Outlook add-in vs. manual customization

[sunchild]

I wonder how many of you use the Outlook add-in and who has taken time and effort to customize Outlook accoding to his own wishes.

Although the add-in probably does a great job especially extended in funcionallity using Mattias's Custom Project Form I do not trust them. Don't they mess up Outlook?

Well, I file most of my e-mails for reference. I do not know if this is in line with DA's principles. Anyway, one day I maybe have to uninstall the add-in for some reason. Can I then restore all my folders (and items) as I have never been using those add-ins?

I appreciate any help by Outlook insiders and comments on ways to use Outlook for GTD.

Christian

[Soulhuntre]

Although the add-in probably does a great job especially extended in funcionallity using Mattias's Custom Project Form I do not trust them. Don't they mess up Outlook?

Well, I file most of my e-mails for reference. I do not know if this is in line with DA's principles. Anyway, one day I maybe have to uninstall the add-in for some reason. Can I then restore all my folders (and items) as I have never been using those add-ins?

The only external tool I use in my GTD work is "ClearContext". It is an awesome tool for helping keep my Inbox clean and clear, it makes no important changes to Outlook and is totally "clean" in how it works. No craziness, no abuse of the Outlook system.

I keep trying the Netcentrics add in - but it is far to set in making me conform to it and it seems to tie too deeply into Outlook in a custom way for my tastes. On top of that, it doesn't really seem to bring enough to the table for me to care. Inbox management is easy... so it isn't important enough for me to have the "defer, snooze" and so on stuff - and I dislike the way it manages projects.

Right now I manage projects myself very simply, I just put [ProjectName] at the front of a task and I have a category for each project I use to tie it all together for Outlook.

Perect? no...b ut it is working well enough and keeps outlook basically "Stock".

[bhiggs]

I use My Life Organized. It does not alter Outlook at all, but it does sync with it.

http://www.mylifeorganized.net/

Bill

I appreciate any help by Outlook insiders and comments on ways to use Outlook for GTD.

Christian

[ggrozier]

I was wondering about this too.

Outlook has always intimidated me because I felt that if I didn't use all the bells and whistles I was wasting my time with it, and it's so complex it put me off. But now am finding I need to get better organized so am trying to use it for just the tasks and inmail, trying to link e-mail to tasks, etc. Maybe later will use more. I also use an abbreviation for the client or project I'm working on and don't set up projects in the GTD sense. Since I read GTD a year ago and started trying to implement it and haven't succeeded yet, maybe if I can just get this basic baby step started, it may be enough for me, or help me to move along to the next step whenever I need it.