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Archiving and categories

1. How can I save my categories when transferring to a new computer (outlook 2003)

   To share the master category list, export the categories key from the registry and distribute this key to other users. How to export the categories key

   1. Click start, and then click run. 2. In the open box, type regedit, and then click ok. 3. Click to select one of the following registry subkeys: For microsoft outlook 2002: Hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\office\10.0\outlook\categories For microsoft office outlook 2003: Hkey_current_user\software\microsoft\office\11.0\outlook\categories 4. Click the categories folder, and then click export registry file on the registry menu. 5. Select a location for the file such as your desktop, type a descriptive name for the file, and then click save. 6. Close the registry editor. You can now distribute the file to other users that are also using microsoft outlook 2002. This file cannot be distributed to users of older versions of outlook as the formats have been changed. To update the registry on another computer running outlook 2002, double-click the .reg file and the new categories replace the categories list in outlook. Caution: this procedure overlays the existing master categories list on the receiving computer. Any changes made to that file are lost. Note: it is possible for your records to contain user-defined categories that are not stored in the windows registry. To ensure they are in the registry, you must add them to the master category list.

2. How do I change the folder that my autoarchive saves mail to?

   1. Open outlook. 2. In the main menu line, click tools and select options. 3. Select the other tab. 4. In the autoarchive section click the autoarchive button. 5. Ensure that the run autoarchive every checkbox is checked and that the settings are correct. 6. Go to the default folder settings for archiving section. Under move old items to, click the browse button. 7. In the find personal folders window, select my documents (xp) or documents (vista). 8. Click ok to close the find personal folders window. 9. Click ok to close the autoarchive window. 10. Click ok to close the options window.

3. How can I sub-sort my categories

   You can't. There are a number of good reasons why we don't use sub-folders in connection with categories. The most important of which are that we want to be able to navigate to them quickly (collapse your categories then easily scroll down to the category or sub-categories without having to open and close folders) and we want to discourage the idea of using sub-sub-sub categories because, while theoretically they make sense, in practice they usually don't and it wastes a lot of valuable time. But, here is a tool that might help. This will allow you to sort by one field (category or any other field) and then sort by another field. See below. If you have further questions, please give us a call and we'll be happy to discuss.

4. Are categories case-sensitive?

   No.Capital letters don’t affect category names

5. All my categories are checked when I categorize groups of mails.

   This is just a microsoft outlook bug. The categories seem like they are selected, but they are not. You can test this by selecting one of the categories. Notice that the check-box becomes selected. If you select it again, the check-mark appears showing that the box is now selected. The best policy is to continue and ignore the grayed in boxes since they are not selected unless you physically select them.

6. How can I export my category list so I can print it out?

   Follow this link: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=297405

7. How can I insure that my in-house colleagues don't receive my categories on mails?

   1. Open outlook. 2. Go to the menu, click tools and select rules and alerts. 3. Select the e-mail rules tab. 4. Uncheck the clear categories on mail (recommended) checkbox. 5. Click the ok button.

8. How do I change the category on a group of mails to a different category?

   1. Select the group of e-mails that you would like to change the categories of by selecting the top e-mail and then, with the shift key depressed, selecting the bottom e-mail of the group.
   
   2. Right-click in the center of the selected group.
   
   3. Un-check the current category
   
   4. Add the new category, if not among the categories in the list, and add to list, or select a category from the list.
   
   5. Click ok.

9. How do I remove mails from my Mailbox when I have too many mails?

   1. Click on the folder called AST All Processed Mails or AST Archived and Sent Mails (or a variant of this). If you can not find either of these folders, please contact Atrendia.
   
   2. Sort by Received.
   
   3.Move all mails that are “Older” (more than 2 months old) to the AST Master Archive, which is placed in one of your .pst folders.
   
   
   Note that both folders may also show up in your Favorite Folders
   
   Explanation: The AST All Processed Mails folder is a search folder that looks in both your AST Archive and Sent folders for all mails there. By sorting by date received and moving the “Older” mails to the AST Master Archive, you are moving these mails that are older than two months from your Exchange Server to a .pst file that is either stored on your physical computer or on a network drive, depending upon your configuration.
   
