Exam 77-604 Using Microsoft Offi ce Outlook 2007 453
3.2 Accept, decline, assign, update, and respond to tasks
Outlook 2007 provides new functionality for adding tasks related to other Outlook items to your task list. You can view your tasks for each day at the bottom of the Calendar pane displaying that day, work week, or week, as well as in the To-Do Bar.
You manage tasks from the To-Do Bar in the same way that you do from the Tasks module.
This chapter guides you in studying ways of creating tasks, marking tasks as complete or private, assigning tasks to other people, accepting and declining tasks, and sending status reports about assigned tasks.
Important No practice files are required to complete the exercises in this chapter. See
“Using the Companion CD” at the beginning of this book for more information.
Tip Graphics and operating system–related instructions in this book reflect the Windows Vista user interface. If your computer is running Windows XP and you experience trouble following the instructions as written, refer to the sidebar “If You Are Running Windows XP”
in “Working in the Microsoft Office Fluent User Interface” at the beginning of this book.
3.1 Create and modify tasks, and mark tasks as complete
Tasks
If you use your task list diligently, you will frequently want to add tasks to it. You can create tasks in several ways:
l In the Tasks module, add a task to the task list.
l In other modules, add a task to the To-Do Bar task list.
l Create a new task in the task window.
l Base a task on an existing Outlook item (such as a message).
The only information you must include when creating a task is the subject. You can also specify the following:
l Start date l Due date
l Status (Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Waiting On Someone, or Deferred) l Priority (Normal, Low, or High)
l Reminder (date and time) l Category
You can attach files to tasks, and you can include text, tables, charts, illustrations, hyperlinks, and other content in the task window content pane.
Just as you can create recurring appointments, events, and meetings, you can create re- curring tasks. You can set the task to occur every day, week, month, or year; or you can specify that a new task should be generated a certain amount of time after the last task is complete.
➤To create a task in the task list
1. At the top of the task list in either the Tasks module or on the To-Do Bar, click the Type a new task box.
2. Type the subject of the task, and then press Enter.
3. To assign the task to a category, right-click the category icon to the right of the task subject in the task list, and then click the category you want.
4. To assign a due date, right-click the flag icon, and then click the option you want.
➤To create a task in the task window
1. On the Standard toolbar, click New, and in the list, click Task.
2. Enter details about the task in the task header.
3. If you want, set a reminder to ensure that you complete the task on time.
4. On the Task tab, in the Actions group, click the Save & Close button.
Tip To automatically set task reminders, display the Options dialog box, click Task Options, select the Set Reminders On Tasks With Due Dates check box, and click OK.
Set the default reminder time in the Tasks area of the Options dialog box, and then click OK.
➤To create a task from an e-mail message
➜ In the message list, right-click the flag icon to the right of the message subject, and then click a follow-up due date.
See Also For more information about flagging messages to create tasks, see section 1.6,
“Configure e-mail message delivery options.”
Or
1. From the message list, drag the e-mail message to the Tasks button at the bottom of the Navigation Pane.
2. In the task window that opens, set the options you want.
3. Click Save & Close.
➤To create a recurring task
1. On the Task tab of the task window, in the Options group, click the Recurrence button.
2. In the Task Recurrence dialog box, select the Recurrence Pattern and Range of Recurrence options you want, and then click OK.
Tip When you mark an instance of a recurring task as complete, Outlook generates a new instance of the task at whatever interval you specified when creating the task.
Task Management
To effectively manage your tasks, you can open the task window and change any setting in the header at any time. You can also click the buttons in the Options group on the Task tab to change the task’s category or due date, or mark the task as private.
To track tasks to completion, you can update the Status and % Complete information in the task window.
➤To mark a task as private
➜ On the Task tab of the task window, in the Options group, click the Private button.
➤To mark a task as complete
➜ In the message list, click the fl ag icon to the right of the message subject.
➜ In the task window, set % Complete to 100%.
➜ On the Task tab of the task window, in the Manage Task group, click the Mark Complete button.
Tip If you delete a task, it moves to the Deleted Items folder and is permanently deleted when you empty that folder. No record of it remains on your task list.
Practice Tasks
You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these tasks. There are no practice fi les for these tasks.
l From the To-Do Bar, create a task with the subject MCAS Dinner Reservations, fl ag it for completion this week, and assign it to the Business category.
l Open a new task window, and create a task with the subject MCAS Send Dinner Invitations. Set a due date of next Tuesday with a reminder at 5:00 P.M., and then set the status to Waiting On Someone Else.
l Open the MCAS Dinner Reservations task, and mark it as private and high priority. Then set it to 25 percent complete.
l Create a new task with the subject MCAS Status Report that must be carried out on the fi rst Monday of every month for six months.
