If you don't care for the To-Do folder showing flagged messages and only want to see Tasks, you can create a custom view that hides everything except tasks.
You can use this method on the To-Do Bar's Task list, however, only one view is supported so you can't switch between views as you can in other folders. If you want to use different views you need to keep editing this filter or view the To-do list in the Task module, where you can create as many custom views as needed.
Note: You can't delete the To-Do list folder or set the Tasks folder as default when opening the Tasks module unless you use VBA. See Always use Tasks, not Outlook's To-Do List for a code sample.
You'll use the Filter dialog’s Advanced tab, using Message Class, contains, task (or ipm.task) to show only task items.
To hide completed tasks, add Date Completed, does not exist. You can also add Flag Completed date, does not exist although this isn't necessary since you are hiding all non-task items.
- Click on the row of field names
- Choose Custom... from the bottom of the menu
- Click the Filter button
- Switch to the Advanced tab
- Type Message class in the field, or select it from the Field drop down
- Leave 'contains' as the Condition
- Type task in the Value field. (Or IPM.Task)
- To hide completed items, add Date Completed does not exist to the filter.
- Click Ok and return to Outlook
Date Filter
To create a filter by date, open the filter dialog and switch to the Advanced tab.
- Click the Field drop-down button and select from the Date/Time fields.
- Choose the Due date field.
- As the Condition, choose "on or before".
- In the Value field, type "3 weeks from now" (without the quotes) or even "now + 3 weeks"
You can also use a formula such as NOW(3*WEEK(()), but many natural language phrases and simple formulas will work just as well and don't require even basic knowledge of SQL.Filter
Video tutorial to create a filter to show only tasks due within the next 30 days
Filter the To-Do List Tutorial
More Information
- You can use the same method on the To-Do Bar task list.
- You can select Message class field from any of the 'All [item type]' lists.
Somehow, the view for Tasks in the To-Do bar is pointing to the "Completed" view. How can I change it back to the "To-Do List" view?
Right click on the fields names and edit the view - View Settings - is Reset View clickable? That should fix it.
Thankyou - so many sites provided similar information but failed to mention that you had to repeat this for each view of tasks.
Dear Diane,
I have Task folder and few task subfolders. How to make my instant search does seek for tasks in all the folders and not only within folder I am currently in?
Thank you too. May be you have an idea for the following problem too? I have also a second mailbox with flaged emails. In the tasks view I managed to filter the to do list in order to show me only my tasks. Now I would like to have this tasks on the bottom of my calendar view (showing the work week) for each day. But here again, all flaged emails from the other mailbox are shown and I can't find a menue to set another filter. Thanks in advance for our advice!
Sorry, that task list has limited filters - or more accurately, one filter - show completed. The task link in the to-do list is the only one you can filter.
Thank you! It worked perfectly.
Thank you for the filtering tip! did exactly what I wanted.
I would like to modify the way Tasks - Table style prints. Widen the subject field, show Due Date, Folder only for example. Are you aware of any way for a layperson to do this edit? Thanks!!
Table style should print what is on the screen- remove the fields from the screen (or create a custom view for printing) then print it.
Thank you ! Very useful.