This section gives bare-bones instructions for composing and sending an e-mail message. Later on, you will find out how to flag messages to be followed up, attach files to messages, and send copies of messages. The techniques that follow are techniques you will use each time you send an e-mail message with Outlook.
Follow these steps to send an e-mail message with Outlook:
1. From either the Outlook Today folder or the Inbox folder (see Figure 20-1), click the New Mail Message button. You see a Message window like the one in Figure 20-2.
2. Type the name or e-mail address of the recipient or click the To button. If you clicked the To button, you see the Select Names dialog box shown in Figure 20-3.
3. In the Show Names From The drop-down list, click the name of the list where the e-mail address is stored. In Figure 20-3, the Contacts List has been chosen.
4. In the list of names on the left, click the name of the person you want to send a message to. To send the message to more than one person, hold down the Ctrl key and click each name.
5. Click the To button. The name or names appear to the right of the To button in the Message Recipients box.
6. Click OK. You return to the Message window (see Figure 20-2).
7. Optionally, type a name in the Cc box, or click the Cc button to send a copy of the message to someone.
8. In the Subject line, enter a subject for the message. Be sure to enter descriptive words on the Subject line. If the person to whom you send this message receives lots of e-mail, they need to know how important this message is and whether to answer it today or a fortnight from now. By entering a descriptive subject, you help the recipient prioritize your message.
9. In the box on the bottom half of the window, type your message.
10. Click the Send button. Outlook closes the Message window and you see the Inbox screen again.
TIP: If Outlook can’t find the address of the person you’re
e-mailing, you will see a screen telling you to choose between any close
matches found or create a new address for the individual. You can also click
the Show More Names button to view your address book.
If your computer is connected to a network, the message is sent right away. If this message is to travel over the Internet, however, the message lands on the Outbox screen. It stays there until you choose Tools | Check for New Mail. As Outlook collects mail, it also sends e-mail messages. See "Sending Messages," later in this chapter, for the details.