Introduction

Below you will discover how to work with Contacts, Tasks, Notes, and Journal entries in Outlook 365 using SuperNova and Dolphin ScreenReader.

Reading time: 15 minutes approx.

Creating and managing Contacts

You can save email addresses and other contact details in Outlook. Maintaining accurate contact details for friends, family, and colleagues, helps to ensure you are able to easily keep-in-touch.

To create a new contact card:

1. Go to the Contact folder and press CONTROL + N or press CONTROL + SHIFT + C anywhere in Outlook. An "Untitled Contact" window opens. The cursor is in the "Full Name" box.
2. Type in a name.
3. TAB through and complete the fields you require.
4. Press ALT + S. Outlook saves the changes and closes the dialog box.

You can also add a new contact by selecting the contact's email address in the header of an email message.

To do this:

1. Open the email message.
2. SHIFT + TAB until focus is in the "From" field in the message header.
3. Open the context menu (SHIFT + F10) and select "Add to Contact List". This will automatically add the name and email address into the contact details.
4. TAB through and complete the fields you require.
5. Press ALT + S. Outlook saves the changes and closes the dialog box.

Similarly, you can add a contact by selecting them from the To or CC field. Where multiple contacts are listed in these fields, you must position the cursor beside the contact you want to add to Outlook.

You can move across the contacts using the LEFT ARROW and RIGHT ARROW but it is important to note that speech will only announce the initial letter of the contact. You can confirm the correct contact is selected by pressing the Speak line from cursor hotkey. The hotkey is LEFT SHIFT + NUMPAD 2 or, if you are using the Laptop Universal Hotkey Set, press CAPS LOCK + END.

This hotkey will read all the remaining contacts across the current line. The first contact stated is the contact that has focus.

Alternatively, you can turn on the Dolphin Cursor and navigate to the contact. Once found, you can simulate a Right Click to open the context menu.

You can edit and update contact details by going to the Contact folder (CONTROL + 3), selecting the contact, and pressing ENTER to open the contact card. Alternatively, opening the context menu (SHIFT + F10) enables you to copy, print, forward, edit, delete, and much more.

Creating and managing Tasks

You can create personal tasks and assign tasks for others to complete in Outlook. Tasks may include activities like a personal reminder to order a prescription, through to the management of duties in a busy office.

You can configure Outlook to remind you when the completion date of a task is approaching and when the task is overdue.

The tasks you create appear in your Tasks folder and in the To Do list.

To create a personal task:

1. Go to the Tasks folder (CONTROL + 4) and press CONTROL + N. Alternatively, press CONTROL + SHIFT + K anywhere in Outlook. An "Untitled Task" window opens. The cursor is in the "Subject" field, and you will be viewing the primary fields for the task. You can view additional fields for the task by selecting "Details" in the Ribbon (ALT + H, A, I).
2. Type in a subject for the task.
3. TAB through and complete the fields you require. Fields include start date, finish date, and the setting of a reminder.
4. Press ALT + S. Outlook saves the changes and closes the dialog box.

To create a new task request for others to undertake:

1. Go to the Tasks folder (CONTROL + 4) and press CONTROL + N. Alternatively, press CONTROL + SHIFT + ALT + U anywhere in Outlook. An "Untitled Task" window opens. The cursor is in the "To" field.
2. Type the email address of the recipients. Separate each email address with a semi colon. As you begin to type, Outlook will present a list of possible contacts, which you can navigate using the UP and DOWN ARROW keys and select by pressing ENTER. If required, you can use the Speak focus hotkey to speak, spell, etc. the selected contact. Press NUMPAD 0 or, if you are using the Laptop Universal Hotkey Set, press CAPS LOCK + UP ARROW.
3. TAB to the "Subject" field and type a description for the task.
4. TAB through and complete the remaining fields you require. Fields include start date, due date, and the setting of a reminder.
5. If you want to add an attachment to the message, from the "Insert" tab of the Ribbon, select "Attach a file”, and then select "Browse this PC" (ALT + N, A, F, B). The "Open" dialog box appears enabling you to navigate to and select the file to be attached.
6. If you want to change the task request properties before sending, press ALT + ENTER. This will open the "Properties" dialog box. In this dialog box you can change settings including the priority level and if you want to request a read receipt.
7. When ready, Press ALT + S. Outlook closes the message window and sends the task request. If you are working offline, then the message will go to the "Outbox". It is then sent the next time you go online.

The task will appear in your task list and the recipient will receive the request in their Inbox. The recipient can choose to accept, decline, forward, reply, and re-assign the task to another person. You will receive updates on the actions performed by the recipient.

Similarly, if you receive task requests from friends and colleagues in your Inbox, you can choose whether or not you want to undertake the task. Tasks you accept go into your Task folder and To Do list.

You can respond to a task request in your Inbox by opening the context menu (SHIFT + F10) and choose a response such as Accept, Decline, or Reply.

If you want to view the details of the task request before responding, do the following:

1. Open the task request. The task request window opens with the focus in the message body.
2. Use the Arrow Keys to read the message body.
3. Use SHIFT + TAB and TAB to review the message header, which includes the details about who assigned the task, percentage complete, and due date.
4. From the "Task" tab of the Ribbon (ALT + H), TAB through and select a response, for example, Accept, Decline, Reply, Forward, Assign, etc.

To update a task request, for example, to mark it as complete, you go to the Task folder (CONTROL + 4), open the task, and update its properties. When you update the task request, the owner of the task request is able to monitor its progress.

Creating and managing Notes

Notes offer a way for you to record simple information that doesn’t readily fall into the category of appointments, meetings, contacts, etc. Typically, you may use Notes to record useful information such as a recipe, a website address, login and password hints, how to do things, etc.

To create a note:

1. Go to the Notes folder (CONTROL + Y, and select Notes) and then press CONTROL + N. Alternatively, press CONTROL + SHIFT + N anywhere in Outlook.
2. Type your note.
3. When done, press ESCAPE. The note will be automatically saved.

You can review your notes by going to the Notes folder. You can open a note by pressing ENTER or delete a note by pressing DELETE. When a note is selected, opening the context menu (SHIFT + F10) will enable you to copy, print, forward, categorise, and delete the note.

Creating and managing Journal entries

The Journal enables you to record your daily activities. You can record, amongst other things, type of activity, who you contacted, the duration of the activity, and outcomes from the activity.

To create a new Journal entry:

1. Go to the Journal folder (CONTROL + Y, and select Journal) and press CONTROL + N. Alternatively, press CONTROL + SHIFT + J from anywhere in Outlook. An "Untitled Journal entry window opens. The cursor is in the "Subject" field.
2. Type in a subject for the task.
3. TAB through and complete the fields you require. Fields include entry type, start time, duration, and a message body to record your notes.
4. Press ALT + S. Outlook saves the changes and closes the dialog box.

You can review your entries by going to the Journal folder. You can open an entry by pressing ENTER or delete an entry by pressing DELETE. When an entry is selected, opening the context menu (SHIFT + F10) will enable you to copy, print, forward, open related items, categorise, and delete the entry.

Tip: For best results, you should view the Journal entries using ""Entry List" View". You can make this change by going to the Journal folder and select "Change View" (ALT + V, C, V).

Summary

Here, you discovered how to add and manage entries in the Contacts, Tasks, Notes, and Journal folders.

Quiz

1. You cannot decline tasks to which you have been assigned. Is this statement true?
2. Notes you create can be forwarded to others. Is this statement true?
3. Journal entries enable you to monitor your daily activities. Is this statement true?

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1. False.
2. True.
3. True.