Practice Tasks
You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these tasks. There are no practice fi les for these tasks.
tasks. There are no practice fi les for these tasks.
l From the To-Do Bar, create a task with the subject From the To-Do Bar, create a task with the subject MCAS Dinner ReservationsMCAS Dinner Reservations, , fl ag it for completion this week, and assign it to the Business category.
fl ag it for completion this week, and assign it to the Business category.
l Open a new task window, and create a task with the subject Open a new task window, and create a task with the subject MCAS Send Dinner MCAS Send Dinner Invitations
Invitations. Set a due date of next Tuesday with a reminder at 5:00 P.M., and . Set a due date of next Tuesday with a reminder at 5:00 P.M., and then set the status to Waiting On Someone Else.
then set the status to Waiting On Someone Else.
l Open the Open the MCAS Dinner ReservationsMCAS Dinner Reservations task, and mark it as private and high task, and mark it as private and high priority. Then set it to 25 percent complete.
priority. Then set it to 25 percent complete.
l Create a new task with the subject Create a new task with the subject MCAS Status ReportMCAS Status Report that must be carried rtrt that must be carried out on the fi rst Monday of every month for six months.
out on the fi rst Monday of every month for six months.
3.2 Accept, decline, assign, update, and respond to tasks
Task Assignments
You can assign tasks from your Outlook task list to other people within your organiza- tion, and other people can assign tasks to you. You can’t assign tasks you have created from other Outlook items; you can assign only those you create from scratch as tasks.
When you assign a task, you can choose whether to keep a copy of the task on your own task list or transfer it entirely to the assignee’s task list. (Either way, the task remains on your own task list until accepted, so you won’t lose track of it.)
Tip Outlook indicates assigned tasks in your task list by an outstretched hand on the task icon, similar to that of a shared folder in Windows Explorer.
When you send the assignment, Outlook sends a task request, similar to a meeting request, to the assignee. If the assignee declines the task, you can return it to your task list or reassign it. If the assignee accepts the task, ownership of the task transfers to that person, and you can no longer update the information in the task window.
If you keep a copy of the task on your task list, you can follow the task’s progress as the assignee updates its status and details. Unless you choose otherwise, Outlook automatically sends you a status report on an assigned task when the assignee marks the task as complete.
➤To assign a task to someone else
1. On the Task tab of the task window, in the Manage Task group, click the Assign Task button.
2. In the To box that appears, type the e-mail address of the assignee.
3. If you don’t want to keep the task on your task list or receive a report when the task is complete, clear the corresponding check box.
4. Click Send.
5. If a message notifies you that the task reminder has been turned off, click OK.
Assignment Responses
If you are assigned a task, you receive an e-mail message with the assignment in your Inbox. You can accept or decline the task assignment by clicking the corresponding button in the Reading Pane or in the task window.
➤To accept an assigned task
1. Open the message with the task assignment, and click Accept.
2. In the Accepting Task dialog box, click the option you want, and then click OK.
3. If you chose to send a message with your acceptance, type the message, and then click Send.
➤To decline an assigned task
1. Open the message with the task assignment, and click Decline.
2. In the Declining Task dialog box, click the option you want, and then click OK.
3. If you chose to send a message explaining your rejection of the assignment, type the message, and then click Send.
➤To send a status report to the person who assigned the task
1. On the Task tab of the task window, in the Manage Task group, click the Send Status Report button.
2. Enter the e-mail address of the person to whom you want to send the report, type any message you want, and then click Send.
Practice Tasks
You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these tasks.
There are no practice fi les for these tasks. You should alert a colleague that you are going to practice assigning tasks before getting started.
l Assign the MCAS Dinner Reservations task you created in the previous practice tasks to a colleague, without retaining the task on your task list.
l Ask your colleague to assign two tasks to you. When you receive the fi rst task assignment, accept it. When you receive the second assignment, reject it with a polite message explaining why.
l Open the task you accepted in the previous practice task, mark it 50 percent complete, and set its status to In Progress. Then send a task status report to the colleague who assigned the task.
Practice Tasks
You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these tasks.
You need to be online and have a working Outlook account to complete these tasks.
There are no practice fi les for these tasks. You should alert a colleague that you There are no practice fi les for these tasks. You should alert a colleague that you are going to practice assigning tasks before getting started.
are going to practice assigning tasks before getting started.
l Assign the Assign the MCAS Dinner ReservationsMCAS Dinner Reservations task you created in the previous practice task you created in the previous practice tasks to a colleague, without retaining the task on your task list.
tasks to a colleague, without retaining the task on your task list.
l Ask your colleague to assign two tasks to you. When you receive the fi rst task Ask your colleague to assign two tasks to you. When you receive the fi rst task assignment, accept it. When you receive the second assignment, reject it with assignment, accept it. When you receive the second assignment, reject it with a polite message explaining why.
a polite message explaining why.
l Open the task you accepted in the previous practice task, mark it 50 percent Open the task you accepted in the previous practice task, mark it 50 percent complete, and set its status to In Progress. Then send a task status report to complete, and set its status to In Progress. Then send a task status report to the colleague who assigned the task.
the colleague who assigned the task.
Objective Review
Before finishing this chapter, ensure that you have mastered the following skills:
3.1 Create and modify tasks, and mark tasks as complete.
3.2 Accept, decline, assign, update, and respond to tasks.
535
4 Managing Contacts and Personal
Contact Information
The skills tested in this section of the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist exam for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 relate to populating and managing address books.
Specifically, the following objectives are associated with this set of skills: