Software Reviews

AutoDate in Outloook
By Claire Blinman

Outlook includes a feature called AutoDate, which allows you to use natural language to specify a date, determine a future date, or describe dates relative to the current date, or other fixed dates.

AutoDate understands phrases like yesterday, today, and tomorrow. If you enter one of these phrases into a date field, Outlook will automatically convert the text into the proper date. Likewise, you can shorten date names to Sun, Mon, Tue, etc. and month names to Jan, Feb, Mar, etc.

You can use the modifiers this, next, first and last in combination with week and month to specify dates that occur in the current, previous or next week or month. For example, Outlook will convert this Thursday into the correct date for Thursday in the current week. Similarly, it will apply the correct dates for the relative weeks and months you identify. If you specify first Mon in Oct, Outlook will calculate the date for the first Monday in October.

Outlook will also recognize the keywords from, before and ago. You can use these to set dates in the future (e.g. three months from today) or find dates that have occurred. You can also schedule dates relative to another date. (e.g. three days from today).

AutoDate recognizes holidays that fall on the same date each year. (e.g. Christmas or Valentine's Day) and understands military time.

AutoDate will not always save time, but if you understand how it works and where it can be used, you'll quickly find that it can be a very useful feature.

Notes for editors: Claire Blinman is the training manager at Computer Training Solutions in Bristol. Computer Training Solutions offer Outlook training courses or call 0800019 6882

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