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Receiving and Reading a Message
When Outlook receives messages, it stores them in your Inbox folder. The
number next to the word “Inbox” in the Folder list tells you how many
messages are waiting for you. If there is no number, you have no new messages.
When you click the Inbox folder in the folder list, the contents of the
folder are displayed on the upper, right portion of the window, which is called
the Message List pane. The Message List pane shows the subject and author of the
messages in the Inbox. If a message header is bold, that message has not yet
been read. If the message header is not bold, the message has been opened.
The lower right portion of the screen is called the Message Contents pane,
and it shows you a preview of the message selected in the Message List pane.
This feature allows you to scan the message contents to see if and when to read
that message. To preview the contents of another message, just click another
message header in the Message List pane.
There are several other options for viewing messages available on the View
menu, including viewing messages by sender, by conversation topic (for
discussion lists), and with AutoPreview. To change views, click View, point to
Current View, and then select an option.
To receive and read messages
- Make sure Outlook is open.
- If you are always connected to the network and the Internet connection,
any messages sent to you are automatically received to your Inbox folder,
and, if you have new messages, an envelope icon appears in the taskbar.
or
Click Send And Receive. Your computer connects to the Internet connection
and tries to retrieve your messages to your Inbox folder. (It also sends any
messages in your Outbox folder.)
- In the Folder list, click your Inbox folder. (If it has a number next to
it, you have new or unread messages.) New and unread messages appear in bold
in the Message List pane.
- To read a new message, click it in the Message List pane. The contents of
the message are displayed in the Message Contents pane.
- Double-click the message in the Message List pane to open the message in
its own window.
- To open an attachment, double-click its file icon.
- When you are finished, you can close the message, and it remains in that
folder.
You can also do other tasks with the message, such as delete it, reply to it,
or save it to another location on your computer or the network. For information
on these and other options, see the documentation that came with Outlook, the
online Help, or ask the Office Assistant.
To Read Messages
- Double click on the message you wish to open.
or
Preview the message by clicking once on the message and viewing it in the
Preview pane.
- Reply to the sender of the message by clicking on the Reply button on the
toolbar.
or
Click Reply to All on the toolbar to send your reply to everyone in the
original message list.
or
Send the message to someone else by clicking on the Forward button on the
toolbar.
- Once you have chosen to whom the message is going to be sent, simply type
in your reply and click the Send button.
[ Sending Email ] [ Reading Email ] [ Replying ] [ Signatures ] [ Attachments ] [ Out of Office Assistant ] [ Organize Button ] [ Recalling Messages ] [ Finding Email ] [ Rules Wizard ]
