Outlook is one of the most popular email clients in the world, with millions of users relying on it daily to manage their email messages. As a powerful tool for communication and organization, Microsoft Outlook offers a range of features and capabilities that can help streamline your workflow and boost productivity. However, even with its many benefits, some users may find themselves struggling to make the most of the platform. To help you get the most out of Outlook, we're providing you with five valuable tips and tricks that can help you maximize its potential.

1. Rules to automate your email workflow

Outlook's rules feature can save you time by automatically moving, deleting, or flagging emails based on certain criteria. For example, you can create a rule that automatically moves emails from your boss to a specific folder. But rules can do much more than that! You can also create rules that send automatic replies, mark emails as read or unread, and even play a specific sound when a new email message arrives in your Outlook inbox. To create a new rule, simply go to the Home tab, click Rules, and then click Create Rule.

2. Add-Ins to boost your productivity

With add-ins, you can boost your productivity even further. Add-ins can help you schedule emails, track email opens and clicks, or create custom signatures. And if you're looking to draft high-quality emails, check out MailMaestro. MailMaestro is an email tool that uses AI to help you draft professional and persuasive emails. With MailMaestro, you can choose your preferred writing tone and language for the email draft. Plus, it integrates seamlessly with Outlook, so you can use it to send messages directly from your email window.

3. Use the Focused Inbox Feature

If you receive a high volume of incoming mail, use the Focused Inbox feature in Outlook. This feature separates your inbox into two tabs: Focused and Other. The Focused tab displays emails that are deemed important based on your email usage patterns, while the Other tab displays the remaining emails. This allows you to prioritize and address the most important messages first, ensuring that you don't miss anything vital.Templates to reuse for common emails

4. Templates to reuse for common emails

   
   

If you find yourself repeatedly drafting similar emails, you can save time by creating a template. Outlook allows you to create and save email templates for future use. Simply compose an email template, with the content you want to reuse, then click File > Save As, and choose Outlook Template from the Save as type drop-down menu. Now, whenever you need to send a similar email, just open the email template, and customize it as needed.

Alternatively, MailMaestro has recently released a product update that includes prompt templates. These templates are designed to provide users with a prompt to generate an email, eliminating the need to come up with one themselves. After generating an email draft, you can copy the email and save it as a template which will save you time and ensure that your messages are consistent and professional.

5. Search to find emails quickly

Outlook's search feature is powerful by letting users search by keyword, sender, recipient, date, and more. This can save you time and help you find important emails quickly. But did you know that you can refine your search even further? Outlook's Advanced Find feature allows you to search for email messages with specific words in the subject line or body, attachments, categories, and more. You can even save your search criteria as a Search Folder for easy access later. To save you time and help you find important emails quickly, use search operators, such as "from:sender" or "subject:keyword," to refine your search even further. If you want to keep your inbox organized and free of redundant messages, you can also use the Clean Up feature to delete these redundant or duplicate emails.

6. Folders to organize your inbox

   
   

We know how overwhelming it can be to see a cluttered inbox with a mix of important and redundant messages. That's why we suggest using folders and subfolders to categorize your emails. This makes it easier for you to find specific emails and declutter your inbox. To make email management even easier, use Outlook's Quick Steps feature to perform multiple actions on an email message with just one click. For example, you can create a Quick Step that moves an email to a folder, flags it for follow-up, and sends a reply all in one go.

7. Calendar to manage your schedule

   
   

   
   

Outlook's calendar feature can help you keep track of your schedule and set reminders. You can even invite others to events and sync your Outlook calendar with other calendars, including Microsoft Teams. To get the most out of your calendar, make sure to set up your work hours and customize your work week. This will help Outlook automatically schedule events during your work hours and prevent scheduling conflicts. You can also use the Scheduling Assistant to check attendees' availability and find a suitable time for everyone.

By following these five outlook tips and tricks, you can maximize your use of Outlook and become more productive and efficient in your work. But don't stop here! Outlook is a powerful tool with many features and capabilities. Take some time to explore the different menus and options and see how you can customize Outlook to your specific needs. And, if you want to take your productivity to the next level, try MailMaestro today for free!