@WF Folder in Outlook--Am I doing this right?

[widgetcranker]

Hi everyone,

I've set up the following folders in Outlook (NB. I do NOT yet have the Outlook Add-in software):

@Action
@Action--Brother
@AS (Action Support)
@Incub8 (for things I'm wanting to think about first)
@Read/Review
@Someday/Maybe
@WF (Waiting For)
@WF--Brother

My procedure for using the @WF Folder is this:
I send an email off to someone, then go immediately to the Sent Items folder to pick it up and drag it over to the @WF Folder. Is this the best way to do it? I want to be able to refer to the message that I just typed off to someone in my @WF Folder when I review; that's why I've been dragging the message I've just sent across to that folder.

I feel maybe I might be doing something the long way here. Sometimes I have to wait a few seconds before the sent message appears in my Sent Items folder before I can drag it across; I can imagine David Allen standing behind me shaking his head...

Thanks for your help everyone. :)
Regards
widgetcranker

[roakleyca]

Just my thoughts here:

1. The add-in has a brilliant feature that does just want your asking. It's called the Sent Options. When sending an email (incl forward and reply) you can:
- just send
- send and file (to a .pst folder, for example)
- send and action (this is where I would create the w/f task that is linked with the email I'm sending)
- send and delegate (this does something similar to the w/f, except I think it sets up a task that is sent to someone. I don't use this.....yet)
- send and defer (creates an appointment up in the calendar).

2. Without the add-in, you could create a rule to make your life easier.
One rule could be to have all your sent emails copied into your inbox. That way you will always remember to do SOMETHING with them (delete, move to w/f, ect.)

I hope that helps. Haven't read the whitepaper myself so I'm not sure how you're set up. If you are a heavy outlook user, I highly recommend the add-in. At least get the 30 day trial!

Best of luck,

Ryan

[TexasEx94]

I will usually CC myself on certain emails that require I wait on someone else to accomplish a task. I will drag the email from my inbox to @Waiting category.

[widgetcranker]

You've both been helpful. I'm finding CCing myself is working the best for me, so I can decide 'manually' at time of sending an email to send it to my inbox for that processing step where I'll drag it to @WF.

The Outlook Add-in sounds great. I intend to get it when it is compatible with Windows. Vista.

:mrgreen:

[kelstarrising]

I posted it to my blog:

http://www.davidco.com/blogs/kelly/archives/2005/12/great_outlook_r.html

Cheers,
Kelly

[widgetcranker]

Wow, that is fantastic! And I did it myself, and it works! :D
Thanks so much
widgetcranker

[widgetcranker]

[Top line (below) shows the text to type anywhere in the body of the email which will move it into the chosen folder]:

a/
(moves the email to @Action folder)
(obviously you can't have just 'a' in the body of the email because just about every email would contain 'a', so I've applied the rule with the addition of an oblique stroke)

a/s
(moves the email to @Action Support folder)

r/r
(moves the email to @Read/review folder)

s/d
(moves the email to @Someday/maybe folder)

wf
(moves the email to @WF folder).

[roakleyca]

But then you have to remember to go to each of those folders! That's why I like the add-on - projects, next actions, and emails are all linked together! Beautiful!

[widgetcranker]

The add-in program sounds just fantastic. Yes, I can see the issue of having to remember to check the folders. Anyway, in the mean time I'm looking for ways to process and send emails without the add-in.

Thanks so much for everyone's input--please, more, more!

[kelstarrising]

you've still got to do a Weekly Review. That's really the glue that keeps all this together, in my experience.

But if only we could get the Add-In to DO the Weekly Review for us. Now that would be a cool product!

[Brian J. Elizardi]

I recently had to move from Outlook to Entourage on a Mac and am trying to replicate Kelly's waiting for Rule. Anyone know how to do this in Entourage?

[productivity]

I posted it to my blog:

http://www.davidco.com/blogs/kelly/archives/2005/12/great_outlook_r.html

Cheers,
Kelly

Great! This has been very helpful Kelly...Good thing I was able to read this thread and saw your link. I was really looking for this one. Thanks! :D

[ChelseaA]

Hi folks,

Any thoughts on how to add that spiffy trick where emails are automatically sent to the @wf folder with Entourage?

I'd appreciate your advice!

Thanks to all,

Chelsea