10 things you can do to become an Outlook Web Access (OWA) power user

Outlook Web Access (OWA) makes it possible for users with Exchange accounts to manage their e-mail from almost any computer that has a Web browser. The interface is similar to the Outlook client, so the learning curve is low for performing basic e-mail tasks. However, you can make your OWA experience even better. Here are 10 tips for becoming an OWA power user.

#1: Use an = sign before an e-mail alias

When you enter an e-mail alias into the To text box for a new e-mail message, you'll often be confronted with a dialog box asking what user you want to send the message to. For example, if you enter tshin, you'll be asked if you want to send the message to tshinor tshinder or tshindler ortshinmmer. You know that tshin is the alias you want, so why do you need to choose from the list? You don't! Just enter =tshin in the To text box and you won't be see the dialog box asking which user you want to send the message to.

#2: Use OWA hotkeys

You can click your way through the OWA interface, but if you frequently use OWA when on the road or at your home office, there's a faster way--OWA hotkeys. Some of our favorites are:

• [Alt]S: Sends a message
• Ctrl]S: Saves a message
• [Ctrl]D: Deletes a message
• [F7]: Checks the spelling of a message
• [Ctrl]R: Replies to a message
• [Ctrl]U: Marks the message as unread
• [Ctrl]K: Checks the name in the To: field

There are many more hotkeys. Click the Help entry in the OWA interface and choose Accessibility in the left pane of the console. You'll see a link to Keyboard Shortcuts.

#3: Use column headers to quickly find messages

Column headers in Outlook 2003 make it easy to quickly sort messages by Date, From, or Subject. You can do the same thing with OWA. Just click one of the column headers in the OWA interface and it will sort the messages, either from low to high or high to low. Click the column header again and it will switch directions, from high to low or low to high, depending on how the column was previously sorted.

#4: Use built-in searching on column header sorting

Although the column sorting is useful, you can take it to the next level by searching within a sorted column. For example, suppose you sorted your messages using the From header. Now you want to find all messages from Jim Harrison. Instead of scrolling through the list of names in the list of e-mail messages, you can use the built-in search function and drill down to the specific user.

Try this: In the OWA interface, click the From column header. Now type the first few letters in the sender name. For this example, we'll type Jim. The display changes focus to the messages that have Jim in the beginning of the From field. Make sure you don't hesitate when typing the characters; if you do, you might find you get inconsistent results.

#5: Multiselect contiguous or noncontiguous days in the OWA Calendar

The full Outlook 2003 client lets you see the day view for the entire work week. When using OWA, you can see a single day in full day view. Your only other options are full week and month view. This can be a real bummer when you want to see what's happening in full day view for multiple days.

The good news is that you're not limited to a single day. Click the Calendar link and then click 1 in the icon bar. Select a day in the month calendar in the right pane of the browser and then hold down the [Ctrl] key. Click on any other days you like--contiguous or noncontiguous--while the [Ctrl] key is held down. Let go of the [Ctrl] key and you'll see multiple days in day view. If you want to return to single day view, just click on that date in the calendar in the right pane of the console.

#6: Speed up OWA connections over slow lines with basic OWA

There are times when you just can't get a fast Internet connection. It often happens when you visit family members who aren't fully connected and have only dial-up connections. If you've ever tried to use OWA over a dial-up connection, you know it's not a satisfying experience. The solution for OWA access when you have a slow connection is to use the basic interface when logging on to your mailbox. The basic interface is quite a bit different from the full OWA experience, and it's not as fully functional. But you'll find it workable, and you'll be able to get to your e-mail much more quickly than when using the full OWA experience on a dial-up connection.

#7: Get an Agenda view using a secret URL

The full Outlook 2003 client provides a nifty Outlook Today view that allows you to see all your meeting and scheduled events for the day. I typically configure Outlook 2003 to open this page by default so that I can do a quick check on the day's events. The same functionality isn't included with OWA, so you have to go to the Calendar and check your day view to get something similar.

At least, that's the case if you don't use the secret URL that provides a daily Agenda. The URL ishttps://<servername>/exchange/<alias>/calendar/?cmd=contents&part=1 (or http: if you're not using secure connections). This feature was designed to work with SharePoint, but you don't need SharePoint to get this view. Just create a shortcut on your desktop with this URL and you'll be able to quickly get a rundown of your week's events.

#8: Double-click to create a new meeting

The full Outlook client allows you to create a new meeting at a specific time of day by double-clicking in the Calendar on the date and time you want the meeting to take place. Guess what? You can do the same thing in OWA. Just open the Calendar in OWA, enter the day view, and double-click on the time you want to schedule an event in your calendar. The new Appointment window opens and includes the start time on which you double-clicked.

#9: Automatically include your signature in new messages

Most of us who use the full Outlook client have a standard signature we want appended to our e-mail messages. You can do the same thing with the OWA client. While in the OWA interface, click the Options link in the left pane of the window to open the Options page. Select the Automatically Include My Signature On Outgoing Messages check box and then click Edit Signature. Enter your OWA signature in the text box and click OK. Unfortunately, the OWA signature feature can't pick up the signature you use in your full Outlook client.

#10: Check spelling on each new message

Although it might not seem to be the case these days, spelling is still important--especially when writing messages to colleagues and business partners. Most of us can use all the help we can get when it comes to spelling, so why not let OWA give us a hand? While in the OWA interface, click the Options link in the left pane of the window to open the Options page. In the Spelling Options section, select the Always Check Spelling Before Sending check box. Click the Save And Close button in the OWA icon bar and you're good to go.