How to Use Microsoft Outlook for Project or Team Management

Turn emails into tasks and more

There are plenty of apps out there for managing projects and teams, from Kanban boards to collaboration applications. If you already use Microsoft Office, you can take advantage of many built-in features to keep yourself and your team organized in Outlook.

You can color-code emails and turn messages into tasks when project planning. If you work with a team, you can create and assign tasks and set up a group. For using these features along with others, here are several suggestions, tips, and steps for using Microsoft Outlook as a project management tool.

Categorize Incoming Emails

One of the simplest but most helpful features you can use when managing a project is color-coding your emails. Once you set up categories Outlook, you can assign them to emails which makes them stand out in your inbox. Additionally, you can create rules to automatically assign categories if you like.

You can create categories for what makes the most sense. Some suggestions include a category for each project, client, or department.

To assign a category to an email, do one of the following:

You’ll then see the category next to the email in your inbox as well as on top of the message in its own window.

Turn Emails Into Tasks

An especially helpful way to manage a project in Outlook is by turning emails into tasks. You may receive a request to update the project status for your stakeholders or send documents to a team member. By placing that message on your task list, you’ll have it at your fingertips to complete.

To quickly turn an email into a task, just do one of the following:

For additional options when turning an email into a task, you can use this next method instead.

Then, select the Outlook Tasks icon anytime to view your to-do list.

Create and Assign Tasks

Along with turning emails into to-dos for yourself, you can create tasks and assign them in Outlook. This is convenient if you decide to delegate a task rather than tackle it yourself or if you want to receive status reports for the task which can be sent with a click.

When they receive the task via email, they simply add it to their own task list.

They can use theStatusandPercent Completefields on the task as they progress through it and can selectSend Status Reporton theTasktab to provide you with an updated status via email.

Set Up a Contact Group

When you’re working with a team, creating a distribution list, or contact group, saves you time. Rather than add every team member to an email, calendar event, or task, you simply add the group.

To use the group you created in the address line of an email or as invitees for an event, start typing the name of the group and pick it from the suggestions or use theTobutton to locate and select the group.

While you canset up a specific group calendar in Outlook, you may want to simplyshare your own calendar. This is helpful for a team member who acts as your backup or co-manager for your projects.

Your recipient should receive an email that you’re sharing a calendar with them. They can accept to see your calendar in their Outlook calendar list.

Manage Your Folders

Folders in Outlook are just like those you use on your computer; they give you simple ways to organize your items. You have a few great ways to manage Outlook folders for your project or team.

Open theFolder Paneon the left side of your inbox. You can then expand an account, if you have more than one, to view all folders within it.

Considercreating a folderfor each project or one for every client or team member to keep everything organized.

Right-click an account or current folder, chooseNew Folder, and give it a name.

If you have a parent folder with many subfolders, you can find the one you need quickly by sorting them. Right-click the parent folder and selectSort Subfolders A to Z.

TheFavoritessection sits at the top of your Folder Pane. When you collapse that pane, you can see your Favorites in the bar along the left. Both of these give you fast access to frequently-used folders.

Either right-click the folder and pickAdd to Favoritesor drag the folder to the Favorites section at the top of the Folder Pane.

You can display the total number of unread items for a folder right on that folder in the pane. This is handy if you send emails to folders automatically because you can spot new messages quickly.

If you prefer to see all items, chooseShow total number of itemsinstead.

Automate Common Actions

As mentioned above, you can perform automatic actions in Outlook. This includes moving emails to folders,forwarding messages, and marking items with importance. Each of these can not only help you stay on top of your inbox but your project or team as well.

We have a complete guide tocreating rules in Outlookon Windows, Mac, and the web you can check out, so here, we’ll look at one example that’s helpful for project management. You can automatically move emails to a folder as mentioned above. Plus, instead of creating the rule from scratch, you can base it on an email you’ve received.

Another wonderful automation tool in Outlook is called Quick Steps. With Quick Steps, you can perform an action on an email with a single click. As you can imagine, this is a huge time-saver.

You can set up Quick Steps for things like moving, categorizing, or forwarding an email. As an example, we’ll set up a Quick Step to flag an email for follow up tomorrow.

To use your Quick Step, select the email, go to theHometab, and choose it in theQuick Stepsbox or right-click, move toQuick Steps, and pick it in the pop-out menu.

That’s all there is to it. You’ve just flagged an email for follow-up tomorrow with just one click.

Hopefully these suggestions have you on your way to managing your next new project or even your team in Outlook. For even more, look athow to add Microsoft Teams to Outlookfor a simpler way to join or schedule meetings.

Sandy Writtenhouse is a freelance technology writer and former Project, Department, and Program Manager. She turned her education, job experience, and love of technology into a full-time writing career. With all sorts of gadgets in her home and her hands, she seeks to help others make life easier through technology.Read Sandy’s Full Bio

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How to Use Microsoft Outlook for Project or Team Management#

Categorize Incoming Emails#

Turn Emails Into Tasks#

Create and Assign Tasks#

Set Up a Contact Group#

Share a Calendar#

Manage Your Folders#

Automate Common Actions#