Exchange Messaging Outlook Volume 13, Number 30

Using "Boilerplate text" Templates

Many users who need to send out a standard reply on a regular basis save a copy to Drafts then try to figure out ways to reuse the draft. While this is not the best method for reusing boiler plate messages, if you choose to do it this way, copy the draft (select it, Ctrl+C, S) and use the copy. You could also use Autotext (Quick Parts in 2007) to insert blocks of text. However, as easy to create a template and they work well for larger blocks of text.

Many people don't like to use templates because it takes too many steps to get to the template: Tools, Forms, Choose Forms, Look in User Templates. It doesn't have to be that hard--you can store the templates in Outlook so the templates are always handy and always with you (when you use Exchange or copy the PST to a new computer). You can also open simple boiler plate type templates with a double click directly from the Windows file system but more complex templates, with custom fields and properties need to be opened using the Tools, Forms menu to work properly. Outlook will warn you if this is the case.

To use Templates: Create the message - in Outlook 2003 and older you need to use the Outlook editor or choose Actions, New message using Outlook in order to save as a template. Save it using the File, Save as menu and select template file type (*.oft). This will default to the template location, usually a folder deep in your file system (in Vista, its C:\Users\user\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Templates\) . Change this to My Documents or other location that is easy to find and save. Open Windows Explorer and locate the template then drag n' drop it into a folder in Outlook. You can drop it in Drafts or create a Template folder. I like to use one called .Template - the dot puts it at the top of my folder list so I can find it quickly.

Another option is publishing forms to any folder in Outlook. When you do this, the form is listed on the Actions menu when you are in that folder. To use this method, look on Tools, Forms, Publish this form as and select a folder (in Outlook 2007, show the Developer tab to see Publish.) There are some issues with published forms and unless there is code used in the form (which requires publishing) or you use Exchange's organization forms library, a template is recommended.

If you prefer to use a tool to insert boilerplate text, the following utilities offer hotkey insertion. Additional utilities are listed at http://www.slipstick.com/addins/mail_compose.asp 

Quick Text Hotkeys Add-In
http://www.sperrysoftware.com/Outlook/Quick-Text-Hotkeys.asp 

ActiveWords (Windows utility)
http://www.activewords.com/ 

Email Templates
http://www.emailtemplates.com/ 

Compress Fri/Sat into one Calendar cell

Every now and again someone asks how to compress Fri/Sat into a "weekend" in Outlook's Monthly calendar or the Week calendar. This is often someone who doesn't work a normal Monday to Friday work week and wants their calendar to match their work week.

Yes, it is possible, if you have right-to-left language support installed in Windows. (Control panel, Regional and Language settings). Once you do this, go to Tools, Options, Calendar Options and set the work days in Outlook to Sunday-Thursday and the start of the week to Sunday. You can use this method to compress any two days as a "weekend" by changing the first day of the week and checking the first 5 days as your work days.

This works in any version of Outlook except Outlook 2007, which doesn't support compressed weekends or the Week calendar.

Office Suite Licensing Reminder

This time of year we see a lot of ads for special deals on Microsoft Office suites. If you're using Office for business proposes, you need the Standard, Professional or Ultimate suite, or individual applications. The Home and Student suite and "Ultimate steal" pricing is for student and non-commercial use only.

Although the Home and Student version does not include Outlook, it is a good deal for families with multiple computers, as it offers three non-commercial user licenses for the household.

Through the Ultimate Steal promotion, qualified college students can purchase Office 2007 Ultimate for $60 or Vista Ultimate for $65 (US prices). For more information or to order, see
http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-us/default.aspx