Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Product Guide

The experience for creating, viewing, and changing new rules to handle e-mail messages has been streamlined.

Rule actions can be viewed graphically and modified quickly. In addition, users can associate alerts with their rules to stay abreast of current information.

To view the new Rules and Alerts functionality, do one of the following:

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  Go to the Tools menu and click Rules and Alerts, or
  
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  In the Rules and Alerts dialog box, click New Rule, or
  
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  Right-click any e-mail message and click Create Rule
  

Outlook 2003 includes functionality that has been designed to help eliminate much of the unwanted e-mail that users get every day. These features give users control over the kinds of messages they receive and from whom.

Outlook 2003 provides features that are designed to work together to help protect users from unsolicited e-mail messages:

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  Trusted Senders list. If an e-mail message is mistakenly marked as junk by the filter, the user can add the sender of that message to the Trusted Senders list. E-mail addresses and domain names on the Trusted Senders list are never treated as junk e-mail, regardless of the content of the message. Contacts are automatically trusted by default, and mail from them will never be treated as junk. With Microsoft Exchange Server, mail from within the organization will never be treated as junk, regardless of the content of the message. Users can configure Outlook 2003 to accept mail only from the Trusted Senders list, giving users total control over which messages reach their Inbox.
  
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  Junk Senders list. E-mail from a certain e-mail address or domain name can easily be blocked by adding the sender to the Junk Senders list. Mail from people or domain names on this list are always treated as junk, regardless of the content of the message.
  
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  Junk e-mail filter. Outlook 2003 uses state-of-the-art technology developed by Microsoft Research to evaluate whether a message should be treated as junk e-mail based on several factors, such as the time it was sent and the content of the message. The filter does not single out any particular sender or type of e-mail; it is based on the content of the message in general and uses advanced analysis of the structure of the message to determine how likely it is to be thought of by the user as junk.
  

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  AutoUpdate. Microsoft is committed to providing periodic updates of the Junk E-mail filter so that it continues to be effective.
  
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  Trusted Recipients list. A mailing list can also be added to the user’s Trusted Recipients list. Any e-mail that is sent to e-mail addresses or domain names on this list will not be treated as junk, regardless of the content of the message.
  

Users can customize junk e-mail settings to meet their needs. To change junk e-mail settings, select Options from the Tools menu and click Junk E-mail. To add people to the Trusted Senders, Trusted Recipients, or Junk Senders lists, right-click the message and click Junk E-mail, or click Junk E-mail on the Actions menu. For versions of Microsoft Exchange Server without Cached Exchange Mode (see Cached Exchange Mode), junk e-mail filtering must be installed and configured on the computer running Microsoft Exchange Server.

Enable worker mobility and productivity

Outlook 2003 provides many technical advances that help users connect to information and use it more effectively without having to worry about issues such as network performance.

Cached Exchange Mode

The new Cached Exchange Mode in Outlook 2003 delivers a reliable and responsive user experience, independent of network performance, by loading all necessary data up-front rather than while e-mail is read. Cached Exchange Mode insulates the user from network issues, ensuring that the user is able to remain productive at all times. As such, the feature provides advantages for IT directors, reducing support calls, making server site consolidation possible, and enabling a new set of mobile scenarios. On a new installation of Outlook 2003, Cached Exchange Mode is on by default. With an upgrade, the user can enable Cached Exchange Mode.

For several releases, Outlook 2003 has had the ability to synchronize data between the Exchange Server and its local store. Users now can use Send/Receive groups to synchronize their data. Office 2003 Editions offer the ability to use the new Cached Exchange mode in Outlook 2003 to synchronize data continuously.

When working with Exchange Server 2003, synchronization is more efficient and robust because the server and client communicate in a way designed to reduce the amount of data that is transferred between the client and server during synchronization. These improvements are especially important for mobile scenarios in which the connection from Outlook to the Exchange Server is over a network that has limited bandwidth and variable latency. This efficiency results in cost savings on “pay-by-the-byte” networks, and generally reduces the amount of time that is required to complete any synchronization, making the benefits automatic.

The Intelligent Connectivity feature introduces network “awareness” to Outlook 2003, so that the program is more responsive over low-speed or unreliable network connections, or when a user is moving from one wireless network connection to another. This enables Outlook 2003 to remain usable, and when combined with the Cached Exchange Mode, the network hides reliability from the user almost entirely—meaning there are no connection-error messages.

The synchronization modes of Cached Exchange Mode include Download Headers and Full Items, Download Full Items, Download Headers, or On Slow Connections Download Headers Only (the default mode for a slow connection, which can be overridden). Users can change the Cached Exchange Mode connection setting by selecting Cached Exchange Mode from the File menu, and then selecting one of the following synchronization modes:

Download headers and then full items. This mode downloads all headers and complete items, including attachments. Users can click a header, and the full item is downloaded immediately.

Download full items. This mode downloads the header, body, and any attachments simultaneously. This mode is effective with a network connection or a continuous dial-up connection.

