UCL INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION
IT for SLMS
IT for SLMS: Live@UCL – Outlook 2007
– Flagging messages
1. Document Information
Document Name
outlook2007-flags.docx
Service
Email
Author
Kristina Drew
Contributors
Issue Date
01/08/2013
2. Document History
Version
Date
1.0
01/08/2013 Republished with ‘IT for SLMS’ branding
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Summary of change
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Contents
1. Document Information ......................................................................................... 1
2. Document History ................................................................................................ 1
3
Introduction .......................................................................................................... 3
4
Flagging a message for action today (with one click!) ......................................... 3
5
Switching off a flag............................................................................................... 3
6
Viewing flagged items .......................................................................................... 4
7
Setting a flag for different date ............................................................................. 4
7.1
Default dates for flags ................................................................................... 4
7.2
Specific dates ................................................................................................ 6
8
Sending a message with a flag for yourself ......................................................... 6
9
Sending a flagged message (with a reminder) to a recipient ............................... 7
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3 Introduction
Outlook “flags” can be used to help you, or your email recipients, to remember to
respond to important messages. Messages can be flagged in the following ways:
1. Flagging messages for yourself
 To flag messages that have been sent to you as a visual reminder to take
action later
 To follow up on a message or to check for responses to a message you send,
include a reminder in the new message before you send it.
2. Flagging messages for recipients
 To prompt a recipient to respond to a message or remind them of actions that
need to be taken by sending them a flagged message with a reminder.
4 Flagging a message for action today (with one click!)
1. In the list of messages in your Inbox, on the right of the message there is a little
greyed-out flag
2. If you click on the grey-out flag it changes to a red flag indicating that you have
flagged that message
3. When you look at your list of messages you can now easily see which messages
need further attention
4. Messages flagged in this way will appear in the To-Do Bar (to the right of your
Outlook screen) and will be listed under the tasks that need to be completed
Today.
5 Switching off a flag
1. Once you have attended to task associated with the flagged message, click on
the flag again. The flag is replaced with a tick to indicate that you have dealt with
that message.
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6 Viewing flagged items
As well as seeing flagged messages in a message list(e.g. Inbox), flagged items can
be viewed from the following locations:



To-Do Bar (If not displayed choose View menu> To-Do Bar > Normal)
Daily Task List in Calendar (If not displayed, use the Calendar Navigation Button to view you
calendar > View menu > Daily Task List > Normal)
Task view
7 Setting a flag for different date
Flags have either default dates attached to them, such as Today, Tomorrow, This
Week and Next Week, or you can customise your flags with specific dates.
7.1 Default dates for flags
Flag
Start date
End date
Reminder
Today
Current date
Current date
One hour before
the end time of
today’s work day*
Tomorrow
Current date plus
one day
Current date plus
one day
Start time of
current day plus
one work day
This week
Current date plus
two days, but no
later than the last
work day of this
week
Last work day of
this week
Start time of
current day plus
two work days
Next week
First work day of
next week
Last work day of
next week
Start time of the
first work day of
next week
* To set up days and times of your working week: Tools > Options... > Preferences tab
> In the Calendar section select Calendar Options and amend as appropriate
Either:
1. Click on the message to which you want to add a flag
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2. On the Standard Toolbar, click on the Follow Up (red flag) button
3. Make a selection e.g. Today, Tomorrow, This Week etc
Or:
1. Right click on the message to wish you wish to add a flag
2. Select the Follow Up option
3. Make a selection e.g. Today, Tomorrow, This Week etc
4. You will notice a red flag in the Flag Status column on the message
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7.2 Specific dates
Adding a “custom” flag will allow you to set your own due date and also to specify a
date and time for a reminder
1.
As above, select the message you wish to follow up, from the Standard Toolbar
click on the Follow Up button and select Custom...
2. Fill in details as desired. Click OK to save changes
8 Sending a message with a flag for yourself
If you need to follow up on a message or check for responses to a message that you
send, you can include a reminder in the new message before you send it.
In the Mail view, click on the New button to create a New Mail Message
2. Create your message in the usual way.
3. Before sending the message, click on the Follow Up button and select Custom...
4. Ensure Flag for Me is ticked and then add your due date and the date and time
you wish to receive a reminder
1.
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5. Click on OK
6. Click on Send to send the message
9 Sending a flagged message (with a reminder) to a recipient
If you need responses to an email message that you are going to send, you can add
a follow up flag to the message with the option of a reminder.
In the Mail view, click on the New button to create a New Mail Message
2. Create your message in the usual way.
3. Before sending the message, click on the Follow Up button and select Flag for
Recipients...
1.
4. Ensure that there is a tick in the Flag for Recipients box
5. In the box next to Flag to: select the flag type: Follow up, For Your Information,
Forward etc
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6. If you wish to send a reminder with the message, ensure that there is a tick in the
Reminder: box and then select a date and time for the reminder.
If you do not wish to send a reminder, ensure that the Reminder: box does not
have a tick
7. When the recipient receives a flagged message, the Flag to: option that you
selected will appear in the Info Bar in the message that the recipient receives:
e.g. message send with Follow up flag
The reminder (if set) will appear on their Task List in the To-Do Bar.
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