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Lotus Notes® Email Tips and Tricks

Lotus Notes has many capabilities that can help you organize and prioritize email and minimize handling time. These time-saving functions will increase productivity, save time, and help you focus on critical business activities.

1. Power Drafts / Templates

Power Drafts are useful templates for repetitious email messages and calendar meetings. If you send a certain type of message frequently, create and save a draft of the email so you don’t have to rewrite the message each time. Remember that drafts must be archived so they are not deleted every 60 days.

1.1 A-B-C Email Power Draft: Create New Memo with Action-Background-Close structure shown below and select Save as Draft. This stores the email into Lotus Notes Drafts. Highlight the stored A-B-C Power Draft email in Draft folder. Make a copy with Ctrl-C (copy) – Ctrl V (paste). Open the copy, complete email and send. 1.2 Meeting Power Draft: Create and store Meeting Power Draft in Lotus Notes drafts by creating a New Memo and Save as Draft. Select Meeting Power Draft in Draft folder and click and drag into Calendar icon (in lotus notes toolbar on left-hand side). Select Meetings. This will open a calendar entry with your meeting power draft template. Complete information, invite attendees and send.

1.3 Work Power Draft: Create power draft template (repeat information) in New Memo. Save as Draft in draft folder. This stores the email into Lotus Notes drafts. Highlight Work Power Draft email in Draft folder. Make a copy with Ctrl-C (copy) – Ctrl V (paste). Open copy, complete email and send.

2. Email Management

2.1 Filter Low Value Email Using Auto-route: To help reduce the amount of time you spend processing email during the day, auto-route low priority messages into specific folders e.g. newsletter and check 1-2 times per month. To use this function in Lotus Notes: Right-click on any low-priority email that you would like to automatically route to a designated email folder. Select Create Quick Rule, Check When Sender (will contain email address from sender), Check Move to Folder, select destination folder or Create New Folder and select OK. 2.2 Delivery Options: 1) Return receipt: Receive a receipt when your recipient opens your message. It’s important to use this feature only when absolutely needed. 2) Prevent copying: Prevent your recipient from copying or forwarding a confidential message. This is also a method to ensure security of e.g. confidential or sensitive information which should also be encrypted. 3) Auto spellcheck: Make sure every message you send is spell-checked before sending. This will improve the clarity of your writing and your professional image.

From toolbar select Delivery Options tab --Check Return receipt, Prevent copying or Auto spellcheck boxes. Click OK and send message in the usual way. 2.3 Color Coding / Message Marking: Color code incoming emails from important senders. From Lotus Notes select Tools ¦ Preferences ¦ Mail -- Enter first name, last name of sender, select background or text color accordingly. Select OK.

2.4 Managing Interruptions: In tool-bar select File ¦ Preferences ¦ User Preferences ¦ Mail. In Receiving check box for new mail every 30 minutes. In When New Mail Arrives uncheck box play a sound when a new email arrives. 2.5 Create Auto-signature: To create an Auto-signature from Lotus Notes select Actions ¦ Tools ¦ Mail footer. Complete form and select the Enable the Mail Footer button at the bottom of the form. 2.6 Folders

Create folders in Lotus Notes to organize and store messages. Label the folders, for example as follows:

. By priority: URGENT, IMPORTANT, UPDATES ONLY . By completion: START BY (DATE), IN PROGRESS, DONE . By project name . By individual you work with or report to . By upcoming event or meeting

Each day, drag and drop emails into each folder based on the subject lines or quick glance at their content. When your inbox is empty, go through each folder and act on each item in turn based on its importance. Make time at least once a day to read and clear the contents of any URGENT and IMPORTANT folders.

Copy or drag and drop time-related emails into your calendar and/or task list rather than leave them floating in folders.

When sending a message you want to track -- either bcc yourself or drag and drop it from your sent items to the corresponding person/project folder. Review and follow-up as needed.

And finally, remember that all messages that have not been archived are deleted after 60 days. Check you inbox regularly and be sure to archive any important messages you need to save.