Creating Outlook Tasks from OneNote

If you have both OneNote 2003 and Outlook 2003 installed, you can integrate the two by creating Outlook tasks directly from OneNote. You might want to create an Outlook task for any items you create in a to-do list. You can also assign tasks to others directly from OneNote. For example, in Figure 20.1, the meeting notes have to-dos listed for three individuals: Sally, Joe, and Trish. Trish, the note taker, can create Outlook tasks from OneNote and send those tasks to herself as well as to Sally and Joe.

Figure 20.1. You can create Outlook tasks for yourself and others.

To create an Outlook task from Trish's first to-do item, use the following steps.

1. Position your cursor on the line item you want to use for the body of the task. This can be a single line in a note container or an entire note container. If you need to select more than one line, you'll need to highlight all necessary lines.

2. Click the Create Outlook Task button on the standard toolbar as shown in Figure 20.2. There is no way to create an Outlook task from the menus.

   Figure 20.2. Click the Create Outlook Task toolbar button.

   

   When the Outlook Task form appears, as shown in Figure 20.3, the highlighted line or note container appears in the body of the task item. The subject of the task defaults to the selected line or the first line if multiple lines are selected.

   Figure 20.3. Your Outlook task contains the selected line(s) in the body.

   

3. Enter dates in the Due Date and/or Start Date fields for the task.

4. If you want a reminder for the task, check the Reminder box and choose a reminder date and time.

5. Click Save and Close to save the task to your Outlook task list.

Advanced Task Options

There are a number of advanced functions you can perform with your Outlook task that you created from OneNote. Two items in particular you might want to do are assign the task to another user and create a recurrence pattern to the task.

If you don't change the default reminder and due date for the task, when you click Save and Close you'll likely see an immediate reminder pop up on your screen. The reminder date and time default to today at 8 a.m. If it's any time past that, the reminder is seen as past due and pops up immediately. To avoid this, change the reminder date or time before saving.

Assign the Task to Another User

;assigning" to users>the task to another user, follow the previous steps 1 through 5. Then click the Assign Task button in the task's toolbar to alter the task as shown in Figure 20.4.

Figure 20.4. You can assign the task to another Outlook user.

Click the To button to display your Outlook Contact list or the Global Address list, as shown in Figure 20.5.

Figure 20.5. Choose a valid recipient from your Global Address list or Contacts folder.

You can choose any valid recipient in your Contact list or Global Address list and click the To button to add the person to the task assignment. Click OK when you're done to return to your task.

There are two default options you can modify when assigning a task to another person.

• Keep an updated copy of this task on my task list If you check this option, a copy of the assigned task will remain in your Tasks folder. If you assign the task to someone in the same Exchange organization, you'll get updates whenever they modify the task.

• Send me a status report when this task is complete This option, checked by default, sends you a message when the assignee completes the task. Uncheck this box if you don't want updates when the task is completed.

Set Up a Recurring Task

Outlook 2003 allows you to set up a recurring task directly from OneNote 2003. To setup a recurring task, follow the previous steps 1 through 5. Click the Recurrence button on the toolbar to display Figure 20.6.

Figure 20.6. You can create recurring tasks in Outlook 2003.

You can choose a daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly recurrence pattern for your task. For example, to create a task that occurs every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, choose a weekly recurrence pattern and check the boxes for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. To create a task that occurs the last Friday of every month, choose a monthly recurrence pattern. Use the drop-downs and option buttons to select the last Friday of every 1 month.

In addition to setting the pattern, you can also define a recurrence range. If the task should end after a specific date or after a certain number of recurrences, you can specify those options as well.

It is possible to create a recurring task that you assign to another person. To do this, follow the instructions in "Assign the Task to Another User" and "Set Up a Recurring Task."

When you're done setting recurrence options, click OK on the Task Recurrence dialog and then click Save and Close to save your task.

Linking a OneNote Section to an Outlook Contact

One of the benefits to keeping your contacts in Outlook is that you can record a number of different types of activities you have with the contacts.

Outlook can do much of this automatically through its Journal feature. Outlook can keep track of the Word documents, Excel files, Access databases, and PowerPoint presentations. It can also automatically track your emails to contacts.

In addition to the automatic tracking, you can also enter a variety of activities manually. For example, you can create a journal entry for each phone call you make to a client. It can be helpful to create a journal entry for each document you prepare for a client and link that document to the client's contact record. You can then use the contact's Activities page to list all activities you've had with that contact, as shown in Figure 20.7.

Figure 20.7. You can view all activities associated with a contact.

OneNote isn't one of the Office programs you can automatically track with the Journal. However, you can use a bit of fancy footwork to link a OneNote section to an Outlook Contact. To create this link, use the following steps.

1. In Outlook, create a new Journal entry by choosing File, New and then selecting Journal Entry as shown in Figure 20.8.

   Figure 20.8. You can enter a variety of information about your Journal entry.

   

2. Enter a Subject for your Journal entry (the title of your OneNote section is a good choice).

3. Choose Document from the Entry type drop-down.

4. Click the paper clip icon on the toolbar to browse for an attachment.

5. Navigate to the C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\My Documents\My Notebook folder, as shown in Figure 20.9.

   Figure 20.9. The My Notebook folder contains your section files.

   

6. Choose the section you want to link and click the down arrow next to the Insert button.

7. Choose Insert as Hyperlink. This creates a link to the file.

8. Click the Contacts button at the bottom of the Journal form to display Figure 20.10.

   Figure 20.10. You can insert a link to a contact record.

   

   tip

   

   If you insert the item as an attachment, you're inserting a copy of the item. Inserting a hyperlink ensures that any changes you make to the original section are reflected any time you click the link.

9. Choose a contact and click OK. Your Journal entry should now look like Figure 20.11.

   Figure 20.11. Your Journal entry contains a link to a OneNote section.

   

10. Click Save and Close to save your Journal entry.

You can now open the contact record you chose in step 9 by opening your Contacts folder and double-clicking the contact. Switch to the Activities tab for the contact. Once you open the Activities tab, Outlook will search for any Journal entries or other Outlook items linked to that Contact. The Journal entry you just created will be available. You can open it from the Activities page, click the hyperlink, and OneNote will display the section.