Training In A Minute: Adjusting Your Outlook View

Microsoft Outlook is one of the most common applications used in in the business world. It's also very common that we will meet people that have never explored the numerous features of the application to help make it their own.

Outlook "View" customization is an overlooked feature that can help improve your personal efficiency and organization.

Let's take a look.

Exploring "View" Options

To access "View", simply click the "View" tab in Outlook.

If your screen looks different, click the arrow on the right side of your screen and select the "Classic Ribbon".

Highlighting a few features from left to right:

Select "View Settings" to fully customize the columns and formatting of your mailbox
Check and Uncheck "Show as Conversations" to set the message view you prefer
Click "Message Preview" to adjust if you want to see part of a message without needing to open it
Click "Use Tighter Spacing" to have Outlook squish more messages into your view
"Folder Pane" will adjust how or if your folders are displayed
"Reading Pane" lets you control if and where your messages will display without opening them
"To-Do Bar" controls a pane on the right of Outlook that can display different kinds of information
- (Try out the Calendar setting!)

Did you know about Conditional Formatting?

When you select "View Settings" you can configure rules to automatically format your mailbox.

Multiple conditions can be set to change how messages look inside your mailbox. You can use this to color code, change sizing, and restructure how your inbox looks:

Example of using a color coding system with a custom view in Microsoft Outlook

Wrap-Up

Changing outlook views can be highly beneficial as it allows individuals to gain new perspectives, enhance productivity by organizing tasks more effectively, and improve overall time management.