Fun with Outlook Date Fields

How about a trick that's not obvious to people who read this blog?

2007...pretty, useless. Upgrading to 2003 if this can't be changed. — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 17:14:39 GMT

How can I make the Calendar appear more like 2003 so I can actually see my appointments in a monthly view (I have never used or liked the weekly/daily views...I work several weeks out usually...the old monthly was perfect)? It looks like the calendar is trying to spend more time being pretty (which it is) than helping me be productive. I shrank the font down to 7 pt and at least I can see 4 appts now, which is reasonable for a 17" notebook screen, but it's far from what's possible. All the wasted real estate makes me want to cry. Never mind you waste an entire row in each day for an tiny, easy-to-miss arrow telling me there's a fifth appointment instead of just telling me what the fifth appt is. What's worse is the prioritized appts carry no weight in whether they are displayed or not! I almost missed a doctors appt with my oncologist (who schedules a year out) and a few important meetings, because crap like the "Administrative Professionals Day" gets equal weight. I must be missing something obvious because this is insane. Combined with the other unnecessary cosmetic enhancements and the let's-move-everything-so-loyal-Office-power-users-can't-find-anything menus, I've already dug out my 2003 discs and am waiting for the opportunity. Please, please help.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

Milly Staples - MVP Outlook — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:22:59 GMT

To Seriously, just use the one day view, select your consecutive days using the Data Navigator, go to your in-box, then return to your calendar. I guarantee you will be surprised.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

seriously? — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 07:50:09 GMT

This bores me. How about selecting two weeks worth of calendar days in the calendar, clicking on mail, then coming back to the calendar and seeing two weeks worth of calendar instead of a whole month? Try it. No workie workie. If I select consecutive days they should stay selected. Who really cares about typing in next friday or Easter? Does that really matter? It's MS Office not MS holiday. I have more if you want to hear them.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

Milly Staples - MVP Outlook — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 23:29:05 GMT

The date field is also very useful for calculating duration - for example, if you have a project due in 45 days, simply type 45d into the date field, tab out and you have your target date. This also proves useful for billing purposes.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

Tobie Fysh — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 17:19:16 GMT

It would be very usefull if you could put in "Easter Sunday", "Good Friday" as these move each year.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

Joe Siegler — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 05:50:59 GMT

That's cool - I'll definitely make use of that. Thanks for the tip.

re: Fun with Outlook Date Fields

Chinh Do — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 03:32:56 GMT

My favorite is "now +"... as in "now + 2 days" or "now + 1 month".