Big Update to QuickFile

We are very excited to announce the release of QuickFile Version 4.1.52. This update includes both NEW FEATURES and BUG FIXES.

This is a FREE UPDATE for registered users of QuickFile 4.x.

Click here to DOWNLOAD the latest version of QuickFile

The full list of changes is listed later in this post but I'd like to highlight two new features that many users would appreciate.

File Emails sent using BlackBerries, Iphones, Outlook Web Access (OWA) etc

The number of QuickFile users in large companies are growing rapidly. Users in these companies often send out emails from outside Outlook using BlackBerries, OWA etc. These emails are automatically synchronized to the users Sent Items folder inside Outlook.

QuickFile 4.1.52 (PRO Version) lets you display these "unfiled Sent Item emails" at the click of a button and then file them quickly using QuickFile recommended folders.

We have prepared a whitepaper that lets you get started with this feature that you can download using the link below.

Whitepaper: Use QuickFile to file emails sent using OWA, BlackBerry, IPhones etc

You can also see other Whitepapers that we have created at:

Outlook Addin Whitepapers

File Emails sent using SalesForce.com, Sent on Behalf Of others etc

If you subscribe to any mailing lists or newsletters on the web, chances are that you are receiving emails that are sent using third party services such as SalesForce.Com. The sender of these emails is usually someone like bounce@infusionmail.com on behalf of a@b.com (where a@b.com is the email of the actual person).

The problem is that bounce@infusionmail.com may be sending out emails on behalf of many unrelated people thereby making filing difficult based on the Sender's address.

To get around this problem, QuickFile 4.1.52 now defaults to using the on-behalf-of-email address if one exists.

Full list of Updates in QuickFile 4.1.52

• NEW! (PRO Version) Process Sent Items for unfiled emails sent using Blackberry Phones, Outlook Web Access, etc.
• Emails that are sent from outside Outlook using Outlook Web Access or BlackBerry (synchronized with Outlook) does not get filed using Send&File. This new feature now allows you to process your Sent Items to highlight these unfiled emails and also provides with an easy step to file it at the same time.
• NEW! NetDocuments icons for the folder
  QuickFile now displays the NetDocuments folder with the NetDocuments icon on it to make it easy for users to distinguish it from normal folders.
• NEW! Supports SendTo Mail recipient
  Right-Click on a file and SendTo -> Mail Receipient. Now QuickFile Send&File is supported when emailing using this option.
• NEW! QuickFile also supports filing on the On behalf Email Address
  When an email is sent on behalf of someone then QuickFile will file that email with respect to the person it was sent on behalf of. Previously QuickFile did filing with respect to the person who sent the email.
• Bug Fix: Settings screen: In Data files tab, if selected Stores is selected, open settings screen click OK, all the selected stores becomes un-ticked.
• Bug Fix: Received Date changed for emails when filing to a public folder
• Bug Fix: Go to Tasks -> View by Categories then sort by subject. A selection change error occurred
• Bug Fix: QuickFile ->search for something that does not exist in choose another folder -> click new folder button -> now click cancel on the new folder form -> Runtime error 5 occurs and QuickFile crashes
• Bug Fix: Use QuickFile to file a PostItem. the recent folder is updated but the shortcut does not get updated.
• Bug Fix: When you do QuickFile on an email, then change the email address from the drop-down on the QuickFile form and file the email. The one-click shortcut is updated on the default email address but not on the changed email address that the user picked.

Click here to DOWNLOAD the latest version of QuickFile

URGENT Email Virus Alert

I have recently been getting a lot of emails with titles similar to:

A new setting file for the ***@*** mailbox has been released.
Or
Microsoft Outlook Notification for the ******.******@*****.be

If you received the above email or anything similar DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK IN IT!

Turns out that the email contains a link to a file which is a Trojan that disables firewalls, steals sensitive financial data (credit card numbers, online banking login details), makes screen snapshots, downloads additional components, and provides a hacker with the remote access to the compromised system.

