Coping with Information Overload: Is your E-mail an E-pile?

Tips and tricks to help organize, maintain and control your email inbox

Agenda
Introductions Overview of GroupWise 7.0 Whats New Navigational Toolbar GroupWise Cabinet and folders Adding Columns Categories, Colors and Rules Archiving emails Tips on writing a good email Questions and review

GroupWise 7.0 - Overview

Proxy Access/ Archive Navigational Bar (Colored Bar) Filter box and icon Toolbar View Button

Graphic thankfully used with permission (GW 6.5 training manual)

GroupWise 6.5 vs. 7.0

Small icons Fixed gray background

6.5
2 levels of navigation Category filter symbol

7.0
3 levels of navigation

Larger icons

Mutable background

Customizable tabs

Quick Filter

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2006 Library Staff Day Is Your E-mail an E-pile?

Navigational Toolbar Customizable Tabs

GW 7.0 has a cool new way to help you access and save emails to your most frequented folders shortcut tabs along the top of the toolbar
To Create Tab 1. Right click anywhere along colored toolbar 2. Select Customize Nav Bar 3. Customize Nav Bar dialogue box appears 4. Navigate to the folder you wish to add and place a check mark next to it 5. Click on OK

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2006 Library Staff Day Is Your E-mail an E-pile?

Navigational Toolbar Customizable Tabs

GW 7.0 has a cool new way to help you access and save emails to your most frequented folders shortcut tabs along the top of your screen
To Create Tab 1. Right click on colored toolbar 2. Select Customize Nav Bar 3. Customize Nav Bar dialogue box appears 4. Navigate to the folder you wish to add and place a check mark next to it 5. Click on OK 6. New tab created!

A shortcut to whatever folder you selected is now accessible via the toolbar

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2006 Library Staff Day Is Your E-mail an E-pile?

Navigational Toolbar Customizable Tabs II

Cabinet tab not enough? You can add more!

Right click to get Customizable Nav Bar Scroll through folder list to find new folder (can drill down as far as you want) Check folder and hit ok

New tab for Book-It now created next to Cabinet

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2006 Library Staff Day Is Your E-mail an E-pile?

Navigational Tabs What do they do?

Access Quickly access and open folders you use most often
1. Click on tab shortcut 2. GroupWise opens folder to display messages

1.

2.

Navigational tabs can speed up you searching as well. Instead of navigating to the folder you are looking for via the left pane, you can use a shortcut tab to navigate first to higher level folder (e.g. Cabinet)

Navigational Tabs Quick Save

Save 1. Before 1. Highlight message you wish 3. to move 2. Drag message up to folder shortcut in navigational toolbar 3. Drop! (Message disappears) 4. Message has now been 4. After moved to new folder without going through cabinet navigation

Nav Bar Changing Layout Colors

To Change Layout Colors 1. Right click on colored toolbar 2. Select Customize Nav Bar 3. Adjust color scheme (8 to choose from!) at bottom 4. Click on OK

GroupWise Cabinet Introduction

Used to sort and store messages Looks similar to Windows Explorer Currently saves until you delete may change in the future to autodelete in 45 days (like other City departments) Use naming conventions

Select name that is both descriptive and short Folder name should be easily understood/ deciphered (especially important for shared folders) Length should be no more than two words short is good! Use consistent punctuation

GroupWise Creating Folders

1. 2. 3. Right-Click on the Cabinet Select New Folder Youll now see the Create Personal Folder Dialog Box (below)

GroupWise Creating Folders II

4. Enter the Name of the Folder in the next Window click Next 5. New folder is created (Default is not alphabetical. Use Up/ Down buttons to place)

GroupWise Creating Folders III

6. Click Finish ignore everything else. 7. The New Folder appears under the Cabinet.

Cabinet Adding Messages

1. 2. Highlight message you wish to move/save Drag and drop email message into folder
1.

2. Inbox to folder 3. Email is transferred from

3.

GroupWise Using Columns

Email column headers are similar to those found in Windows Explorer You can sort by column (next step), or add new columns that better suit your needs. You can add columns to your mailbox (Inbox) or folders Sorting Columns
Click the Wedge shape in any of the column headers to Sort
Ascending or Descending. NOTE: the Wedge Changes shape depending on Ascending or Descending.

GroupWise Using Columns II

Not limited to Name, Date, Subject Size Category Folder Message Status And many more You can add columns to your Inbox (above) or specific folders (right)

GroupWise Adding Columns

Benefits of additional columns:
Can easily see data/ information that helps you quickly scan emails Only add columns you find useful Easy to add and delete 3. 1.

To add new columns (simple):

1. Right click anywhere along the grey toolbar 2. Select new column header from list with cursor 3. New column appears
New columns are sortable!

