Sept 4 2006
Q: ‘How do I create a Distribution list in Microsoft Outlook?’

 

A: Before I share the process, let me give a brief explanation. For those of you who may not know a Distribution List is an arbitrary group of Contacts that have a common characteristic which you regularly need to email. If you are an Attorney, it could be joint counsel, if you are a developer it could be construction and planning contacts, or if you want to send jokes regularly to your friends, you can use a Distribution List for this too!

 

To create a distribution list in Outlook, here's what you do:

In Outlook:

1. Open your Contacts folder

2. File > New > Distribution List

3. Enter a name for your distribution list Ex. Prospects

4. Click the 'Select Members...' button

-In the Select Members window

5. Double click on the names you want to add to the list

-The names are inserted into the 'Members' field

6. Click 'OK' when done

7. Click 'Save and Close'

 

To send an email to the Distribution List

1. Open a new email

2. Click the 'To' button

-In the Select Names window

3. Double click on the name of the Distribution List

3. Click 'OK' when done

4. Complete the Email as you would normally

5. Click the 'Send' button when done to send the email

 

 

Sept 18 2006
Q: I use Microsoft Outlook to manage all my Contacts, Emails, Calendar, etc. When I create a new email and I click on the 'To:' button, the Contacts listed usually appear twice-once with their E-mail address and again with their Fax number. Even this had been a mystery to me for a while. How can I suppress the Fax number from appearing?

A: In Outlook

1. Open the Contact Folder

2. Double click on a Contact record that has a Fax number-Usually the 'Business Fax' field

3. Enter a 'F' for fax or 'BF' for business fax so it reads something like 'F512-555-1212'

4. Click 'Save and Close' when done

I admit that this will take a little bit of time to complete, but this will un-flag the Business Fax number as a fax number and remove it from the list when creating a new email.