   Please be aware that if these mails are stored on a .pst or Personal Folder File on your physical computer, they will be lost if your computer is badly damaged or lost, so check with your IT department to make sure that this file is backed up regularly.

AST toolbar

1. My toggle button disappears. How do I find it?

   Your toggle button is not available when you are not in your inbox because it is not needed for other folders. It may also be caused by the add-in being disabled. To see if that is the case, please tell your customer to go to help > about microsoft office outlook > disabled items and enable the atrendia ast add-in it if is listed there.

2. I have lost my toolbar?

   It can occasionally happen that the ast toolbar and your exchange server need some time to accept each other. Restarting outlook will usually remedy this, otherwise restart your computer. Please contact a customer service representative if either restarting outlook or your computer does not resolve the issue.

General technical issues

1. What will happen when I get a new computer?

   Outlook 2003 users: You will need to download the ast add-in in order to regain the ast toolbar. Important: categories in outlook 2003 are not stored on the exchange server but on your physical computer. Before you delete the information on your computer contact your IT department in order for them to save your current categories.

2. I would like my received column in a different format.

   You can change the format by right clicking on the field line and choosing format columns.

3. I can’t seem to delete certain mails?

   When you clicked on the mail to delete it, you most likely clicked into one of the fields (columns) that are now write-enabled. As a result you are deleting what is in the column instead of the mail itself. Click on the "envelope" icon to the far left of the mail and then use the delete button on your atrendia toolbar or the delete key on your keyboard.

4. I forgot how to make a post-it note in my inbox.

   Make sure that you are in your inbox (it won't work in the other folders). Double click in the white area. You can also find the "new" button, click on the small arrow to the right and select "post" in this folder.

5. I don't want my mails to show up as being read just because i have read them in the reading pane.

   Many new users feel uncomfortable with not being able to spot mails that have not been thoroughly read. Rather than being displayed in bold, these mails will be found in the AST Plan view awaiting Next Actions and When dates. However, if you wish to maintain your earlier way of working you can prevent a mail from losing it's unread status. 1. On the tools menu, click options, and then click the other tab. 2. Click reading pane. 3. Select the options you want.

6. I have mails in my inbox that are crossed out. What do I do?

   There is an automatic setting which needs to be deactivated.  Right-click on any of the field headings (from, subject, received) and click customize this view.  Go to automatic formatting and uncheck “expired e-mail”

7. How do I remove the desktop alert?

   2003-2007: Tools/options/e-mail options/advanced e-mail options/un-check the four boxes. 

   2010: File/Options/Mail/Message arrival/un-check the four boxes.

Practical Issues

1. How do I add a category to a new mail (new thread)?

   Start a new mail.  Click on the Categorize button on the ribbon at the top of the mail.  Choose a category or several categories.

2. How do I set a next action and when for a new mail - one where I am starting the thread?

   Cc: or Bcc: yourself on the mail, then add the Next Action and When in the appropriate columns when you receive the mail in your inbox.

3. What is a good way to remember the AST process?

   Think: 1, 2 and in!

4. How do I keep track of where all my mails are?

   If you can’t find a mail it can only be in one of four places: Your inbox, the AST Archive, Sent items or Deleted items. It can only be in your Deleted items if you deleted it. It can only be in your AST Archive if you dragged it there or clicked on the InstantArchive button on your toolbar. While in your inbox if you make sure that you are in the AST All E-mails View, you will see every mail in your inbox. This is where you can get an overview of all your mail. Then go back and work from your AST New and Due View.

5. Why should I bother prioritizing a mail when it would only take me a few seconds to answer it?

   We prioritize because we need to get an overview of what is most important in our inbox. Prioritizing in the 1 AST Prioritize View guarantees that the job gets done. It might take some practice to recognize how easy it is to get side-tracked if you don't finish prioritizing in this folder, but eventually you will come to enjoy the feeling of working in this structured way. Remember that structure = freedom. Use the two-minute rule and ‘just do it’ when you process your mail.