Article URL: http://www.bc.edu/helpdocs/EM-useoutlook001.shtml

Summary:  Learn how to use Outlook 2002 to read your email, create a standard signature for your outgoing emails, create and use the address books, and access Outlook online help for more information.

Learn how to use Outlook 2002 to:

• Read your email
• Create a standard signature for your outgoing emails
• Create and use address books
• Access Outlook online help for more information

Reading your email

To read your Outlook email:

1. Open Outlook 2002.
2. Under the Folder List, click the plus icon to the left of your account name (refer to Figure 1).
   
   Figure 1: Folder List in Outlook 2002.
   
3. When prompted to log on, enter your BC username and password, then click OK (refer to Figure 2).
   
   Figure 2: Log on window.
   Note: If you selected Remember Password during email configuration, Outlook bypasses the logon dialog box and logs you in automatically when you open your email account. If you select Remember Password, using your email is slightly more convenient, but much less secure.
   
4. Outlook opens your email account, displaying the Inbox, and any other folders in this email account.
5. Click any folder to open it.
6. Click on any message to read it.
   Outlook automatically updates your Inbox when new messages arrive for you.

Creating a standard signature for your outgoing emails

You can create standard signatures for Outlook to automatically insert in your outgoing emails. Outlook can apply the same signature to all outgoing emails, or apply one signature for new emails, and a separate signature to your replies and to emails you forward.

To create and use signatures for your outgoing emails:

1. In the main Outlook window, on the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Mail Format tab.
3. Under "Compose in this message format", click the formatting choice you want to use.
   Note: Plain text is the simplest and is compatible with all email programs.
4. Under Signature, click the Signatures button (refer to Figure 3).
   
   Figure 3: Outlook Signature button.
   
5. Under Create Signature, click New.
6. Under Create New Signature, enter a name for this signature (refer to Figure 4). (This name identifies this signature in a pick list of all the signatures you create; it is not inserted in your email messages.)
   
   Figure 4: Create New Signature.
   
7. Click Next.
8. In the editing area, enter your signature (refer to Figure 5), then click OK.
   
   Figure 5: Edit Signature.
   
9. Under Create Signature, review your signature in the preview window, then click OK.
10. In the Mail Format tab, under Signature, your new signature is assigned as the signature for all new messages. You can also select it as the signaure for replies and forwards, or create a separate signature (refer to Figure 6).
    
    Figure 6: Signature for new messages.
    
11. Click OK.

Access Outlook online help for more information

Outlook provides extensive online help. For additional information, in the Outlook window, from the Help menu, select Microsoft Outlook Help.