1. Creating Tasks
If you use your Outlook task list to its fullest potential,
you'll frequently add tasks to it. You can create one-time or
recurring tasks from scratch in different ways, or you can add an
existing Outlook item (such as a message) to your task list.
Regardless of how or where you create a task, all tasks are available
in the Tasks module and in the To-Do Bar Task List. Only individual
tasks are available in the Tasks List.
Tip
Another way to add a task to your list is by accepting an
assigned task.
You can attach files to task items, and you can include text,
tables, charts, illustrations, hyperlinks, and other content in the
task window content pane by using the same commands you use in other
Outlook item windows and in other Microsoft Office 2010 programs, such
as Microsoft Word. You can also set standard Outlook item options such
as recurrence, color categories, reminders, and privacy.
Tip
You can maintain multiple task lists by creating folders to
contain task items.
Creating Tasks from Scratch
You can create a task item from scratch by using one of
several methods.
In the Tasks module:
-
Click the New Task button on the Home tab, enter the task
details in the task window that opens, and then save and close
the task. -
When you display your To-Do List, enter the task
description in the Type A New Task box at the top of the list,
and then press Enter to create a task with the default
settings. -
When you display your Tasks List, enter the task description in the
Click Here To Add A New Task box, press Tab to move to
subsequent fields, fill in other information, and then press Enter.
Tip
The fields available in the Tasks List vary based on the
list view you're displaying.
In any module:
-
Click the New Items button on the Home tab and then, in the
list, click Task. -
In the To-Do Bar, enter the task description in the Type A
New Task box at the top of the To-Do Bar Task List.
From any view of the task list, you can assign the task to a
category, change the due date, add a reminder, mark the task as complete,
or delete the task entirely. To access these commands, right-click
the task name, category, or flag, and then click the option you
want.
Tip
By default, Outlook doesn't automatically set a reminder for
tasks as it does for calendar items. You can turn on
reminders from the Outlook Options dialog box.
When you create a task item, the only information you must
include is the subject. As with many other types of Outlook items,
you can set several options for tasks to make it easier to organize and identify
tasks.
-
Start date and due
date You can display tasks on the various Outlook task
lists on either the start date or the due date. The color of the
task flag indicates the due date. -
Status
You can track the status of a task to remind
yourself of your progress. Specific status options include Not
Started, In Progress, Completed, Waiting On Someone, or
Deferred. You also have the option of indicating what percentage
of the task is complete. Setting the percentage complete to 25%,
50%, or 75% sets the task status to In Progress. Setting it to
100% sets the task status to Complete. -
Priority
Unless you indicate otherwise, a task is created
with a Normal priority level. You can set the priority to add a
visual indicator of a task's importance. Low priority displays a
blue downward pointing arrow and High priority displays a red
exclamation point. You can sort and filter tasks based on their
priority. -
Recurrence
You can set a task to recur on a regular basis;
for example, you might create a Payroll task that recurs every
month. Only the current instance of a recurring task appears in
your task list. When you mark the current task as complete,
Outlook creates the next instance of the task. -
Category
Tasks use the same category list as other Outlook
items. You can assign a task to a category to associate it with
related items such as messages and appointments. -
Reminder You can set a
reminder for a task in the same way you do for an appointment.
The reminder appears until you dismiss it or mark the task as
complete. -
Privacy
Marking a task as private ensures that other
Outlook users to whom you delegate account access can't see the
task details.
None of the options are required, but they can be helpful to
you when sorting, filtering, and prioritizing your tasks.
Creating Tasks from Outlook Items
You frequently need to take action based on information you
receive in Outlook—for example, information in a message or in a
meeting request. You might want to add information from another
Outlook item to your task list, to ensure that you complete any
necessary follow-up work.
Depending on the method you use, you can either create a new
task from an existing item or simply transfer the existing item to
your task list by flagging it.
To create a new task from a message, contact, or note:
This method opens a task window that already has information
filled in from the original item. You can change settings, add
information and attachments, assign the task to other people, and so
on.
To transfer an existing e-mail message to your task list
without creating an individual task:
-
Click the flag icon to the right of a message in the Mail
pane. This method, referred to as flagging a message
for follow-up, adds the message to your task lists
with the default due date specified in the Quick Click settings,
and adds an information bar to the message. However, it does not
create a separate task item, so to retain the task, you must
retain the message—you can move the message between mail
folders, but deleting the message deletes the task as
well. -
Right-click the flag icon to the right of a message in the
Mail pane, and then specify a due date: Today, Tomorrow, This Week, Next Week,
No Date, or Custom (which allows you to set specific start and
end dates).
Tip
Flagged messages appear on your task list under the
default due date header. You can change the default due date
either by setting the Quick Click flag in the Outlook Options dialog
box or by right-clicking the flag and then clicking Set Quick
Click. In the Set Quick Click dialog box, click the due date
you want to appear by default, and then click OK.
-
Drag the message to the To-Do Bar Task List and drop it
under the heading for the due date you want to assign it to. (If
the desired due date doesn't already have a heading in the To-Do
Bar Task List, you need to drop the message under another
heading and then assign the due date you want.) This method also
adds the message to your task list but doesn't create a separate
task item.
