Like everyone these days, I get a lot of email. A few years ago I stumbled across a feature of Microsoft Outlook which helps prevent me from missing important emails namely from my Boss or an important customer. If nothing else, it’s a simple and easy way to quickly triage your Inbox using Color Codes.
The feature I’m talking is the Outlook Organize. I’m honestly not sure what it’s called but that’s what were going to go with. 
First, let’s Color Code all new emails from the Important Person Red and, Color all emails sent Only to me Blue. This should be handy since emails sent Only to me typically means they are waiting for a response.
1. Open Outlook and Click on an email from your Manager (or someone else important)
2. Click Using Colors Tab, and and Verify the remaining settings (To or From, Name and Color). Click Apply Color when ready.
2a. From the same menu above, Click Turn On to color all emails sent Only to Me Blue (or pick your color).
3. Click the X on the far right to Exit the Organize Options
The changes are instantaneous and the variations using Colors are limitless.
Very groovy tip when I found it and I hope you enjoy it. Would love to hear any comments!
If anyone has any Quick-Tips they use all the time, please let us know here or in our Forum!
Tags: Microsoft-Outlook, organize-email, color-code, time-saver, quick-tip
I honestly had no idea that was there. Just enabled both the settings and lovin it!
@JohnT – Yup. I used outlook for a long time before I noticed the feature. Will try to find and write about more of these for the groovy community!
I really enjoyed this article. I enabled it yesterday at work for my boss. Thank you!
YES! I accidentally stumbled across this feature back in 2006 and forgot how to find it and use it when I started with my new job this year. Thanks!
hi all, i have a problem when i set this Orgnaize like this “from zhang, leo in red “, after apply color, the mail from “zhang, leo” turns red but also the mail form “Yuan, Leo” turns red too . i only want to set the mail form “zhang, leo” turns red. so ,how to make it , thks u all for reply
Will, the way to keep Outlook from coloring messages from everybody who shares the same first or last name is to enclose the name you want in quotation marks. Follow the usual steps to color all messages from Zhang, Leo, but before you click Apply, put quotes around his name: “Zhang, Leo”. This will keep Outlook from coloring everyone else named Leo too.
@Craig Sanders,
Thanks for answering that for Will Craig! Great Tip!