Introducing… the new Microsoft Outlook

Wooden cube with new email notification icon on top of keyboard.

Amanda Ellis, Delivery Lead: Modern Workplace and Digital Enablement Lead at Mint Group

 

Microsoft Outlook is changing. This new, redesigned Outlook offers companies new tools and capabilities, but it also brings with it change that can be challenging to navigate across a workforce that’s grown used to the Outlook Classic format. The company announced on July 11 that the new Outlook – called Monarch – would become generally available as of 01 August 2024 with Outlook Classic support ending in 2029. The gradual immersion of Outlook Monarch will follow three distinct phases, giving companies and individuals time to adapt to the change and become more au fait with the platform’s new capabilities. 

 

The problem for most people is that it can be a little daunting. Monarch’s layout is a light, bright imitation of Classic, but feels very different. Users migrating to the new Outlook can struggle with adapting to new ways of organising Calendars, prioritizing emails and getting their heads around the layout. Which is where this guide comes in… these smart tips will help you to navigate the new Outlook and benefit from its capabilities with minimum downtime and maximum value. 

 

1. Personalize and automate 

 

In the new Outlook, you can add a personalized signature to your emails – or add in your email business card – and you can automatically connect your Bookings app in Microsoft 365 so customers can quickly and easily book time in your calendar. The new platform also allows you to manage your scheduling and engagements more effectively. You can automate emails and schedule when they’re sent – a lot like social media and blog posts – and you can schedule polls and get responses in real time. The scheduling tool is a lot easier than in Classic Outlook and new Outlook also lets you snooze emails so you can prioritize actions based on urgency, or just minimize your sense of overwhelm if you’re too busy and your inbox is on fire. 

 

The new Outlook also introduces Sweep which is a lot easier to use than Rules and lets you apply an action to all emails from the same address. It’s as simple as selecting the email you want to Sweep, clicking on the Sweep icon, and then allocating a specific action to it. It helps immensely with sorting out your inbox with minimal effort, as does the Categories option which lets you allocate emails and calendar items according to colour which makes them easy to find and respond to. 

 

2. Consolidate and simplify 

 

The new Outlook lets you consolidate all of your email accounts from different service providers in one email client. Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud and Outlook can all sit within your one email environment which has also been simplified to make it easier for you to find, read and manage your emails. The interface change has been arguably one that has caused the most consternation among users as it is a fairly radical departure from old Outlook. It’s a learning curve, but one that has been simplified by Microsoft as much as possible so that users can migrate with ease. Once you get used to the new ribbon and different ways of navigating, the Outlook becomes a very comfortable place from which to direct your email traffic. You can also opt into how your email lands in your inbox – you can choose to group all emails in one conversation, or you can show them separately.  

 

New Outlook integrates smoothly with Microsoft 365 and its evolving suite of applications as well as with Microsoft Copilot which means you can share information, collate data, collaborate and connect conversations with improved accuracy and ease. 

 

3. Enjoy the intelligence 

 

The automation, focused inbox capabilities, snoozes and smart tools are all enhanced, of course, by Microsoft’s AI, Copilot. Your sentences get suggested finishes, the AI helps to prioritise important emails, find emails quickly, and streamline your communication. Thanks to Microsoft’s continued investment into its AI capabilities, these functions will only improve as new Outlook gains traction and momentum.