FILE EMAIL TO PUBLIC FOLDERS

One of the major problems with using email for project correspondence is that emails are contained in each team members email, and so is not accessible to anyone else on the project.

A way around this is for team members to copy emails received and sent relevant to the project to a public folder within the email system.

The problem with this approach is it relies on everyone remembering to do it in a timely manner, or at all.

Although a human will always have to make a decision as to whether an email is relevant to a particular project or not, the process can be made easier by setting up an Outlook "Quick Step".

This will create one command in the toolbar that will process selected emails. It works in any mailbox, including InBox and Sent Items.

1. CREATE PROJECT FOLDER

First step is to create a project folder within Public Folders.

Go to Public Folders, find the folder you want the new project folder to live under (pick Public Folders if you want at the top level).

Right click over that folder, select New Folder...

2. CREATE CATEGORY

Next create a category for the project. This will identify emails that have been filed.

From the Tags panel click on the small black triangle.

Select All Categories...

Click on the New... button. An Add New Category dialog box will open

• 1. Type the project name (or job no - name). Don't make it too long or it won't fit in the menu.

  2. Select a colour.

Hit OK.

3. MAKE PROJECT FOLDER VISIBLE

This is a workout to an Outlook bug.

Make sure you can see the project's folder in Public Folders.

Drag an email, any email, into the folder.

4. CREATE A 'QUICK STEP'

In the Quick Steps panel select Create New.

An Edit Quick Step dialog box appears.

• 1. Type a name for the Quick Step. Don't make it too long or it won't fit in the menu (use Tooltip Text for a longer explanation - see below).

  2. Click on the small black triangle, select Categorize message from the list. (We put Categorize first so it is given a category before being copied).

  3. Select the category for the project you created above.

Next add a new action by clicking on the add Action button.

• 1. Select Copy to folder from the first list (click on black triangle).

  2. Click on the black triangle in the box below, select Choose folder, then select the project's folder with Public Folders in its name.

Add any other actions you want:

• 1. Select from list

  2. Click Add Action to create a new action.

  3. Select from list.

  4. Type a description in the Tooltip Text box.

1. Save.

Done!

If you need to change anything right click on the Quick step and select Edit.

You can also Duplicate an existing one if you are making multiple Quick Steps.

HOW TO USE IT

The Quick Step you created will be in the Quick Steps panel.

• 1. Select the folder with the emails you want to file.

  2. Select the email or emails you want to file.

  3. Click on the Quick step you created.

You can tell which emails have been filed because they have a Category assigned.