Introduction to MS Outlook

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Written By Deepmala
Chirag Arora
Approved By Chirag Arora  
Published On September 30th, 2023
Reading Time 5 Minutes Reading

Microsoft Outlook being a part of Microsoft’s Office Suite family is widely used as desktop email client to communicate over internet. Many organizations and business users utilize MS Outlook in combined with Microsoft Exchange Server and Share point Server to send or receive emails, coordinate meetings and calendars etc.

Outlook can be easily expended with Smartphone’s allowing users to access their email data anywhere around the world. Only they have to synchronize their mailbox with device by providing user ID and password. In addition, for those users who are not availed with this facility into their devices can download numerous Add-ons available into internet market.

Microsoft Outlook includes versions 98, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013 & 2016. The current versions are Microsoft Office  2013 & 2016 for Windows and Outlook 2011 for Mac.

Basic Functions of MS Outlook

Outlook has some latest features that make Outlook more favorite of plenty of users across the globe. All below discussed features are some basics of but they get improved with each upgraded version of Outlook.

Unfailing Communication

MS Outlook allows users to communicate in plenty of ways focusing main on emailing. It allows users to send or receive email to other user with some advance enhancements like attachment, signatures, themes and backgrounds etc. Carrying out communication in Microsoft Outlook is streamlined process as interface is quite simple.

Coordination and Constitution

In aspects where organization of work tasks is issue, Outlook takes first position in way it provides calendar feature. Via using calendars in Outlook users can view all of tasks and meetings as daily, weekly and monthly wise with coloring important meetings. ‘Contacts’ is another way to stay organized. It allows you to save vCard that are digital cards in electronic communication system.

Message Confirmation

To keep a record of messages that send to other users, It offers best tracking services than any other application. When users send a message to anyone, if it’s reached or not, they can set options as ‘Request a Delivery Report’ from settings to ensure that message has been delivered. Request a read report option for users to know whether opposite party has opens message or not.

Co-operation

MS Outlook also provide option to perform teamwork tasks easily just like meetings. ‘Meeting Invite’ feature in allow users to invite all users for immediate meetings along with tracking who accepts or who declines this invitation. Moreover, Outlook ‘Share My Calendar’ function also lets users about confirmation of both parties for meetings etc. Another useful function is ‘Task Request’ that helps to assign work to other colleagues.

Why It Is Necessary To Use MS Outlook?

Every user has its own opinion about choosing their email client whether it is desktop or web based email client. But when environments of most business sectors are concluded Microsoft wins the war. Microsoft improves each version of Outlook with set of advanced features for users making them easier to use. Therefore, here are some important aspects of that makes it best choice for your needs.

Integration with Microsoft Exchange

Outlook and Exchange server when are used integrated with each other works as parallel track for employees. No extra efforts are required to let Outlook and Exchange work together. In order to set with Exchange Server user has to perform few steps using settings and that’s it a smooth commune is available for IT users.

Outlook’s Co-ordination with Active Directory

Active Directory is all credentials of Exchange Users that are registered on Server, when users log into account they don’t have to fill all login credentials again and again to log into Exchange Server account. In fact MS does not require any information it figures out the right e-mail address via AD and log into respective email client.

Additional Benefits with MS Outlook

Outlook additionally also supports many other smart devices and applications providing great way of accessing mailbox data from anywhere around the world. These days lots of Smartphone’s are available those provide facility to synch your mailbox with phone, whereas those who don’t provide this facility, can hire third party add-ons available on market rendering service of synchronizing with account.

Easy Management of Emails

In MS Outlook, sorting is allowed for email messages indicating specification to prior messages. Users can sort messages according to their requirements and can also send different automatic messages to different email address.

Swift Workflow Strategies

Outlook is not limited only to messaging instead it allow users to set workflows for occasions like online voting. If a group of people needs to decide the meeting place somewhere out of station than they can just take online permission of every other coordinators via online voting. Moreover, ‘Form’ feature allow users to take request from subordinators for time off, and if approves it gets returned to user.

Powerful Security Mechanisms

Being a part of Microsoft family, Outlook possesses quite strong security on its features. Junk mail filters restricts web bugs, data from foreign sites and downloading images from internet by default. This means it has embedded security features disallowing unwanted virus and malwares entering into account.

Multiple Email Account Configurations

Outlook is not only limited to single instead users can configure several accounts in Outlook using different protocols. More than one account can be configured in  and can be operated with one set of rules. Moreover, if required all the set accounts can be sorted according to differentiate needs of users.

Conclusion

If concluded overall MS Outlook is complete set of robust features and a better secure platform to guide a corporate organization towards stairs of untouched success. Users can grab more than emailing from MS and its additional services. It can be used to accelerate the growth of company in all aspects of communication rendering fruitful services for users just like topping of some extra chocolate chips on cup of sundae ice-cream.