Technology How To

Find the Task List
Open Outlook.
“Tasks” may already be visible in the lower left corner.  If it’s not…

1. Click on the double arrow.
2. Highlight Add or Remove Buttons
3. Choose Tasks
4. If it’s still not showing, you may also need to choose Show More Buttons.

Add a Task

Do one of the following… Click on the Tasks button in the lower left and click inside the blank that says “Click here to add a new Task” From any part of Outlook, choose the arrow next to New (upper left) and choose Task (if you’re in Tasks this is the default) Press Ctrl + Shift + K Use the New Task shortcut that you can add to your Desktop or Quick Launch toolbar

Does an email or calendar item contain a task?  Just drag the email/event to the task folder and Outlook will create a new task with the subject as subject and will add the email text (or event details) in the note area.  You can customize the text after it’s added.  The item in your email/calendar does not change.

Anatomy of a Task

Subject: This is the part that will appear in your complete list.  This is also the only required element.  This author uses the “…” convention to remind herself that there are more details in the notes area.
Start Date and Due Date: Fill in if necessary.
Reminder: Check the box and set a time if you want a reminder.  This acts the same way as Calendar reminders.
Status: Not Started is the default setting.  The only other Status this author uses is “Waiting on someone else.”
Priority: Normal is the default setting.  This author uses “High” sparingly and “Low” frequently.
Notes area: Write as little or as much as you want.  This author takes care to list where documents pertinent to the task are stored (e.g. email, library2, paper file, userdata).
Categories: You may assign one or more categories to an item.  Outlook has some pre-made categories or you can create your own.
Note: One category list is used for all Outlook features.  If you want to delete one of Outlook’s categories, make sure you’re not using it in the Contacts or Notes.
Private: If you share your Task list with another person, be sure to check this box if the task is confidential.

Some suggestions for categories

1andDone – when you need the sense of accomplishment that making your task list shorter can provide.
QuickFillers – tasks that can be worked on in very brief segments.
WandaConsult – flag items to ask a boss/colleague about.
@RefDesk, Non-ComputerWork, VoyagerDown – flag tasks for special situations or contexts. 
Someday/Maybe – Good ideas that you want to hold onto, but don’t plan on working on in the near future.

Add or Delete Categories from the Master List

1. Open an item.
2. Click Categories…
3. Click Master Category List…
4. Highlight an existing Category to delete it, or type in the box to add a new Category.

 

Printing a Task or the Task List

1. Select the task(s) you want to print.  Hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple tasks.
2. Choose File>Print…

• If you choose Table Style, each task will print on a single line and multiple tasks will fit on one page.  The notes area will not print.
• If you choose Memo Style, each task will print on a separate piece of paper, but the notes area will print.

 

Online Access
Tasks are also available on the Exchange server (https://mobileumail.wfu.edu/exchange/).  You can add and delete tasks, but other features are limited or not available.

Managing the Task List in Outlook 2003
By default, you view all tasks and an Outlook-defined list of columns.  Outlook will show whichever view you had open most recently.  Change the “Current View” to arrange tasks differently.  This author generally uses either “Active Tasks” or “By Category.”

Filtering the Task List
You can use filters so only certain tasks are viewable. 

1. Under Current View, choose Active Tasks.
2. Click Customize Current View…
3. Choose Filter.

Example: Filter out Someday/Maybe Tasks

1. Choose the Advanced Tab.
2. Choose Fields>Frequently-used fields>Categories
3. Under Condition, select “doesn’t contain”
4. Under Value, type “Someday/Maybe”
5. Click Add to List.
6. Click OK.

 

Even if you filter out a task, it can still be retrieved using the Find window or by choosing another view from the left panel.

Sorting the Task List

Under Current View, choose Active Tasks. Click Customize Current View… Choose Sort. Make your choices and click OK.

This author sorts by:

1. Priority Descending (i.e., High to Low)
2. Start Date Ascending
3. Status Ascending
4. Subject Ascending

Clicking on a column (e.g. Subject) will sort the tasks by that column and undo your custom sort.  If you have an elaborate sort, document it somewhere (such as the Outlook Notes feature).

Choosing Columns for the Task List

1. Under Current View, choose Active Tasks.
2. Click Customize Current View…
3. Choose Fields…
4. Use the arrows to add or remove columns from your view, or to reorder the columns.

Sharing the Task List

1. Choose Share My Tasks…
2. Choose Add…
3. Pick out the person from the list and click OK.
4. In the Permissions area, check off the permissions you’re comfortable assigning to that other person and click OK.

If someone has shared their task list with you, click Open Shared Tasks… and choose their name.  Now the person’s name will always show in the left panel.

Sorts and Filters you place on the other person’s task list will not affect how they view their own task list.