Who likes color? Make important Microsoft Outlook email stand out!
Read further and I’ll tell you how to color code email in your inbox and folders by creating folder views.
How great would it be if you could pre-format your email, making it easier to spot the important email? For example: Email from the boss: Red and Big. Email regarding the budget: Green. Current project email: Blue and Big. You get the picture.
Here are the basic steps
1. Create a new view, or modify an existing view
2. Add conditional formats to the view
3. Select your amazing new view
4. Gaze happily at your accomplishments
Open up Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2013
Step 1: Create a new view
Select the ‘VIEW‘ tab
Then select ‘Change Views‘ →’Manage Views…‘
Next copy select ‘Current View Settings‘ then click ‘Copy‘ (or select any other view you wish to copy)
To finish creating the new view, give the new view a name and click ‘OK‘
Now for Step 2 where you will add the filter criteria for the conditional format
Click ‘Conditional Formatting…‘
Now we can add the filter. This is where you enter the rule to identify the email you want to automatically format.
Click the ‘Add…‘ button and name the new rule (e.g. Boss, Mary, Special Project, Bob)
After typing the conditional format rule name, click the ‘Condition…‘ button
Complete the fields on the ‘Messages‘ tab and the ‘More Choices‘ tab (start with a simple rule using only one criteria such as a From… email address or perhaps with specific words in the subject line) Click ‘OK‘ when you are finished
Next we can apply the formatting by clicking the ‘Font…‘ button
Go ahead, go crazy. We can make changes later.
Click on all the ‘OK‘ buttons that are presented to you.
Step 3: Finally, select your new view with ‘Change View‘ on the ‘VIEW‘ tab.
Switch back to the Compact view if you want to see your email in the default font. Create as many views as you wish and perhaps in addition to Conditional Formatting… use the Group By… Sort… and Filter… options as well for more great views.
By the way, if you have regrets after tinkering with the default views of Outlook, you can always use the ‘Reset View’ button.
Custom views can be built in Outlook Email, Calendar, Tasks and Contacts. Now you too can be a View Master.
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