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Naming and Effective Use of Outlook Flags

This week's Computing Tip provides users with an effective method to organize mail using colored flags in Outlook. Remember, if you have ideas for the Computing Tip of the Week,please send them to Pat Fellows.

This tip comes from Microsoft Office Online's "Help and How-to" tips. Images and more explanation has been added to provide users with a more helpful tip!

Naming and Effective Use of Outlook Flags!

Outlook provides users with 6 different colors of flags to use in organizing mail. By default all messages have a grayed out flag to the right of the message. To flag a message, click on the grayed out flag. The flag is Red by default. A second click on the flag will put a check mark in the flag box.

Here is where users can begin to organize messages using the flags. The color of the flag can be changed to Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue or Purple. To change the color, right click on the flag. A menu will appear that provides several options, including: changing the flag color, Flag Complete (check mark), Add Reminder, Clear Flag, and Set Default Flag (to a color other than Red). There is more information about how each of these options can be used in the CTOW, Creating Flags and Reminders in Outlook.

Creating Quick Flag Buttons on the Tool Bar

For users who rely heavily on using flags and have a text label for the different colors, adding buttons to the tool bar in Outlook can save time and help the user keep track of what each color-coded flag means. Creating a custom toolbar, and labeling each flag on the toolbar will accomplish this. Remember that the label added to the flag is only a label to remind you what to do, it does not add functionality to the flag.

Here are the steps:

1. In Outlook, right-click on the Standard toolbar (send/receive, reply, forward, etc are on this toolbar), and then click Customize.
   
   
   
2. On the Toolbars tab, click New , and then, after you name the toolbar, drag that toolbar to where you want it to be.
   
   
   
3. In the Customize dialog box, on the Commands tab, under Categories, click Actions, and then drag a flag to the new toolbar.
   
   
   
   Repeat this process until all the flags to be used in the labeling system are on the toolbar.
   
4. Right-click the flag in the new toolbar, and then on the shortcut menu, click Image and Text .
   
   
   
5. Right-click the flag again, and in the Name box, type the name for the flag, for example, Urgent .
   
   
   
   Repeat this until all flags are labeled.
   
   
   
6. Close the Customize dialog box.
   
7. To label a message, select the message and then click on the appropriate flag.