Now with Outlook

Microsoft Outlook, the Microsoft Office "professional e-mail and calendar app" has enjoyed a surprisingly long tenure as the Microsoft e-mail tool of choice. The earliest versions of Outlook, including Outlook for MS-DOS, Outlook for Windows 3.1x, and Outlook for Macintosh, probably sound like something Ferris Bueller would use to send e-mail. And some of that history hasn't been entirely erased: You can still get Microsoft Outlook 97 — shrink-wrapped and in its original jewel case — on eBay for just $6.99.

Another place that you can get Microsoft Outlook, as some of you may not yet be aware, is in TestOut Continuing Education's very own Microsoft Office 2016 courseware. You don't have to worry about clunking around in any vintage models here, however. We've left the likes of Outlook 2002 and Outlook 2011 for Mac where they belong, on the sweet legacy rig that your Uncle Vernon from West Virginia still uses to track billing at his family dental practice in New Martinsville (pop. 5,366).

Instead, we're keeping your IT training up to the second with Outlook 2016. It's probably a good bet that most of you out there can figure out the first lesson: That would be 7.1.2 "Checking Your E-mail." There are different topics from there, covering everything from "E-Mail Etiquette" and "Junk Mail and Clutter" to "Message Management Facts" and "Working with Multiple Accounts." Basically, if there's something that you can do in Outlook, our training will help you learn how to do it — and do it in the most effective manner, too.

For example, we'll teach you how to use rules to take advantage of Outlook's automation features. We also remind you, however, that rules need to be precise. If you aren't careful when creating a rule, you may end up sending important e-mail messages off to a folder where you never see them. (Good solution for all of the incoming FWs from your politically agitated Aunt Marjoram. Bad solution for new business inquiries from potential clients.)

Like with all of TestOut's courseware, we don't just talk about how things work, or walk you through a video demonstration. You'll get of all the benefits of those learning methods, of course, but TestOut training also means that you'll benefit from our excellent simulations. That's right: Instead of just telling you how it's done, we put you inside a virtual Outlook environment and let you learn by doing.

Don't just send e-mail. Learn how to use the full breadth of options available to you from Outlook. You'll be more productive, better organized, and ready to take your next work assignment beyond success to true Office greatness.