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May 08, 2006
Drawing your attention back to key email folders
David Speight wrote to us with a handy tip for showing the total number of items in an Outlook email folder. This is especially handy for the @Action and @Waiting For folders, if you are using those folders to store pending emails. Some people use those folders as their only reminder of the action, while others store the email in the folder but also capture the action on their Task list. I think David's tip is great if the folder is your only reminder and you risk out of sight...out of mind.
David writes:
"As my view pane is usually my Inbox, seeing the total number of items in '@Action' and '@Waiting For' in the navigation pane (in my Favourite Folders, after Inbox, so always at top), visually draws my attention and focus back to my priorities."
Here's how to do what David is suggesting if you are using @Action or @Waiting email folders:
1. Right click on each folder and select Properties
2. Select "show total number of items" instead of "show number of unread items"
3. Click OK
By the way, the @ before these two folders will make them appear at the top of your folders, versus being sorted into the alpha sort with all of your other email folders.
Posted by Kelly at May 8, 2006 12:05 PM
Comments
What a seriously useful tip. I had no idea that option was there. Thank you very much -- you've just made my @Action and @Waiting folders useful again.
Posted by: Neal Dench at May 9, 2006 12:56 AM
Kelly:
Thanks for the tip - it was something I wished I'd had but didn't know I could do so simply. I enjoy your blog.
Posted by: Dean at May 10, 2006 03:42 PM
I use Thunderbird, which does not seem to have this option. Would anyone know any workaround?
Posted by: Nandkumar Saravade at May 12, 2006 05:19 AM
