A Beginner's Guide to
Microsoft Outlook 2007

Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 is building on the technology of Outlook from earlier versions.  Outlook is an email system that allows you to get emails from various senders, either at the home or office.  It also has functions for calendar and contacts that differ from the options you get from free email accounts.  You do have the same options within Outlook for protecting your computer from unwarranted intrusions.  Outlook has spam and phishing filters as well as a to do list and scheduling option.
Within MS Office Outlook 2007 you have message templates and the ability to access the internet while in email for surfing needs.  Outlook is a flexible program.  To help you learn the programme we have a guide below with pros and cons of Outlook, as well as a description of what the programme can do.  You have many of the same functions that any email host has, but with a lot more tasks available.

Pros of Outlook

When you are asking yourself why buy Outlook, these are the reasons you should come up with.  Outlook has the spam and phishing filters to keep your computer and emails safe from unwanted infiltrators.  It is also a very flexible programme offering you a way to organise your email, schedule, and contacts like no other programme.  Outlook can set up to do lists or schedule tasks for reminders when you need them.

Cons of Outlook

Outlook, when you first start, is not as easy as other email programmes.  There are several more options to get used to; however once you learn where everything is, Outlook is the best.  You can offer flags and folders in the programme such as not read or email folders.  Unfortunately it will take a bit of time to learn how.  Outlook doesn’t have too many message templates, but it will have a few to help you out.

What does Outlook 2007 include?

We’ve looked at what the programme is and the pros and cons.  Let’s look at the specifications of Outlook.  You have the ability to manage multiple POP, IMAP, Exchange, MSN, and Hotmail accounts all from Outlook.

Outlook has the filters and ways to organise, label, and find messages.  You can create special folders in outlook by clicking in the folders area and selecting the area to create new.  By creating new folders you can do better searches within the programme when you need to find something.
You also have a junk mail folder to have messages automatically placed in that area.  You no longer have to look at the spam in your regular folder.

Outlook can also support S/MIME email encryption and IRM access control to help protect your messages as they are sent.  In fact you can forward emails or reply just like any other programme.
You can even preview Outlook attachments before you download them rather than opening a new page.
Now that you know what the programme entails, let’s look at a couple of helping hints to get you through the initial setup of Outlook on your computer.

Email account setup

For Email account setup you will need to open the Outlook programme on your computer.  If this is the first time it has been opened it may prompt you to set up an account without launching the programme.  However, if you need to you can go to the tools section in the Ribbon on Outlook.  Under tools is ‘account settings.’  This function will then allow you to click new.  In the new section you will need to ‘add new email account.’  Then you can set the program to do a manual configuration for the server.  Once you have entered in the personal information it asks for you will need to click next.

You need to make sure that ‘internet email’ is selected in the next section.  Then you can select next.  Once this process goes to the next screen you will need to choose more settings.  In this area you can set the programme for account type, security and all other needs regarding the email set up.
The next step will be the outgoing server.  You need to select on ‘my outgoing server authentication.’  Then ‘use same settings as incoming.’  The next part of the set up will be the advanced tab.  This allows you to enter 993 for the IMAP and 587 for the SMTP.  These are the port numbers.  You can then select the ‘server timeouts’ option and the root folder path, which should be ‘mail’.  Click okay then add new account.  Select next and then finish. 

Basics of using Outlook 2007

You are now ready to use the computer Outlook programme for sending and receiving emails.  You have to do the setup or else you will not be able to use the programme.  Generally you have to pay for the Outlook service in order to use it as an email.  So you will also need to create an account with Outlook software to use as your email and password.  Again the prompts can help you with this.
The best way to figure out what MS Outlook can do is by experimenting with the tabs and using the help button when you have a question.  The help button will be a question mark in the upper right corner.  You can usually find out how to set up the account as well as how to set tasks in the calendar if you run into snags.