Organizing Your Contacts List in Microsoft Outlook for Mac 2011

Using Smart Folders

Smart folders make it possible to save advanced search filters so they can be used again and again. When you open a smart folder, Outlook applies the saved filters to your contacts and displays the results in the contacts list.

By default, two smart folders are preconfigured for Contacts view:

• Flagged Contacts This smart folder uses the Follow Up Flag filter to display all contact records that are flagged as not completed.

• Updated Contacts This smart folder uses the Date Modified filter to display all contact records that have been modified within the past week.

In this exercise, you’ll learn how to create your own smart folders, modify existing smart folders to change their settings, and delete smart folders you no longer need.

1. On the Search contextual tab, click the Save button. An Untitled smart folder appears in the navigation pane under the Smart Folders heading.

   
   

2. Type CA Businesses, and then press Return. The smart folder is renamed and it shifts to the top of the Smart Folders list in the navigation pane.

3. In the Smart Folders area of the navigation pane, click the Updated Contacts smart folder. The contacts list changes to display only contact records that have been modified within the past week.

4. If necessary, on the Search tab, click the Advanced button to display the search filter for the currently selected smart folder.

   

5. On the search filter line, click the Within Last Week menu, and then click Since Yesterday. The contacts list displays only those contact records modified since yesterday.

6. On the Search tab, click the Save button. The change you made to the filter is saved to the smart folder, thus modifying it to reflect the current settings.

7. In the Smart Folders area of the navigation pane, click the CA Businesses smart folder. The contacts list changes to display only contacts with addresses in California and the company name included in the contact record.

8. If necessary, on the Search tab, click the Advanced button to display the search filters for the currently selected smart folder.

9. On the search filter line, edit CA to read NJ. The contacts list changes to display only contacts with addresses in New Jersey and the company name included in the contact record.

10. At the top of the navigation pane, select the name of your contacts list or the On My Computer heading. A dialog box appears, asking if you want to save the changes that you made to your smart folder. Outlook makes it impossible to forget to save changes.

    

11. Click Don’t Save to dismiss the dialog box without saving changes to the smart folder.

12. In the Smart Folders area of the navigation pane, click the CA Businesses smart folder again.

13. On the Home tab, click the Delete button. A dialog box appears and asks if you’re sure you want to permanently delete the smart folder.

    

14. Click Delete. The smart folder is removed.

    TIP

    Deleting a smart folder does not delete any contact records.

15. In the Smart Folders area of the navigation pane, right click the Updated Contacts smart folder to display a contextual menu of options.

16. Click Edit. The search filter line appears beneath the ribbon.

17. Click the Since Yesterday pop-up menu, and then click Within Last Week.

18. On the Search tab, click the Save button. This smart folder is now reset to its original configuration.

19. At the top of the navigation pane, select the name of your contacts list or the On My Computer heading. The advanced search feature is turned off and all contact records are displayed in the contacts list again.