

 

Select font alignment, align left, align center or align right

 

 

 

 

Create a bulleted list

 

 

 

 

Create a numbered list

 

 

 

 

Increase or decrease indent

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Identifying Items on the Read Message Toolbar

The toolbar in the read message window provides a means for replying to a message, forwarding a message, moving or copying a message and deleting a message.

 

Reply to the message

 

 

 

 

Reply to all the recipients of the message

 

 

 

 

Forward the message

 

 

 

 

Print the current message

 

 

 

 

Move or copy the message to a new location

 

 

 

 

Delete the open message

 

 

 

 

Read the previous message

 

 

 

 

Read the next message

 

 

 

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Using Help

Expanded help for additional features is available from the help feature. Some of these topics include maintaining the calendar, accessing public folders, and using Contacts.

  • Click on the Help icon.
  • Click on the desired topic from the list on the left to display the contents of that topic on the right.
  • Click on Close to close help.

 

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Creating a New Message

  • Select the New icon from the menu bar. The New Message window appears. For a description of each icon on the New Message Toolbar, place your cursor over the icon for a description.
  • Position the cursor at the To: dialog box. Type the complete email address of the recipient. Repeat the procedure for the Cc: and Bcc: dialog box, if desired.
  • Position the cursor at the Subject: dialog box. Enter a description of the message. This description will be displayed within the message window of the Information Viewer.
  • Position the cursor in the Message Area and type the message.
  • Press the Send icon to send the message to the recipients.
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Checking Names

Before you send a message, you can verify the recipients' names listed in the To, Cc, and Bcc boxes.

  • Click the Check Names icon from the new message screen.
  • Select OK if the addresses for all recipients are resolved.
  • Select one of the suggested matches, and click Accept These Choices. If no matches are available, you can choose to ignore a recipient.
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Attaching a File

You can attach any type of file that is accessible from your computer or through your network to an email message.

  • Click the Attachments icon from the new message toolbar.
  • Enter the Path and Filename in the dialog box. If you do not know the path and filename, use the Browse button to browse your hard drive or network drives and locate the file.  Select the file and click the Open button.
  • Click the Attach button to attach the selected file to the message. The file name of the attachment appears in the list of attachments. When you return to the message screen, the filename of the attachment is displayed in the message header indicating the file has been attached.
  • To remove the attachment, click on the Attachments Box, select the check box to the left of the file name from the attachment screen, and then click on the Remove icon.
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Setting Message Importance

To advise recipients of the priority of a message, mark it as high or low importance. Messages not designated high or low have normal importance.

  • Click on the desired Importance button from the toolbar to set the message importance.
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Setting Message Options

Set message options from the Options tab of the message.

  • Set the level of importance for this message (Low, Normal, or High).
  • Set the sensitivity level (Normal, Personal, Private, or Confidential).
  • Select the Request a delivery receipt check box to receive a delivery receipt for your message
  • Select the Request a read receipt check box to request a read receipt for your message.
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Saving the Message

You can save a message to complete and send later.

  • Open a new message window. Enter as much information as you would like.
  • Click the Save icon on the toolbar. 
  • You will be returned to the Inbox and your message will be saved in the Drafts folder.
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Sending the Message

Once the message is complete, it is ready to be sent to the selected recipients.

  • Complete the message.
  • Select the Send icon from the toolbar.
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Reading Messages

  • Position the cursor on the message you want to read.
  • Double click on the message to be read. The message is displayed.
  • Click on the Close button to close the message.
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Replying to a Message

  • Single click on the message you wish to reply to.
  • Select the Reply icon on the toolbar. The Message Reply window is displayed. The address of the sender is listed in the To: box.
  • Position the cursor at the top of the message window.
  • Type your response.
  • Select the Send icon when finished to send the reply.
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Replying to All of the Recipients of a Message

  • Single click on the message you wish to reply to.
  • Select the Reply to All icon on the toolbar. The Message Reply window is displayed. The address of the sender, as well as all of the recipients is listed in the To: box.
  • Position the cursor at the top of the message window.
  • Type your response.
  • Select the Send icon when finished to send the reply.
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Forwarding a Message

  • Single click on the message you wish to reply to.
  • Select the Forward icon from the toolbar. The Forward Message window is displayed.
  • Enter the Address of the recipient in the To: box.
  • Enter a message into the message area, if desired.
  • Select the Send icon to forward the message.
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Move or Copy a Message

  • Single click on the message you wish to move/copy.
  • Select the Move/Copy icon. The Folder List is displayed.
  • Select the folder to which the message will be moved or copied to.
  • Select the lower level of folder, if necessary.
  • Select the move button. Your message is moved and you are returned to your inbox.
  • Select the copy button. Your message is copied to the folder and you are returned to the inbox.
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Deleting an Open Message

