Setting Up a Task

When you set up a task, you specify its subject and an optional description, along with the starting date, due date, priority, status, recurrence, and ownership. As with an appointment or meeting, a task can be a one-time event or an event that recurs at some regular interval. Ownership designates who actually performs the task—you or someone you assign the task to.

When you need to set up a new task, open the Tasks folder and use one of the following methods:

• Click the New Task button at the left end of the Standard toolbar.
• Choose New Task from the Actions menu.
• Point to New on the File menu, and then choose Task from the submenu.
• Press Ctrl + N from within the Tasks folder, or Ctrl+ Shift + K from anywhere in Outlook.
• Double-click in the top row of the task list (which reads Click Here To Add A New Task).

Outlook opens a task window, with the Task tab shown as below. Here you name the task, set due dates, assign a priority, and set up various other features that will help you accomplish the task. Most of the settings are similar to those for appointments and meetings:

• Subject - Enter text or attach objects in the large box to add details about the nature of the task.
• Hiding Task - Select the Private check box when you don't want others to see the task.
• Categories - Use the Categories button (or the Organize button in the Tasks folder) to specify one or more categories for the task if you want to be able to sort your tasks this way.
• Reminder - Set a visual and audible reminder to appear on screen if you want one.
• Recurrence - Designate a recurrence pattern if applicable.
• Contacts - Associate the task with a contact if others are involved.
• Priority - Assigns it an importance level (or priority).

 Setting Up a Recurring Task

In the Task Recurrence dialog box, shown as below, you can set the intervals at which the task should recur and designate the start and end dates for the series of recurring tasks. You can also change a recurring task to a one-time task by clicking Remove Recurrence.

 Prioritizing Task

• Open the task and select the level of importance in the Priority box on the Task tab.
• Open the task and choose Properties from the File menu. Select the level of importance in the Importance box.
• If the Priority column is visible in the task list (the column with an exclamation mark as its label), click the Priority box for the task you want to change. Then select Low, Normal, or High from the list that appears.

 Setting a Task Reminder

With appointments and meetings, you can only set a reminder to appear so many minutes before the event. For a task, you can set both the date and time for the reminder. If your task does not have a due date, Outlook does not automatically set up a reminder.