You can flag a contact record for follow-up by clicking the
contact record in the Contacts pane and then clicking the Follow-Up
button in the Tags group on the Home tab.
If you frequently want to create message-based tasks with special settings, such as a task with the
original message attached to it, with specific follow-up settings or
categories, and with specific assignments, you can create a Quick
Step to accomplish all of these steps with one click.
Note
If you didn't
create those messages, you can do so now, or you can substitute
any messages in your Inbox. Display your Inbox, and expand the
To-Do Bar if it is minimized. Locate the SBS Tradeshow Schedule
message, and then follow the steps.
-
In the message list, to the right of the
SBS Tradeshow Schedule message,
click the transparent Quick Click
flag.
The Quick Click flag changes from transparent to red, and
a task named SBS Tradeshow Schedule appears
in the Today category on your To-Do Bar Task List.
Tip
For the purposes of this exercise, we assume that you
haven't yet created other tasks and Today is the only due date
heading in the To-Do Bar Task List at this time.
-
In the To-Do Bar Task List,
point to the SBS Tradeshow
Schedule task.
A ScreenTip appears displaying the start date, reminder
time, due date, the folder in which the message appears, and any
categories assigned to the message.
Note
Troubleshooting The
appearance of buttons and groups on the ribbon changes
depending on the width of the program window or item window.
-
In the To-Do Bar Task List,
double-click the SBS Tradeshow
Schedule task.
The flagged message opens in a message window. The message
header indicates that you need to follow up on this message. The
start and due dates given are today's date.
-
Close the message window. -
In the message list, locate the SBS
First Draft message. Drag the message from the message
list to the To-Do Bar Task List,
and drop it under the Today
heading.
In the message list, the Quick Click flag in the right
margin of the SBS First Draft message changes from transparent
to red.
Tip
If you can't see all of your tasks, you can increase the height of the To-Do
Bar Task List by dragging the horizontal divider between the
calendar information and the task information upward.
-
In the To-Do Bar Task List,
right-click (don't click) the red flag to the right of the
SBS First Draft message.
Note
Troubleshooting Clicking
an active flag marks the item as complete in the Inbox, and
removes it from the To-Do Bar Task List.
A list of due date options appears and, because a task has
been activated, the Task List contextual tab appears on the
ribbon.
-
In the list, click This
Week.
Tip
Flagging a task for completion This Week or Next Week
sets the start date to the first working day of the specified
week and the due date to the last working day of the week. The
default work week is Monday through Friday but the start and
due dates reflect your own work week configuration.
A new This Week due date heading appears in the To-Do Bar
Task List with the message under the heading. In the message
list and in the To-Do Bar Task List, the Quick Click flag to the
right of the SBS First Draft message changes from red to light
pink.
Note
Troubleshooting If the
This Week heading doesn't automatically appear, click the
Today heading to refresh the list.
-
At the top of the To-Do Bar Task
List, click Type a new
task, enter SBS Order
Brochures, and then press Enter.
The new task appears in the Today section of the To-Do Bar
Task List. -
In the Navigation
Pane, click the Tasks
button.
The Tasks module opens, displaying your active tasks in
the To-Do List. The icon preceding each item in the list
indicates whether it is a standard task, a flagged e-mail
message, and so on. Message icons match those shown in the Inbox, indicating
whether the message is read or unread and whether you've replied
to or forwarded the message. -
In the To-Do List, click
the SBS Tradeshow Schedule
message.
The Reading Pane displays the flagged message
contents.
-
In the To-Do List, click
SBS Order Brochures.
The Reading Pane displays the task item contents. You
can't edit the task settings directly in the Reading
Pane.
-
At the top of the To-Do
List, click Type a new
task, enter SBS Dinner
Reservations, and then press Enter.
The task appears in the Today section of both the To-Do
List and the To-Do Bar Task List. -
In the To-Do
List, click the SBS Dinner
Reservations task. Then on the Home tab, in the Follow Up group, click Next Week.
In both task lists, the task appears under the Next Week
heading. In the Reading Pane, the due date changes to Friday of the next
week.
-
Double-click the SBS Dinner
Reservations task to open it in a task window. -
In the notes pane, enter the following sentence:
Confirm that the restaurant has a
private dining room available for the Board
Meeting.
As with other Outlook items, you can add many types of
content to the notes pane and format the text in the notes
pane.
-
On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click the Save & Close
button.
The task window closes. -
On the Home tab, in the New group, click the New Task
button.
An untitled task window opens. -
In the Subject box, enter
the following sentence:
SBS Send Dinner
Invitations. -
Click the Due
date arrow.
A calendar appears.
-
On the calendar, click the Tuesday of the next week (not of the
current week).
Tip
You can't assign to a task a due date that has already
passed.
-
Select the Reminder check
box, click the Reminder arrow,
and then in the calendar, click the Monday of the next week. -
In the notes pane, enter the following sentence:
Invite all Board members and their
spouses. -
In the Actions group, click
the Save & Close
button.
Outlook adds the task to your task list, and it appears in
the Next Week group in both the To-Do Bar Task List and the
To-Do List.
Note
CLEAN UP Retain the
SBS Order Brochures, SBS Dinner Reservations, and SBS Send Dinner
Invitations tasks, and the flagged SBS Tradeshow Schedule and SBS
First Draft messages, for use in later exercises.
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