  • Open the message to be deleted.
  • Select the Delete icon from the toolbar.
  • The message is deleted and the next message in your inbox is displayed.
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Reading the Previous Message

  • Open a message.
  • Select the Read Previous Message icon. The previous message in the inbox is displayed.
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Reading the Next Message

  • Open a message.
  • Select the Read Next Message icon. The next message in the inbox is displayed.
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Using the Outlook Buttons

Select the icon that represents the component of Outlook you would like to display. These include:

  • Inbox
  • Calendar
  • Contacts
  • Tasks
  • Public Folders
  • Rules
  • Options (i.e. Out of Office Assistant)
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Checking for New Mail

  • An icon will appear on the right hand corner of your screen indicating you have new mail.
  • Clicking on the icon will take you to your Inbox and highlight the new message.
  • An alternative way to check for new mail is to:
  • Select the Check for new messages icon from toolbar.
  • New messages that have arrived since the Inbox was last refreshed are displayed.
  • Unread messages appear with bold titles.
  • Read messages appear as plain text.
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Deleting Messages

  • Select the message to be deleted.
  • Click the Delete icon from the toolbar. The selected message is removed and placed in the Deleted Items folder.
  • To delete multiple messages at once:
  • Hold down the control (Ctrl) key while selecting messages.  This will allow for multiple messages to be selected.
  • Click the Delete icon from the toolbar. The selected messages are removed and placed in the Deleted Items folder.
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Creating a New Folder

  • Click the Down Arrow next to the new button icon on the toolbar.
  • Select Folder from the drop down menu
  • Type a name for the new folder.
  • Click OK.
  • Click Cancel to cancel the operation.
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Deleting a Folder

  • Right click on the folder to be deleted.
  • Select Delete from the menu
  • Click on OK at the "Are you sure you want to delete the current folder and its subfolders?" prompt to delete the folder.
  • Click Cancel to cancel the operation.

 

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Changing Pages of Messages

The list of messages within the Inbox may be longer than can be displayed on one screen. The Page box is located on the toolbar. It lists the total number of pages of messages that are in the current folder and indicates which page is currently displayed.

  • Select the forward arrow to display the next screen of messages. The displayed page number is displayed in the box.
  • Select the backward arrow to display the previous list of messages.
  • Type the page number to be displayed in the dialog box and press enter to move directly to the desired page number.

 

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Creating Rules
  • In the Navigation Pane, click Rules.
  • In the Rules screen, click New.
  • In the Rule Name box, type a name for the rule if you want to give the rule a specific name. If you leave this box blank, Outlook Web Access will generate a name from the rule criteria you specify (for example, "Sent only to me").
  • In the Edit Rule dialog box, specify any or all of the following conditions:

To base the rule on who sent the message, type the alias or e-mail address of the user name or distribution list in the From field contains box. To find the person in the address book or your contacts, click Address BookButton image.

To base the rule on words in the subject of the message, type the words in the Subject contains box.

To base the rule on the importance setting of the message, select the importance in the Importance is menu.

To base the rule on who the message was sent to, type the alias or e-mail address of the user name in the People or DistributionList box. Separate two or more entries with a semicolon (;). To find the person in the address book or your contacts, click Address BookButton image.

To base the rule on messages that are sent only to you, select the Sent only to me check box.

  • Specify what to do with the message if it meets the conditions you set in the previous steps.

To move the message to a folder, select Move it to the specified folder, click specified, and then select the appropriate folder in the Move/Copy Item dialog box.

To copy the message to a folder, select Copy it to the specified folder, click specified, and then select the appropriate folder in the Move/Copy Item dialog box.

To delete the message, select Delete it.

To forward the message to someone, select Forward it to, and then type the alias or e-mail address of the person or distribution list in the adjacent box. Separate two or more entries with a semicolon (;). To find the person or distribution list in the address book or your contacts, click Address BookButton image. By default, a copy of the forwarded message is kept in your Inbox.

  • Click Save and Close.
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Selecting Options

Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access provides several ways to customize program features, functionality, and appearance.
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Out of Office Assistant
  • To activate the Out of Office Assistant, select the I’m currently out of the Office radio button. Position the cursor in the AutoReply dialog box, and type a reply to the senders of your messages.
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Messaging Options
  • To change the number of items displayed per page in your Inbox or other folders, select a number from the drop down box.
  • After moving or deleting an item , select an action from the drop down box (Open the next item in the list, open the previous item, or return to the view)
  • To receive a new message notification, select the check box to Display a notification message when new mail arrives.
  • To receive a sound notification, select the check box to Play a sound when new mail arrives.
  • To automatically add your signature on messages, select the check box to include your signature to outgoing messages.