I did some quick research on this on the web and found the following links:
http://tinyurl.com/yk64mw3
http://tinyurl.com/yjupkfa

Short Solution… Check with your IT Administrator before downloading any file that claims to change your email settings!

Hope this post helps your computer stay safe.

QuickFile for Outlook Tip: Viewing Inbox emails only when you need them

The Inbox works as a To-Do list for most of us. Having too many emails in the Inbox can be overwhelming and distracting. You can use QuickFile PRO's Defer function to make Outlook only show emails when you actually need them.

I can show you how this works with my morning email routine. I don't want emails to take over my day so I have scheduled 10.30 am as my email processing time. BUT some emails need my immediate attention... as soon as I get into the office.

Here's what I do...

I download my emails when I get into the office. I then step through the emails one by one.

If an email needs urgent attention (sales emails), I respond. If it is something that someone else in my team can respond to, I forward it on.

Otherwise I click the Defer button (which QuickFile PRO adds to Outlook) and defer the email to 10.30 am.

The deferred emails are moved out of my Inbox... so they no longer distract me.

At my preset time of 10.30 am, my deferred emails reappear in my Inbox and I go through them in more detail.

This process (and the Defer button) ensures that urgent matters get attended to... without letting emails completely take over my morning.

How to use the Defer Button

The Defer button is added inside Outlook for you if you install QuickFile PRO for Outlook.

1. Select the email that you want to Defer.

2. Click the Defer button on the QuickFile toolbar (which is displayed inside Outlook)

3. Use the screen to enter when you want to see the email again. You can either enter an exact time (e.g. 10 am) or you can choose to look at the email after a set duration (after 30 minutes)

4. Click OK.

The email will be moved out of your Inbox (and will reappear at your set time).

Looking at Deferred Emails (before they come back to the Inbox)

If you need to look at a deferred email before it comes back to the Inbox (maybe you finished your other work or a meeting got changed):

Click the Defer button on the toolbar.

Click the Goto Deferred Emails folder link.

The Defer function has proven to be useful to many QuickFile users. Try it out today.

If you're not a QuickFile user, you can learn more about QuickFile PRO for Outlook here.

Printing Blank Calendars from Outlook

It is almost the end of August... 4 more months to the end of the year. I have been working with my team on planning our main projects for the rest of the year. The discussion process was much easier with a pencil, an eraser and a blank printed calendar for each remaining month of the year.

Here's how you can print out blank monthly calendars from Outlook.

Create a new Calendar Folder

• Go to your Inbox.
• Click File-New-Folder to display the New Folder Dialog

• Enter a suitable name (I used Temp)
• Change Folder Contains to Calendar Items
• Select a folder where you want the new Calendar to be created. (I selected the Deleted Items folder. I am only going to use this folder for printing i.e. I am not going to enter any real appointments in it)

View the new Folder

• On the main menu click Go-Folder List.
• Select the Folder from where you created it (under Deleted Items for me)
• Click File-Print

• Change the Print Style to Monthly
• Change the Date Range to the range you want to print.
• Click Preview
• Click Print

If you created the folder in the Deleted Items folder, you're done. Otherwise you need to delete the Temp calendar folder that you created.

Does this tip work for you. Do you have other better methods. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment on the blog.

How to Write Emails that Get FASTER Responses to ALL your concerns/questions

Do you find that when you send out emails, people only send partial responses? Here is a easy tip that makes it easier for the respondent to address all your concerns AND gets them to address at least some of your issues faster AND also makes it easy for you to follow up.

The Secret… make one email about one topic/project only.

Why does it make it easier to get a response to all your questions?

Most people use their emails like a To-Do list. It feels great to knock a few things off that ever-growing list. So if you send an email with too many things in it, the respondent will reply and deal with either the most important or (more likely) the easiest questions. The email is then considered dealt with… they know you’ll email him again if you really need answers to the other questions.

