Productivity Portfolio

There's no question in my mind that Outlook is a useful tool, but like many programs it's not the best at everything. One example is it doesn't offer a good method for tracking outbound emails. I often have email conversations with companies regarding products in preparation for an article. Once I send the email, I need an easy way to alert me that the response is outstanding. Until I get that information, I may not be able to move to the next step. Granted, there are ways I could convert my outbound emails to a task or use Follow up flags, but I generally don't like the recipients to see my flags and Due by: dates. Moreover, outbound emails don't appear in the For Follow Up mail folder in Outlook 2003 even if you use flags.

To fill this gap, several developers have created Outlook add-ins that make email follow up easier. Each of these products adds one or more toolbar buttons that create a follow up reminder while you are composing your email. The beauty of this approach is you're only creating reminders on specific emails and not all emails. The three tools we reviewed include:

• MAPILab's E-mail Follow Up
  
• Sperry Software's Follow Up Reminder
  
• NetCentric's Getting Things Done Outlook Add-in
  

If you've ever shopped for Outlook add-ins, both MAPILab and Sperry Software should be familiar names. These companies have produced an array of useful tools that enhance Outlook's functionality. While NetCentric may not produce numerous Outlook add-ins, they have a strong following because their tool supports David Allen's popular GTD (Getting Things Done) methodology. Although each product is addressing a similar need, different approaches were taken. This means there is probably a solution that matches the way you use Outlook.

MAPILab's E-mail Follow Up

MAPILab's approach to following up on outbound email messages is to create a calendar item using the text of the outbound email. To create a reminder you press one of the two toolbar buttons after addressing the email. If you use Microsoft Word as your email editor, an additional toolbar is installed on a separate toolbar. By default, an appointment is created 24 hours ahead if you use the Follow-Up toolbar button.

Click to enlarge

Alternatively, you could use the Custom toolbar button that provides additional settings. For example, you might prefer to set your reminders at a time when you'll be reviewing email such as first thing in the morning or at the end of the day. If a reply is received prior to the reminder time, the program removes the appointment from your calendar.

For each email reminder, the program creates an appointment with the heading of [EFO] followed by the email's subject line. Opening the item displays the recipient's name and the text of the email.

Click to enlarge

Like regular calendar items, you will see a pop up reminder with additional buttons. One nice feature is the ability to send a follow up message directly from this dialog.

Click to enlarge

As with many add-ins, there are additional settings found by going to Tools |Options. The program adds a tab called E-mail Follow-Up that includes many of the same settings found using the custom toolbar button. This tabbed panel also includes a button called View Appointments, which is where you can see all your reminders.

Click to enlarge

The program works as advertised and we had few issues. We would prefer being able to view all outstanding reminders without drilling down to the Options panel. We suspect this add-in will work best for people who prefer to track items as appointments or those who need to create custom follow up templates. It may not work as well in situations where your emails are directed to multiple recipients.

Sperry Software's Follow Up Reminder

Although Sperry Software is addressing the same problem, they take a different approach to their reminders, as they don't create a calendar event or templates. Instead, their follow-ups use a separate dialog that is similar to Outlook's pop-up reminders with more functionality. They also offer an easy method for viewing all your reminders.

You can define a global setting for reminders or you can set a specific reminder date and time for each email. These setting are controlled using a common dialog for all Sperry add-ins, which is accessible from their toolbar instead of the Options panel. This dialog allows you to:

When you create an email message, you have a new toolbar button called Send with Reminder.

Click to enlarge

Based on your preferences, the program will either create a reminder in 7 days for each recipient in the To: field, or prompt you for a specific time. If you opt to set the time for each reminder, you get an additional dialog. This dialog allows you to change the time and add notes to the reminder. This is useful if you have multiple emails to the same person or the same subject line.

When your reminder is triggered, a dialog appears with the appropriate information. You can dismiss the reminder, pend it or review the original email. While it would be nice to have a button to send a follow-up email message, you can view the original email and resend using the Action menu.

Click to enlarge

The program also adds a toolbar with two buttons called View Reminders and Add Reminders. The View Reminders button allows you to see all your reminders in a sortable table. As with MAPILab, this program can automatically remove a reminder when a reply is received. The program is also smart enough to maintain reminders if only one person replied to an email sent to multiple recipients.

Click to enlarge

The other toolbar button, Add Reminder, allows you to create a reminder on emails from your Inbox. You might think of this an alternative to using Outlook's flags. This feature would allow you to view all email reminders, including your own, in one place. From the Inbox, you can highlight an email and click the Add Reminder button.

Click to enlarge

The program performed as we expected and was very easy to use. The program will probably appeal to people who prefer not to use the calendar for reminders and like easy access to all their email reminders.

NetCentric's Getting Things Done Outlook Add-in

Email reminders are but one of many functions this add-in performs. Instead of focusing on email follow ups, this add-in is more a Swiss Army knife for people who use the GTD methodology. If you're not using GTD, this program might be overkill given the price. However, if you're an advocate of Getting Things Done, the program has a lot to offer aside from reminders.

Instead of creating a reminder, you're creating a @Waiting for task with a due date that can be assigned to an individual and project. Using this method and add-in, you can create a project structure within Outlook. For example, I might have a project called Create online documentation. During my email correspondence with a developer, I'll ask a question regarding the software. At the time I create the email, I can click the toolbar button labeled Send and Delegate. The add-in allows me to set a reminder and create a task. By default, the task details include the entire text of your email but you can edit the task before saving.

Click to enlarge

The add-in also creates an Inbox folder called @Waiting For which contains your outstanding items. In addition, you can have a paired task for each item. This pairing means you can see outstanding items either by viewing your @Waiting For mail folder or by viewing your tasks by category.

Click to enlarge

Of the three add-ins, this is one is the most complex and powerful. I've just touched on one program component. For people who are using the GTD method, I would try the program since it does streamline the process. However, if you're just looking for an easy means to monitor overdue emails, I think the MAPILabs or Sperry Software is a better choice.

Each of these Outlook add-ins provides a fully functioning trial version. The trial should give you enough time to evaluate the program to see if it suits your style. My suggestion is to try one program at a time. While you may think trying multiple packages will shorten the review process, I think it might be confusing. And if you were interested in the NetCentric solution, I would advise you to first familiarize yourself with the GTD methodology.