Microsoft Outlook — Quick Reference Guide - Degarmo Technologies: Managed IT & Security Services

End-User Quick Reference · Microsoft 365

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Microsoft Outlook

Quick Reference Guide

Manage your email, calendar, and contacts efficiently — from composing and organizing email to scheduling meetings and setting up rules and signatures.

Email Management

Calendar & Scheduling

Rules & Signatures

Keyboard Shortcuts

Junk & Phishing

Section 1

Email — Compose, Organize & Stay Secure

Common email tasks, inbox management, and how to spot phishing attempts.

Composing & Sending

New email: Click New Mail or press Ctrl+N
Reply / Reply All: Ctrl+R to reply, Ctrl+Shift+R for reply all
Forward: Press Ctrl+F or click Forward
Attach a file: Click Attach File → browse or drag & drop into compose window
Insert a link: Select text → right-click → Hyperlink (or Ctrl+K)
Request read receipt: Options tab → Request a Read Receipt
Delay delivery: Options → Delay Delivery → set date/time to send later
Recall a sent email: Sent Items → open email → File → Recall This Message (only works if recipient hasn't opened it yet)

Organizing Your Inbox

Create a folder: Right-click Inbox → New Folder → name it
Move to folder: Right-click email → Move → To Folder
Flag for follow-up: Click the flag icon on an email — appears in To-Do list
Mark as unread: Right-click → Mark as Unread (Ctrl+U)
Ignore a conversation: Select email → Home → Ignore (mutes all future replies)
Search email: Click Search bar → type keyword, then filter by From / Date / Has Attachment
Sort by: Click column header (From, Subject, Date) to sort inbox

Rules & Signatures

Create a rule: Right-click email → Rules → Create Rule → set conditions (From, Subject) and action (move to folder, mark as read)
Manage rules: Home → Rules → Manage Rules & Alerts
Add email signature: File → Options → Mail → Signatures → New → type signature → assign to New / Reply accounts
Set Out of Office: File → Automatic Replies → type message → set dates

Junk Mail & Phishing

Report phishing: Select suspicious email → Report Message button → Phishing. Never click links in suspicious emails.
Block a sender: Right-click email → Junk → Block Sender
Mark as junk: Right-click → Junk → Mark as Junk
Not junk: Check Junk folder → right-click → Junk → Not Junk
Safe senders: Home → Junk → Junk E-mail Options → Safe Senders tab

Security Alert — Phishing Signs

Watch for: urgent language, mismatched sender domains (hover over the name to see real address), unexpected attachments, and requests for passwords or wire transfers. When in doubt, call the sender directly — don't click links.

Section 2

Calendar, Scheduling & Keyboard Shortcuts

Schedule meetings, manage your calendar, and work faster with shortcuts.

Creating & Managing Meetings

New appointment: Click Calendar → New Appointment (Ctrl+N from calendar)
New meeting invite: New Meeting (Ctrl+Shift+Q) → add attendees → Send
Add Teams link: New Meeting → Teams Meeting button (auto-generates link)
Set recurrence: Open appointment → Recurrence → choose Daily / Weekly / Monthly / Custom
View attendee availability: Scheduling Assistant tab shows everyone's free/busy time
Respond to invite: Open invite → Accept / Tentative / Decline (add note if needed)
Propose new time: Open invite → Propose New Time → pick alternative
Cancel a meeting: Open meeting → Cancel → send cancellation to attendees
Share your calendar: Calendar → Share Calendar → add person → set permission level
Open another's calendar: Calendar → Open Calendar → From Address Book

Set Out of Office Properly

File → Automatic Replies → set dates AND write two messages: one for Inside my organization and one for Outside. Inform colleagues you'll be unavailable and who to contact instead.

Essential Keyboard Shortcuts

Ctrl+N

New email (from inbox)

Ctrl+R

Reply to email

Ctrl+Shift+R

Reply All

Ctrl+F

Forward email

Ctrl+Enter

Send email

Ctrl+K

Insert hyperlink

Ctrl+U

Mark as unread

Delete

Delete selected email

Ctrl+Shift+Q

New meeting request

Ctrl+2

Go to Calendar

Ctrl+1

Go to Inbox

Send / receive all

Focused Inbox

Turn on/off: View → Show Focused Inbox (toggle)
Move email: Right-click → Move to Other / Move to Focused to train Outlook
Always move from sender: Right-click → Move to Focused → Always move from [sender]

Need IT Help? Contact Degarmo Technologies

For account lockouts, email delivery issues, calendar sync problems, or phishing reports — reach your IT provider. degarmo.tech · Oklahoma City, OK · Colorado Springs, CO