Why does it get them to respond to at least some of your questions faster?

Other people will look at your email and think… It will take time to answer all those questions… I’ll respond later. They may procrastinate for a long time before getting back to you.

On the other hand, if you had separate emails for each topic… you probably would have received a response to things that could have been answered immediately. (We all want to knock things off that To-Do list)

Benefit for the person you are writing to: It gives them a much better way of managing To-Do items that relate to you.

Why is it easier to follow up?

If you have a separate email for each topic and use Outlook flags, Tasks or some other method of knowing what still needs to be followed up on… it’s easier to mark topics as completed as you get responses… and you know exactly what you still need to follow up on.

It’s also easier to resend an email that has not been responded to at all (than to forward and modify a partially responded-to email)

Try out this simple tip… you’ll find a big change in responses. I have.

Do you have your own ways of getting faster and complete responses? Tell me what you think by leaving a comment on the blog.

Before I forget… we have a great productivity booster announcement next week… if you’re not part of our email newsletter (which is different from the blog newsletter), sign up at www.standss.com

STOP Getting Spammed by Your Own Email Address

Over the last few weeks I have noticed that spammers have started more and more spam email from YOUR/MY email address. The email is from YOU and also to YOU. Chances are you have your email address white-listed . Here's a little trick I use to stop these emails from getting into my Inbox.

First why would you email yourself…last week I wrote a tip on how you can stay organized by emailing yourself… that could be a reason.

Here's how you can move the spam emails out of your Inbox but still keep the real emails you have emailed yourself.

Decide on a few characters that you will type in the Subject of every email that you send yourself. Keep it simple as you want to be able to type these characters from your BlackBerry etc as well. Use something like QAZ or whatever is easy for you to type.

Any time you send yourself an email type those characters in the Subject e.g. Instead of "Pick Stuff from Supermarket", you would need to type (say) "QAZ Pick Stuff From Supermarket".

Now setup Outlook.

1. Add your own email address to the Safe Senders list in Outlook (this is probably already done)

2. Create a Rule in Outlook so that all emails from your email address get moved to your Junk Mail folder, except those with your special tag in them (QAZ in the example above)

Click Tools - Rules and Alerts
Click New Rule to display the Rules Wizard

Click Move messages from someone to a folder.
Click people or distribution list. Enter all your own email addresses in the From field and click OK.
Click specified folder. Use the screen that comes up to select the Junk E-mail folder and click OK.
Click Next
Click Next

Tick except if the subject contains specific words.
Click Specific Words. Enter the tag (QAZ in example) and click Add. Click OK

Your Rules should look something like the following:

Click Finish.

Now anytime Outlook receives an email from you, it will get moved to the Junk Emails folder, EXCEPT when they have your special tag. EASY!

Does this tip work for you. Do you have other better methods. Tell me what you think by leaving a comment on the blog.

Related Links:
Fine-Tuning Spam Filtering in Outlook

Make sure the Subject of your email is right for the recipient

There was a big jump in sales for SendGuard over the last month so this month's product tip is for SendGuard.

We did a survey last year to see what annoyed people about emails they received. Number 1 on the list was MISLEADING SUBJECTS… and most of the time the misleading subject was an accident.

First an explanation… a common cause for incorrect Subjects is… I need to send an email to someone who is not in my contact list… I find an email from them and click Reply… I type my new message but I FORGET TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT.

The contents of my new email have absolutely nothing to do with the original Subject!

How does SendGuard protect you from this… anytime you do a reply on an old email, SendGuard will ask you if you want to change the Subject.

How old is an old email… that's up to you. You can decide on how old the email has to be before the prompt will be triggered. SendGuard's default is 28 days and that works well for me.

To turn on this feature and/or to change the number of days:

Go to your Inbox.
Click Tools-Standss-SendGuard-Settings.
Click on the Subject Guard tab.

Change the appropriate settings and click OK.

Do you think this is a useful feature? Let us know by leaving a comment on the blog.