Keeping Your Email Box Organized & Ready for Business

Learning how to get the most organization from yourinstructions here, then when you are done, click on
email software is very likely the most important skillOK. This will return you to the first window where
you can learn to conduct a successful online homeyou will set up the sorting order of your filter.
business.CLEANING AND COMPRESSING YOUR MAIL DATA
There are three primary email applications on theThis is an important part of your email management.
market that folks use to manage their incoming POP3When you no longer need an email, it should be
email. Those three are:deleted. When you first delete an email, your
- Microsoft Outlook Expresssoftware will send the email to the Trash Bin. Your
- Eudoraemail is not actually deleted until you first empty your
- Netscape Mailtrash bin.
In order to get the most from your email software,Emptying your trash bin compresses the mailboxes
there are three key processes that you should learn.from where the email was originally filed. This is
These processes are concerned with dataabsolutely paramount to the protection of your email
organization, saving time and email databasedata. If you go too long between compressing your
management.email data, then your email data could become
SET UP EMAIL FOLDERScorrupted and you might need assistance in
Organization is key to any emails that you intend torecovering your email data.
save. Having 2000 emails in one folder is a sure-fireEven after you have emptied your trash,
road map to confusion and lost communications andCompressing Folders is a recommended step to
information.prevent other data corruption. Once you understand
You are the best judge as to how to organize yourthat an email does not actually move from one folder
email into topics that provide an easy method ofto another until the folder is compressed, then you
retrieval of the information when you need it most.can better appreciate this advice.
Fortunately, the primary email browsers make it easyAs an example, when Email A comes into your main
to organize your information. By allowing you toInbox, the data connected to Email A appears in two
create folders within your email software, you canfiles. One file contains the header and body of the
file specific emails into folders dedicated to the topicemail. The other file contains only the email header
of the email.information.
To create new folders:When an email is moved from one folder to the
OUTLOOK EXPRESS: 1. Click File - Folders - New ---other, only the header information is actually moved.
alternatively, you may also right click an item in theThe body information will not be deleted from the
Folder window --- and then type in the name of youroriginal folder until which time the original folder is
new folder. Highlight the folder above where youcompressed.
would like your new folder to be placed, and thenThis explains the purpose of emptying the trash AND
click OK.compressing folders. If the email was simply moved
EUDORA: Click on Mailbox - New --- or right click onfrom the Inbox to another folder, then emptying the
Eudora in the folders window and then click on New.trash is not enough. The original placement of the
When the window opens, type in the name of youremail is not actually removed from the file that
new mailbox and click OK. If you want to create acontains the body information until the message has
folder to place other mailboxes into, click thebeen designated for compression.
checkbox before clicking OK.To empty your trash:
NETSCAPE MAIL: Click File - New Folder. Then fromOUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Edit - Empty 'Deleted
the drop-down menu, select the folder that you wishItems' Folder. To compress the remaining folders,
to be the folder directly above your new folder,click on Tools - Options, then click on the tab for
before clicking OK.Maintenance. Then click the button that says, "Clean
FILTERING EMAILUp Now". Once the compression is completed, click
Email filters are a tool to help you save time andOK.
frustration. Have you ever lost an incoming emailEUDORA: Click Special - Empty Trash. To compress
under the deluge of email coming into your mailbox?the remaining items that need compression, then click
With filters, you can direct the important email oron Special - Compact Mailboxes.
not-so-important email into certain pre-ordainedNETSCAPE MAIL: Click on File - Empty Trash Folder.
folders.To compress the mailboxes, click on File - Compress
As part of the war against spam, most ISP's useFolders.
filters every day in an attempt to keep the spamI cannot stress enough how important it is that you
out of your mailbox. In fact, I even use filters to sortutilize the tools for emptying the trash and
my incoming mail trying to catch the spam my ISPcompressing the mail folders. Protecting your email
missed.data on a regular basis is good practice for avoiding
Don't be fooled into thinking you need some specialdisaster in your mailbox.
software to filter your email. Setting up filters isSo many of us rely upon our email software to keep
actually quite easy.our online business running smoothly. Once you
To setup email filters:master the tools provided in your email software,
OUTLOOK EXPRESS: Click on Tools - Message Rulesyour online business will run smoothly also.
- Mail. A wizard will open to help you create your newLet me share one important lesson I l've learned
email filters. Just follow the instructions provided toabout computer software. One should never be
direct mail based on certain criteria into certainafraid to try new things. Learning how to get the
folders.most out of your software relies upon your
EUDORA: Click on Special - Make Filter. Once again,willingness to dig in and learn how to use it.
just follow the instructions in the Filter wizard.Once you learn how to use your software to its full
NETSCAPE MAIL: Click on Edit - Mail Filters. Then clickpotential, then your life will be greatly simplified and
on New in the wizard. Once you click on New, youyour effectiveness will be dramatically improved.
will be taken to a new wizard window. Follow the