The customization options that are available for your Outlook Today view in Outlook

This article describes the options in Microsoft Outlook for customizing your Outlook Today view.

Outlook Today contains a Customize Outlook Today button that allows you to customize the following components:

• Startup
• Messages
• Calendar
• Tasks
• Styles

Startup

Click to select the When starting, go directly to Outlook Today check box to start Outlook with Outlook Today displayed. This overrides the other options when you click Options on the Tools menu. On the Other tab, click Advanced Options, and then click to start Outlook with a specific folder open.

Messages

Click the Choose Folders button to select which e-mail folders Outlook Today will display. This provides you with the number of unread messages in these folders. Use the following steps to add to the list:

1. Click Customize Outlook Today, and then click Choose Folders.
2. Click to select the folder that you want to see in your Outlook Today view, and then click OK.
3. Click Save Changes to save your current settings and switch back to Outlook Today.

Calendar

You can show from 1 to 7 days of Calendar appointments. To set this, in the Customize Outlook Today dialog box under the Calendar heading, click to select the number of days or type the number of days of the calendar items that you want to show. Nothing happens if you try to enter a number greater than seven.

Tasks

This option allows you to show all tasks or today's tasks, and includes those tasks without a due date. You can also choose to sort tasks by the following fields: None, Importance, Due Date, Creation Time, or Start Date. You can sort by two fields at the same time.

Styles

Outlook Today comes with five built-in styles to choose from. Once you select a style from the list, a thumbnail preview of the style appears below the list.

The following are the available styles:

• Standard
• Standard (two column)
• Standard (one column)
• Summer
• Winter
  

For information about advanced Outlook Today custom solutions, please see the Microsoft Office Resource Kit white paper titled, "Customizing Outlook Today" at the following Web address: