For some years now MS Outlook is the standard Mail-program in the offices world-wide and also email traffic at home is increasingly steered with Outlook. The advantages are clear: Outlook merges E-mails from all accounts, which one created in over 10 years of Internet and represents them uniformly. But Outlook is much more than a simple E-mail program with date and address administration. It is a PIM, a personal information manager. Almost every kind of information can be administered, searched, linked with Outlook and exchanged with others by E-mail - including contact and time management.

Where the first Outlook version, published in 1997, was not completely developed, this changed suddenly in 1998. With Outlook 98 Microsoft delivered a round E-mail program. With Outlook 2000 Microsoft built a strong foundation for further Outlook versions. In Outlook 2000 all errors of the predecessors were eliminated and the function range was again extended. The versions Outlook XP and Outlook 2003 followed. This versions continued to strengthen the employment of Outlook as the standard E-mail program. But Microsoft would not be Microsoft, if not still another ASS was hidden in their sleeves. With Outlook 2007 Microsoft set new standards. The current Outlook version captivates with a new, improved user surface and many new features.

More than a Facelift for Outlook 2007

Microsoft filled Outlook 2007 with a quantity of innovations. These refer not only on the optics of the program, but also particularly separate on topics such as functionality and security. The navigation border well-known from Outlook 2003 is now called mini bar and was equipped with new, helpful functions. It ´s now possible to open the navigation border by mouse click and to create colored groupings.

With the functions of the mini bar element the user is able to create an additional file-spreading system like a project folder, which helps to organize the several groups. Each group can contain as many Outlook files (E-mail, tasks, contacts etc.) as desired from every Outlook memory (personal files, official files or Exchange of p.o. boxes). So it´s possible, to organize all tasks, contacts and folders  in one group. Particularly the new function, which allows the user to plan and steer several, parallel calendars at the same time, is very helpful to lighten project organizations. The calendars can now also be deposited with colors and are thereby better distinguishable.

The task list was also revised and now indicates dates and tasks. The interactive control makes it possible for users to edit entries and to add or delete them. Additional background colors for categories provide a simple organization of the messages. With only a few clicks the user has the ability to convert an E-mail into a task, which is then indicated in the calendar overview. If those tasks get not settled in time, Outlook shifts them automatically on the next day´s schedule.

Outlook 2007 centers itself again on its main task, the message handling. So now you´re not only able to subscribe to newsgroups but also to RSS feeds. Outlook offers also a preview of email attachments, without opening the attachments separately. This function works already with many applications and formats. As an additional safety feature only attachments from trustworthy classified senders are considered for the preview.