Download headers. This mode downloads headers only. The full item including attachments is available when the user previews or opens the item. This mode is useful to keep the amount of data transferred between Outlook and the computer running Microsoft Exchange as small as possible.

On slow connections download headers only. This is the default setting for a slow connection. The body, including any attachments, is downloaded only at the user's request or as needed for synchronization or auto-archiving. The Offline Address Book is not downloaded. This mode is effective when using dial-up connections or cellular wireless with General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) connections.



The Cached Exchange Mode menu shows the options that are available when connecting to slow or unreliable networks.

Connectivity to Exchange through HTTP

Gaining access to a Microsoft Exchange Server by using Outlook has traditionally required direct access to the server, either through a local area network (LAN) connection or by connecting remotely through a virtual private network (VPN) connection. With Outlook 2003 and Exchange Server 2003 running on Microsoft Windows Server 2003, users can open their Exchange Server computer directly by way of HTTP over an Internet connection. By using Outlook 2003, if a user can browse the Web, the user can open his or her Exchange mailbox.

After the feature is operational, Outlook 2003 automatically connects by way of HTTP when a direct connection to the Exchange Server is unavailable, eliminating the need to have corporate VPN servers set up for e-mail access.



Office administrators can now easily configure Outlook 2003 to communicate with an Exchange Server over the Internet.

Notification Area icon

Most people keep their e-mail program running all the time. The new Notification Area icon in Outlook 2003 makes it possible for users to stay on top of their e-mail messages even when working in another program. The Notification Area icon shows the status of Outlook 2003, even when the program is hidden, minimized, or in the background.

The Notification Area icon displays different types of information in new ways:

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  Informational messages. Outlook 2003 provides alert and reminder information to the user in a less intrusive manner. Notification “pop-up balloons” now notify the user of status changes and other information in a subtle manner, allowing the user to continue working. In previous versions of Outlook, message boxes indicating status would appear and block the screen. With Outlook 2003, users can read the message if they choose, but do not have to respond. Users can also choose to opt out of groups of messages that they do not want to receive in the future.
  

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  Synchronization status. This icon shows when Outlook 2003 is downloading and sending e-mail. This is useful when a user wants to work in another program until Outlook 2003 has finished sending or receiving e-mail.
  
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  Network problems. If Outlook 2003 has a problem with the network or with the e-mail server, it notifies the user by changing to a “trouble” icon. In most cases, configuration data is still available, but no new messages are received until the trouble is resolved. Users can cancel the network operation by clicking the icon and selecting Cancel Request.
  

In addition to the Windows NT® LAN Manager (NTLM) protocol, Outlook 2003 supports Kerberos authentication when running Exchange Server 2003, giving corporations more options for meeting their authentication needs.

More effective contact management

Users can now take advantage of enhancements to the Address Book, including an updated interface and the option to insert a picture.

The Select Names dialog box in Outlook has been redesigned to help users view more information on the screen at one time. The dialog boxes are completely resizable based on user preferences, making it possible to take advantage of today’s larger monitors. And, common commands have been made more prominent in the user interface.

The ability to add a picture to Contacts is one of the most frequently requested features from customers. With Outlook 2003, pictures can be added directly to the contact information, giving users the ability to associate a face with the name and other available information.

Bring relevant information to people’s fingertips

The Office 2003 Editions have created two new panes to bring relevant information to its users: the Document Recovery pane and the Research task pane. The Document Recovery pane safeguards users against the loss of data, while the Research task pane allows users to browse the Web for information within the program that they are working from.

Document Recovery pane

The Document Recovery pane in Microsoft Office PowerPoint® 2003, Word 2003, and Microsoft Office Excel 2003 helps prevent the loss of work when one of the programs encounters a problem and stops responding. The files that are listed in the Document Recovery pane can be opened, their repairs can be viewed, the files themselves can be compared, and one or all of the files can be saved. The listed files are clearly labeled as “original” and “recovered.” The Document Recovery pane allows users to connect with the temporarily lost information quickly and easily.

Each Microsoft Office program and Microsoft Internet Explorer (through an Office add-on) now includes a Research task pane that allows users to search for information through the Web or a corporate data source from directly within the program. Now users can access corporate data and work with their research information right alongside their reports, charts, and other documents.

Search results can be pulled into the document without switching programs, and through the use of Smart Tags, the data source can provide a variety of actions beyond the typical copy-and-paste of HTML that a Web search would accomplish. For example, a search against a corporate data source could provide the option to refine the search with additional parameters, insert the results as structured XML data into Excel, or present the information as a linked, refreshable XML document fragment from a content database.



Through the Research Library task pane, users can research the Web or corporate resources right alongside their documents.

Research task pane vs. ordinary Web searches

A Web search searches publicly available information and returns formatted text or, occasionally, documents as the results. The results are viewable in a browser only, not in any Office programs.