To edit your signature, click the Edit Signature box. In the dialog box, type and format the signature you want to use, and then click save and close.

  • To set the font you use for new, replied to, and forwarded messages, click the Choose Font button. In the Font dialog box, select a font, style and size, and then click OK.
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Reading Pane Options

Even if you view an item in the Reading Pane, you may want to leave the item marked as unread as a reminder to return to it later.

  • To mark items you view in the Reading Pane as read, select the radio button next to this option.
  • To set a delay for when the item is marked as read, type a number in the Wait [n] seconds before marking item as read text box. The default is five seconds.
  • To mark items you view in the Reading Pane as read after you select another item in the list, select the radio button next to this option.
  • To leave items you view in the Reading Pane marked as unread, select the radio button next to this option.
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Spelling Options
  • Select the Ignore words in UPPERCASE check box, to prevent the spelling checker from checking words in UPPERCASE letters
  • Select the Ignore words with numbers check box, to prevent the spelling checker from checking words that contain numbers
  • Select the Always check spelling before sending check box, to automatically check spelling before a message is sent.
  • Select a language from the drop-down list, t o select a dictionary.
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Privacy and Junk E-mail Prevention

Outlook Web Access helps you control unwanted and unsolicited messages ("junk e-mail") and block links to external content that can make you the target of junk e-mail messages.

  • To turn on the junk e-mail filter, select the Filter Junk E-mail check box.
  • To add or modify e-mail addresses in your junk e-mail lists, select the Manage Junk E-mail Lists button.

The Safe Senders List is displayed by default. To add a sender to the list, click Add, type an e-mail address or domain in the text box, and then click OK.

To modify a sender in the list, select the sender, and then click Edit. Change the entry, and then click OK.

To include your contacts as safe senders, select the Trust e-mail from your Contacts check box.

Safe recipients are distribution lists that you are a member of and want to receive e-mail messages for. You can also add individual e-mail addresses to your Safe Recipients List.

In the drop-down menu, select Safe Recipients. To add a recipient to the list, click Add, type an e-mail address or domain in the text box, and then click OK.

To modify a recipient in the list, select the recipient, and then click Edit. Change the entry, and then click OK.

In addition to using the safe and blocked lists to manage incoming messages, you can further limit the messages that get delivered to your Inbox. Outlook Web Access provides a setting that allows messages only from addresses in your Safe Senders or Safe Recipients lists into your Inbox. All other messages are delivered directly to your Junk E-mail folder. To enable this, select the Treat all e-mail as Junk E-mail unless it has come from a member of your Safe Senders or Safe Recipients lists check box.

Blocked senders are people and domains you don't want to receive e-mail messages from. Messages received from any e-mail address on your Blocked Senders List are sent directly to your Junk E-mail folder.

In the drop-down menu, select Blocked Senders. To add a sender to the list, click Add, type an e-mail address or domain in the text box, and then click OK.

To modify a sender in the list, select the recipient, and then click Edit. Change the entry, and then click OK.

Click OK to close the Manage Junk E-mail Lists dialog box, and then click Save and Close.

  • To send a read receipt automatically whenever one is requested, select the Always send a response radio button.
  • To never send a read receipt, select the Do not automatically send a response radio button.
  • To block a mechanism called a Web beacon that can make you the target of unsolicited e-mail messages, select the Block external content in HTML e-mail messages check box.
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Appearance
  • To change the color scheme of your Outlook web access, select a color from the drop-down menu, then click save and close on the toolbar.
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Date and Time Formats
  • Use the drop-down menus to select your preferred format for date and time styles, and to set the current time zone. Click save and close on the toolbar.
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Calendar Options
  • To set the day your calendar displays as the beginning of the week, select the appropriate day from the Week begins on list.
  • To set the times Outlook Web Access will display for each business day, select the appropriate times from the Day start time and Day end time lists.
  • To select when Outlook Web Access will begin numbering weeks for the current year, select the appropriate option from the First week of year list.
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Reminder Options
  • Select the Enable reminders for Calendar items check box to receive reminder messages before your appointments and meetings.
  • Select the Enable reminders for Task items check box, to receive reminder messages for tasks that are coming due.
  • Select the Play a sound check box, to hear a sound when a reminder is due.
  • Select the amount of time for the default reminder by using the drop-down box.
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Contact Options
  • To select which address book to search first when resolving the name of a contact, select the radio button next to your list.
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Recover Deleted Items
  • To recover a message deleted from the Deleted Items folder, select the View Items button. Select the message you want to recover, then click Recover on the toolbar
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helpdesk@cdnet.cod.edu

Last Update: September 23,, 2004