Windows Tip: More fun with Outlook 2007

Last week I started sharing some Outlook 2007 tips based on our recent migration to the 2007 Microsoft Office System. Judging from reader response, this is obviously a hot topic so let's continue along this path for awhile. One of the difficulties users often have when their applications are upgraded is finding new ways of performing old tasks. For example, I have a lousy memory and so I often find myself searching mail folders for a particular keyword or subject. In Outlook 2003 this was easy -- simply right-click on a mail folder and select Advanced Find and then enter your search parameters.

So today I tried this in Outlook 2007 and guess what -- there's no more Advanced Find menu option when you right-click on a mail folder! Argh! How do I search a mail folder? OK so I can select Tools, then Instant Search, then Advanced Find, but that's a drag -- TMC (too many clicks). I want something quicker.

Then a soft voice whispered in my ear, "Use the keyboard, Luke." Aha! So I tried the keyboard shortcut CTRL + SHIFT + F and the Advanced Find box opened with my currently selected mail folder pre-selected. Whew! I guess I can live with that, though I still miss my right-click. Then I typed my query and clicked Find Now and "waited, and waited, and waited" (as the narrator in the movie Casablanca said) but no results were returned. What's going on? I *know* there's a message with that word in the subject, either in my selected folder or one of its subfolders. Argh...

After some clicking around, I discovered the problem. In Outlook 2003 when you use Advanced Find to search a folder, it automatically searches all subfolders as well. But in Outlook 2007 the Advanced Find is configured differently by default for some reason and only searches the selected folder and not subfolders. If I also want to search subfolders I must click Browse on the Advanced Find dialog and select the Search Subfolders checkbox, then click OK and then Find Now. TMC again, but such is life when you upgrade, and unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a way to make Search Subfolders the default selection.

It's amazing how small user interface changes like this can cause frustration to users. You get used to doing things a certain way, and suddenly you must learn how to do things differently. On the other hand, progress is always painful to some degree or another, and there are a ton of things I like about the 2007 Office System including some new Outlook 2007 features that I'll probably talk about in future editions of this newsletter. But for now, here's one more little change to outlook that might cause a bit of confusion. Remember in Outlook 2003 how when you set a reminder for the appointment, a little bell icon is displayed beside the appointment in Calendar view? Well, try this in Outlook 2007 and you'll see that the bell is gone. I know this change bugs some people, but it doesn't bother me since I automatically have reminders set on all appointments I make -- just so I can ignore them.