Outlook Productivity Tips for Lawyers: 3 Quick Steps to Boost Productivity

There are few apps attorneys spend extra time in than Outlook, so each little trick you’ll find to avoid wasting time and be extra environment friendly pays off. Listed here are three of Ben Schorr’s favourite Outlook productiveness ideas for attorneys.

Mastering the instruments you utilize nearly each hour of the day, like Outlook, Phrase and your case administration system, could make an enormous distinction in your legislation follow. Listed here are three of my favourite tricks to increase productiveness in Outlook.

Sidebar: I do know there’s traditional Outlook and new Outlook, however only a few attorneys I meet are utilizing new Outlook but, so the following tips are primarily for traditional Outlook.

1. Fast Steps for Flagging E-mail Comply with-Ups

Fast Steps are a method to package deal a number of actions (like transfer, categorize, or delete a message) right into a single motion you possibly can activate with a click on or keystroke. The error most individuals appear to make with them is making a Fast Step to do one thing that’s only one step to start with. A Fast Step that simply deletes a message, for instance, isn’t actually very helpful (you can simply press Delete in your keyboard).

Right here’s an instance that I discover very helpful — the truth is, I take advantage of it nearly daily.

When I’ve an electronic mail message awaiting a response, I wish to tag it as a message I’m ready on and flag it for follow-up. This fashion, I get a reminder if I haven’t heard something by a sure time.

Right here’s how I arrange the brand new Fast Step.

To begin with, I’ll discover Fast Steps on the Dwelling tab of the Ribbon in Outlook and choose Create New to create a brand new Fast Step.

Within the Edit Fast Step dialog that seems, I’ll title my Fast Step “Ready” and add my first motion to categorize the message. Since I’ve already created an Outlook Class referred to as “Ready,” I’ll choose Categorize message from the listing and select that “Ready” class.

(Word: If you have already got a number of Fast Steps, you won’t see Create New within the menu. Simply click on the massive Fast Steps button on the appropriate facet of the gallery to show it.)

Subsequent, I wish to add a second motion that provides a flag to the message for follow-up. From the menu, I select Flag Message for that motion and, below Select flag, I’m going to pick Subsequent Week.

Lastly, I wish to assign a keyboard shortcut to my Fast Step in order that I can set off it proper from the keyboard without having to make use of my mouse to seek out the button. I’ll choose the Select a shortcut dropdown and choose CTRL+SHIFT+1. Then I’ll click on End.

Now, every time I’m ready for a response to a message in any folder, together with Despatched Gadgets, I can simply press CTRL+SHIFT+1. That message will get categorized as “Ready,” it’ll get a little bit inexperienced flag, and will probably be added to my To Do listing for subsequent Friday. Subsequent Friday, I can resolve if I must observe up on that merchandise or not.

2. AutoArchive for Deleted Gadgets

Most of us aren’t good about cleansing out our Deleted Gadgets folder, and people messages can actually pile up. Fortunately, there’s an Outlook function that may assist:

AutoArchive. Proper-click the Deleted Gadgets folder and select Properties, then go to the AutoArchive tab of the dialog that seems.

The default is Don’t archive gadgets on this folder. Let’s change that! Choose Archive this folder utilizing these settings.

The very first thing to decide on is Clear out gadgets older than. You most likely need your Deleted Gadgets for a minimum of a couple of days, in case you unintentionally delete one thing you wish to get better, however choose a timeframe that works for you. (I set mine to 1 month).

Subsequent, within the radio buttons, choose Completely delete outdated gadgets. And choose OK to complete.

From then on, every time AutoArchive runs, gadgets which were within the Deleted Gadgets folder longer than that time frame will probably be mechanically purged.

Vital: AutoArchive works off the Modified date, not the Obtained date, and the merchandise may have been final modified if you deleted it. So, in case you’re questioning why one thing hasn’t been purged but, despite the fact that it seems outdated, that could be why.

Not Certain If/When AutoArchive Runs?

In Outlook, go to File > Choices > Superior > AutoArchive Settings. The very first merchandise on the dialog says whether or not AutoArchive runs mechanically and the way typically. I’ve mine set to run each three days. You’ll be able to set it to no matter is smart for you.

Wish to set off AutoArchive to run now?

Easy. In Outlook, go to File > Instruments > Mailbox Cleanup > AutoArchive.

3. Open in New Window

It’s not unusual to need your inbox and calendar — or possibly two totally different electronic mail folders — open on the similar time. To try this, open one in all them, then right-click on the opposite and choose Open in New Window.

Now you’ve received each of them open directly, so you possibly can see them facet by facet and work with them extra simply.

Sure, you can open a 3rd or fourth window in case you actually needed to.

By mastering these Outlook productiveness ideas for attorneys, you possibly can spend much less time managing electronic mail and extra time on consumer work.

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