GroupWise Adding/Deleting Columns

To add more columns:
1. Right click anywhere along the grey toolbar 2. Select More columns 3. Youre now given a choice of dozens of additional columns to add to your Inbox or Folder 4. Highlight new column and click Add 5. Click OK

To delete columns:
1. Right click anywhere along the grey toolbar 2. Select More columns 3. Highlight the column you wish to remove and select Remove

Colors and Categories

Create eye-catching emails through the use of color and categories

To Access: 1. Highlight message you wish to color-code 2. Right click and select Categories 3. Select a pre-set category, or create your own (next slide)

Creating Categories
Categories you select (or create) are fully editable you can easily add or change name or color

To Create New Category 1. Enter Category name 2. Click Add 3. New Category will now be viewable the next time you right click on highlighted message To Change Color 1. Highlight Category you wish to modify 2. Select Edit Color 3. Choose color from available swatch 4. Click OK

Why Categories?
Why Categories?
Quickly add eye-catching color to emails you want/need to see first Can filter by categories Can create custom categories and then automatically have emails colored via Rules

Rules Set up
To 1. 2. 3.
3.

Set up a Rule Tools - Rules Click New Name rule

1.

2.

Rules Set up II
To 1. 2. 3. 4. Set up a Rule Tools - Rules Click New Name rule Select Item Type
1. Mail 2. Appointment, etc.
4.

5.

5. Define Conditions
1. From a specific person? 2. About a specific topic? 3. With a specific word in header?

Rules Set up III

To 1. 2. 3. 4. Set up a Rule Tools - Rules Click New Name rule Select Item Type
1. Mail 2. Appointment, etc.
6.

5. Define Conditions
1. From a specific person? 2. About a specific topic? 3. With a specific word in header?
Youll know your rule is working, once you see the Rule Execution complete message box.

6. Hit OK, then Run

What to do with Rules

Why Rules are cool Create a rule to automatically color specific emails when they come into your email box Create a rule that will automatically move emails into a specific folder
Note: This is where you set up your out of office and vacation rules too!

GroupWise - Archive
Archive protects items from being Accidentally Deleted. Depending on your job requirements, you may need to use the Archive feature to Save E-Mail Messages to Keep Records of Substantive City Business.

What to Archive Old correspondence Closed or obsolete projects Emails related to completed past events

Why Archive? Tidies up your Inbox and folders decreases amount of email Removes emails you arent using/accessing on a regular basis Might one day be the only way to save emails longer than 45 days

GroupWise How To Archive

1. Locate email (or folder) you wish to Archive and highlight 2. Right click on message (or folder) and select Move To Archive 3. Message (or folder) disappears and is sent to your Archive

Helpful Hint I send myself a recurring appointment at the start of each year, reminding myself to archive at the start of each month. You can archive either from the main Group Wise mailbox (right pane) or from a folder (on left).

GroupWise Opening Your Archive

There are two ways to open your archive: Method 1 1. Click on Online above your mailbox Name 2. Select Archive

Method 2 Click on File and select Open Archive

GroupWise Navigating the Archive

You can always tell if youre in the Archive as it will say (Archive) Novell GroupWise Mailbox To un-archive any message
1. Highlight message and right click 2. Click on the checked Move to Archive 3. This unchecks the box and moves the message back to your Inbox To return to mailbox, uncheck Open Archive

GroupWise What Not to Keep

Rule of thumb: If someone else has it, you dont have to keep it Not all email needs to be saved

What can be deleted General City or Dept. all notices Notices from IT Requests for general information Personal emails

Remember: Delete after you read!

GroupWise Fine Print

City Employees Should Retain Electronic Records That Contain Substantive City Policy - This is equally true for both paper and electronic records, regardless of the format (e.g. Word, e-mail, Excel.) Most Records are Subject to Public Disclosure - Like most paper records, most electronic documents generated for a City purpose, are subject to the State open records act (RCW 42.17.250). A useful rule of thumb is that electronic records, including e-mail messages, should be composed with the same care given a comparable paper memorandum. Scope of Requirement - For all routine/non-policy notes, messages, or transmittal letters short-term retention in the employees mailbox is sufficient. All policy correspondence and reports (either messages or attached files) should be archived on individual hard drives or on the City Light server.

Retention of Electronic Records from - http://sclweb/dpp/misc/EMailuse.htm

Tips on writing good emails

Emails and Printing

11,000 approximate number of City of Seattle employees (regular, part-time and temp) If everyone prints just one email a day 11,000 sheets x 5 = 55,000 sheets a week 55,000 x 52 weeks = 2,860,000 sheets a year Thats 5720 reams. This is more paper than the Legislative Dept., Personnel, and the Dept. of Neighborhoods combined. Bottom-line: If everyone can print one less page per day, the City will save nearly 3 million sheets thats more than 1.5 Space Needles! (953 ft. to be exact)

GroupWise 7.0 - Recap

Introduction to the new GroupWise 7.0 navigation bar and quick tabs Introduction of GroupWise Cabinet
How to create and organize emails by project or topics Organized similar to Windows Explorer How to add and sort columns

Introduction to GroupWise Archive

Emails are saved longer than 45 days Same file folder structure as In-box Un-archive to reply or forward, but re-archive to save again

Introduction to categories and colors Short intro/demo on Rules Overview of what to keep and not to keep Confidence in finding old emails = less likelihood you print for fear youll never find again

Thank you!