The Research task pane searches the Web as well, but it also searches numerous other sources that are not available to Web searches, including the following sources:

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  Subscription services such as Factiva, e-library, or Gale company profiles (a paid subscription is required for access)
  
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  Microsoft services such as dictionaries, thesauri, or the Microsoft Encarta® encyclopedia
  
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  Translation services through Microsoft partners
  
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  SharePoint Portal Server computers inside a company's firewall
  
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  Corporate databases inside a company’s firewall that have been provided with a Research Library front-end (either on the server or on the client), such as customer databases, sales data, product catalogues, or support databases
  

An SDK is available to developers to help them build their own research services or to put a research front-end on an existing data source. Many partner vendors are already preparing research front-ends for their server products and services.

Research Library closes the XML data loop by letting end users access all the data inside or outside an organization and reuse it within Office programs.

Research task pane tools

The Research task pane also includes basic resources such as a thesaurus and dictionaries in multiple languages (available even offline), as well as automated translation, and an encyclopedia on the Internet. If the user or corporation has signed up with third-party data service partners such as Factiva, eLibrary, and others, these are also searched, and the results are presented in the Research Library.

Looking up information by using the Research task pane is simple: hold the Alt key and click on a word in your document. Users can also right-click or use the menu or toolbar to open the Research task pane. It will appear with results even if it was not open when the search was initiated.

In Microsoft Outlook 2003, the Research task pane makes it easier to read foreign-language e-mail messages because a single click will provide a translation of a word, or the entire e-mail message, to the user’s native language. This is especially useful in multinational corporations where many users do not natively speak the predominant language.

Flexible information management technologies

In Office XP, Tablet PC users were able to download the Microsoft Office XP for Tablet PC (Tablet Pack) add-in to create Ink e-mail messages and to handwrite emails in Outlook. In Office 2003 Editions, Ink is integrated directly into the programs, allowing Ink users to use more functions and use Ink more effectively for annotating and drawing within their documents. Support for Ink has also been improved throughout the Office suite.

The following are some of the benefits of tighter Ink integration with Office 2003 Editions:

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  Handwriting within Office 2003 Editions programs. Users can treat their Outlook emails, Word documents, Excel worksheets, and PowerPoint slides as a piece of paper, making notes directly on top of the document or in the margins, sketching out ideas and saving them for later, without having to worry about supplemental software to accomplish the notation.
  
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  Two Ink toolbars. An Ink toolbar is available for drawing and writing, and another for annotations. Each provides a set of ballpoint pens, felt tip pens, and highlighters, enabling users to change the color and width.
  
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  Familiar interface. Other Ink features in the Office 2003 Editions use the same familiar interface that is found in the previous Tablet Pack.
  
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  Copy and paste. Users can copy and paste Ink objects between programs.
  

Document imaging in Outlook 2003 enables users to scan paper documents and convert them to digital images that can be stored on a hard disk, network server, CD, or DVD. Digital images can be saved in TIFF or MDI file formats.

Two components make up Document Imaging—the Scan component and the Imaging component. On the Office Start menu, these appear as Microsoft Office Document Scanning and Microsoft Office Document Imaging.

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  Office document scanning. Use the Scan component to make scanned documents available on the user's computer by using any installed scanner. The presets that control the scanner are optimized for specific purposes. Black and White produces the best results when scanning text; Color produces the best results when scanning pictures or artwork.
  
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  Optical character recognition. Optical Character Recognition (OCR) translates images of text into actual text character. By using OCR, users can manipulate text, search, or copy text to another program. For best results, use the Black and White preset for OCR.
  
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  Develop image-based custom programs. Users can insert images from the scanner into a Word document by using Office Document Scanning or by using the software that came with the scanner.
  
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  Annotate images. Users can annotate images easily for document sharing.
  
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  Office Document Image Writer. By using the Document Image Writer, users can view scanned documents on-screen, rearrange multiple-page documents with ease, select and work with OCR text, and annotate or send fax documents.
  

Users can change how pictures look by adjusting these settings and tools: brightness and contrast, color, crop, rotate and flip, red eye removal, and resize. After editing is complete, users can save the edits to the current file or keep the original file by exporting the changed picture to another file name or to another location.

After editing is complete, users may want to share them with a workgroup. Pictures can be sent in e-mail messages, or users can create a Windows SharePoint Services picture library for a rich collaboration experience. The SharePoint picture library offers simplified administration and role-based permission settings in addition to a unique picture-management model that enables users to download picture versions of any size or resolution, while efficiently storing the original pictures.

Shared pictures can be compressed to a file size that is the most efficient for the sharing medium. Smaller file sizes appear more quickly on Web pages and take up less disk space. If the user is sharing pictures in e-mail messages, smaller file sizes are sent more quickly.

Summary

Introduction

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 offers several new features to its users. These new features are individually described within the following sections.

Reading task pane

Using the Reading task pane reduces eyestrain and makes time spent reading e-mail messages more efficient by showing more of the message on the screen. The Reading task pane reduces scrolling and minimizes the need to open and manage many separate windows for different e-mail messages.



More of the message is visible with the Reading task pane.