Microsoft Outlook 97 - Feb/Mar '98

Microsoft Outlook 97

Microsoft Outlook is billed as a Desktop Inform-ation Manager (DIM) (nice acronym, Bill). This next-generation PIM combines all the traditional tools (contacts, calendar, to-do list, and notes) with a powerful mail client that transforms the package into a groupware tool. In fact, Outlook is not positioned as a PIM so much as a next-generation group computing/e-mail client tool. Microsoft has adopted it as the mail client for Exchange, Windows Messaging and Internet Explorer 4.0.

An icon in the left-hand pane identifies each area in Outlook. A Contacts icon opens the phone book in Outlook. Microsoft Out-look provides plenty of room for each of your contacts, more than most other PIMs. It also handles this information intelligently. Names can be typed in either regular format (first, MI, last name) or reverse format (last, first, MI). Either way, Outlook automatically parses the name into the correct respective fields. This magic is also performed on addresses. Enter the address for the person, using the Enter key to move to the next line, and the street, city, state and ZIP code are put into the proper fields. If Outlook cannot correctly translate the address, it will notify you.

The Calendar in Outlook is equally easy to use. Create new entries by clicking on the desired time slot and start typing. By default, Outlook displays the current day's appointments, the next two months calendar and the taskbar. Alarms can be set for any event in either minute, hours or days, and you can set a sound to notify you of events.

To-Do items in Outlook are captured in the Tasks area. The entry screen provides room for a subject line, start and due date, status (not started, in progress, etc.), priority and percent complete. Like other items in Outlook, you can assign a category to the item and mark it as private if appropriate. Under the Status tab, you can enter billing information and track the number of hours spent on a task. Attorneys can use this function to recover hours spent on projects.

Outlook provides excellent tools for importing data from other programs. This is very valuable for attorneys who have accumulated a lot of data in their PIM but want to switch to Microsoft Office 97. If you are using Outlook in a group environment with Exchange Server, you can use it in offline or connected mode.

Microsoft Corp.
(800) 426-9400

By Michael Jimmerson

From the Shopper's Guide to Personal Information Managers - Feb/Mar '98

Pros: Outlook is the first true PIM from Microsoft and features an e-mail client.

Cons: The product has too many flavors that are not always cross-compatible.

Verdict: Outlook is a powerful PIM with the major plus of providing an e-mail client. This provides one solution for most of your information flow. This product got the nod in our recent office suite roundup and compared favorably with the other products reviewed here.