Tech Tip : Turn An Email Into Time Set Aside For The Work
If an email contains a job you need to complete, classic Outlook can turn it into a calendar appointment, helping you reserve time for the work while keeping the instructions attached to that time slot.
Why Is This Useful?
Flagging an email can help you remember it, but it does not set aside time to deal with it. Creating an appointment makes the work visible in your schedule, which is useful for requests such as preparing a quotation, checking a report or reviewing a proposal.
Outlook copies the email’s subject and message text into the appointment, saving you from entering the details again or searching your inbox when you are ready to begin.
How To Do It
In classic Outlook for Windows:
- Find the email in your message list.
- Hold down the left mouse button on the message and drag it onto the Calendar icon in Outlook’s navigation bar.
- Release the mouse button to open a new appointment.
- Adjust the title if needed, then choose the date, start time and end time.
- Set Show As to Busy if you want the time to appear unavailable to colleagues checking your availability.
- Choose a reminder if useful, then select Save & Close.
What Happens To The Email?
The original message stays in your mailbox, while the appointment contains a separate copy of its text. Creating the appointment does not send a reply or invite the sender, so it can simply serve as time reserved for your own work.
Note: These instructions are for classic Outlook for Windows. Check that any attachments or other supporting information you need are available before relying on the calendar entry alone.
