Part 2: Messaging in Visual Basic .NET

Maker QR Code ISO/IEC18004 in Visual Basic .NET Part 2: Messaging

If the default search folders don t suit your needs, you can create your own with the criteria and included folders that locate the messages you want. To create a search folder, right-click the Search Folder branch and choose New Search Folder to open the New Search Folder dia log box (see Figure 8-3).

8

There are several predefined search folders, and you can easily create a custom search folder by choosing one from the list. If the search folder you select requires specifying additional criteria, click the Choose button to open a dialog box in which you specify the criteria. Then, in the New Search Folder dialog box, select an account from the Search Mail In drop-down list to search that account. If the predefined search folders won t do the trick, choose Create a Custom Search Folder and then click Choose to open the Custom Search Folder dialog box to specify a custom criteria for the search folder, search folder name, and folders to include.

Outlook allows you to flag a message to draw the recipient s attention to the message. Perhaps you re sending a message to an assistant, who needs to follow up on the message by a certain day the following week. In that case, you would flag the message for follow-up and specify the due date. When your assistant receives the message, the flag appears in the message header, as shown in Figure 8-4. New in Microsoft Outlook 2003 is the addition of six flag types, compared to just one in pre vious versions. You can choose from one of six colored flags each time you flag an item. These different colors can represent different priorities or actions, according to whatever scheme suits you. You can use these different colors to organize your flagged items. 218

A flag gives you a means of including additional information or instructions with a message. The information stands out more if you include the flag text in the header rather than in the body of the message, where it might be overlooked. Perhaps most important, the flag can set a reminder on the recipient s system to help ensure that your instructions, whatever they are, are carried out. For example, if you want the recipient to phone you by a specific date regard ing the message, the reminder will appear on the recipient s system at the appropriate time (assuming that he or she uses Outlook). Outlook provides several predefined flag messages, or you can create your own message. Use the following steps to flag a message you send:

Follow Up button on the form s Standard toolbar. Either action displays the Flag For Follow Up dialog box, shown in Figure 8-5.

8

Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Inside Out Note The Actions menu is unavailable in the message form if you use Word as your e-mail editor.

By drop-down list, which opens a calendar you can refer to. Alternatively, you can enter a date, day, time, or other information as text in the Due By box.

8

Reminders don t work for flagged messages you have moved Incoming messages typically go in the Inbox folder, and the same is true for flagged mes sages. Outlook displays reminders for flagged messages as long as those messages reside in the Inbox. However, if a flagged message is moved to another folder, either man ually or by a message rule, Outlook won t display the reminder at the designated time. If you must move flagged messages, try to move them to a common folder so that they ll be easier to spot. Or you might create a rule that assigns them a High priority level, which will give you a further visual clue when you re searching for flagged messages.