Have you ever updated your Outlook email template?

For those that know me, you know that I am busy work challenged.  One of the best tools I’ve found is Microsoft Outlook (I heard you!).  I know many of you would rather shove a dull pencil in your eye socket rather than use one of Bill Gate’s products; but lets face it, Outlook is the norm in the business world.  A co-worker of mine, Ralph, who was really into Outlook, offered to show me how to use it to improve my efficiency and reduce my rework.  I don’t like having to re-invent the wheel to do a job, so needless to say, I took him up on the offer.

I have used Outlook templates before; but never to the level that he uses them.     I have many templates in Outlook, each grouped by client and subject.  I have a particular client that wants a weekly status report, OK, easy enough, create the email template and voila – done.  Not so fast jet rider; this particular client likes to, “update” the information he tracks frequently.  While it may be easy enough to just create a new template; there is an easier way.  Basically, there are four steps:

1. Open your template like you normally would.
2. Delete your auto inserted signature, if you use one (I do).
3. Update your template to reflect new information/format.
4. Save it right over your old template (don’t forget to change the type from message to template).

But wait, there’s more….

I often use the Outlook Web App (OWA) in Microsoft Office 365 web version of Outlook.  I have been having a dickens of a time trying to figure out; but thanks to an article by the universe of Iowa, you can make templates for the web version of Outlook too.  Its as simple as….

1. Click the New Message button to create a new message.
2. In the lower right corner in the New Message window, click on the ‘My Templates’ icon.
3. Click on the + Template and type a Template Name and the body of the template.  I recommend cutting and pasting from the body of an already written email you want to use as the template. If you do that way, you’ll keep the formatting.
4. Click Save.
5. Click on the Template you created and it will appear in the body of the new message.

This is one of the best little tricks I’ve learned; not sure why I haven’t already done it.  I would always end up with multiple templates and signatures within my template; frustrating and unprofessional.  So, thanks Ralph!!  Maybe I should by him lunch?  Naw…

What say you, do you have any tips to use Outlook more efficiently?  I’ll be sharing more later…