Outlook on MarkJacobsen.net

Outlook Email Snooze

Fri, 13 Mar 2015 17:55:00 +0000

If you’ve gotten used to apps that allow you to snooze your email (have it disappear from your inbox until the date you specify and then reappear) I just found this page which appears to be the perfect solution for implementing in Outlook.

Basically it consists of creating a custom view of your inbox w/ 2 filters set. One for Due Date not existing and the other where Due Date is on or before “Today”.

Hit up the full post for step by step instructions and screen shots.

Outlook Macros to Categorize and Archive Messages

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:22:39 +0000

If you’re still rockin’ Outlook 2007 and want to create some macros to categorize or archive your email, here’s some copy and paste code to have fun with…

Sub Archive()
 Call CommonCategorizeAndArchive(True, False, False)
End Sub

Sub Categorize()
 Call CommonCategorizeAndArchive(False, True, False)
End Sub

Sub CategorizeAndArchive()
 Call CommonCategorizeAndArchive(True, True, False)
End Sub

Sub Task()
 Call CommonCategorizeAndArchive(True, True, True)
End Sub

Private Sub CommonCategorizeAndArchive(archiveEm As Boolean, categorizeEm As Boolean, taskIt As Boolean)
 Dim olApp As New Outlook.Application
 Dim olItem As Object
 Dim olExp As Outlook.Explorer
 Dim olSel As Outlook.Selection
 Dim olArchive As Outlook.Folder
 Dim olTasks As Outlook.Folder
 Dim olNameSpace As Outlook.NameSpace
 Dim olTmpMailItem As Outlook.MailItem
 
 Set olExp = olApp.ActiveExplorer
 Set olSel = olExp.Selection
 Set olNameSpace = olApp.GetNamespace("MAPI")
 
 Set olArchive = olNameSpace.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox).Folders("@Archive")
 Set olTasks = olNameSpace.GetDefaultFolder(olFolderInbox).Folders("zTasks")

 For intItem = 1 To olSel.Count
 Set olItem = olSel.Item(intItem)
 olItem.UnRead = False
 
 If (categorizeEm = True) Then
 olItem.ShowCategoriesDialog
 End If
 
 If (archiveEm = True) Then
 olItem.Move olArchive
 End If
 
 If (taskIt = True) Then
 Set olTmpMailItem = olItem.Copy
 olTmpMailItem.Move olTasks
 End If
 Next intItem
End Sub

Inbox Zero – How I do it

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 09:19:35 +0000

Why is it that when I mention I have no email in my inbox or that I just delete email I get these looks and comments of complete disbelief? Probably my two favorite comments are “How can you possibly do that?” and “You must not do anything.”

Well, I’m here to tell you that you can do it and that you can actually get stuff done. While there are a ton of ways to do this and you might want to tweak your implementation a little bit, I’m going to give you a run down of how I do it.

Ok, so how do you go about implementing inbox zero? First, create a new folder (Outlook) or label (Gmail) called “_oldCrapCloggingMyInbox”. Second, move all the email in your inbox into “_oldCrapCloggingMyInbox”. There, don’t you feel better already?

Now, repeat after me…

Delete
Delegate
Do
Defer
Delete
Delegate
Do
Defer
Delete
Delegate
Do
Defer

Got it yet? No? One more time then…

Delete
Delegate
Do
Defer

Ok, those are the 4 questions you need to ask yourself (in that order) for every email. Now you’re going to start honing your “deleteability”. Seriously, don’t be afraid of deleting email (if you’re really paranoid, replace delete with archive”).

Can I just delete this? If so, delete it. It’s liberating isn’t it?

If you can’t delete it, can or should someone else be doing it? If so, send it on its way and delete it.

If it’s something you have to do you have a decision to make. If it’s something you can do in 2 minutes or less – do it! Then delete it! If you can’t do it in 2 minutes or less either put it on a task list or move it to a “Read Review” folder/label. Naturally, if you put it on a task list – delete it.

Doesn’t that feel so much better?

Now, this may feel a little weird and it will take some getting used to, but practice it over the next few weeks and see if it doesn’t feel great to have an empty inbox.

You might also want to watch the original presentation by Merlin Mann.

Questions? Still think I’m crazy? Sound off in the comments.