By default, Outlook shows the Inbox when the application is launched. You may want to have it open up to your Calendar or Tasks (or possibly Contacts, Notes, Journal, or other folder). You can change the default opening folder and have the information you need when you open Outlook by following these steps.

You can make Outlook 2003 automatically spell check all outgoing e-mails before sending. The following option will force this to occur before you send out composed messages.

Have you ever clicked send on a message and then remembered that you forgot to attach that important file, or realized you put the wrong time down for a meeting? Outlook allows you the option of recalling a sent message.

If you forward or reply to lots of messages, then this can be a real timesaver. By changing the configuration of Outlook, you can make it automatically close the original message after you have forwarded or replied to it.

Everyone who uses email has found themselves attaching files to email, or needing to send a copied blurb of text to friends or colleagues. Outlook makes this ultra simple to send these in no time flat.

By default, Outlook marks items as read when viewed in the Reading Pane whenever the selection changes. You can turn this functionality off, or have Outlook wait a certain amount of time before marking the item as read. I use the latter method, setting Outlook to wait 60 seconds. That way, if I view a message that is going to take too long to read, I can move on to other messages without having the item marked as read. I will then go back to it later when I have more time to view it.

If you find yourself sending the same messages out periodically (such as directions to your house, monthly reminders to employees, etc.), then you could save a great deal of time by using (and re-using) premade messages.

By using drag and drop, you can easily create new tasks, appointments and contacts from the emails in your Inbox. This can be a huge time saver and a very simple method for organizing the various to-do’s in your emails.

Outlook’s calendar displays normally displays dates in a consecutive manner. Sometimes, however, it is useful to view several nonconsecutive dates on your Calendar.

Signatures are the text and/or pictures that are automatically placed at the end of the emails you send out. If you’ve put some time and energy into creating your signature(s), then you should make a backup so you have it if disaster strikes (or if you are changing computers).