Top 13 Microsoft Outlook Features for Small Businesses

To incorporate Microsoft Loop into Outlook, you can either create a new Loop component straight from your mailbox or share an existing Loop through Outlook. Sharing an existing Loop can be done by sending the link to the component via email. To create a new component entirely, follow the instructions below:

1. Click the “New Mail” button to create an email or reply to an existing thread.
2. Go to the “Message” tab and choose the “Loop Components” icon.
3. Select the type of Loop component you want to insert from the drop-down list.
4. Write the content of the component.
5. Send your email.

Choose different types of Loop components that your team can collaborate on. (Source: Microsoft)

To organize your inbox with the Sweep feature, you have to already have an email received from the sender whose emails you are planning to sweep. Follow these steps to sweep your inbox:

1. Select the email that you want to sweep.
2. On the menu bar, select Sweep.
3. Click on the action you want to set for the emails received from the chosen email’s sender.
4. Adjust the “Move To” field to the folder of your choice: Deleted Items, Archive, or a custom folder.
5. Click “OK” to start the sweep.

You can change the action for the Sweep feature to match how you want to handle emails.

To add an email signature in Outlook, follow these steps:

1. Open a new email message.
2. Click on “Insert” in the top menu bar, then “Signature.”
3. Click on “Signatures” and a “Signatures and Stationery” editor will open.
4. Add a new signature directly or cut and paste a signature block you created in a Word or some other document.

You can adjust your settings so that a specific signature is used any time you send a new message or reply to a message. You can also set different signatures to be used depending on which email account you are sending from. To change your email signature in Outlook, follow the same steps above and simply choose the signature you want from the drop-down.

For even more engaging signatures, use one of the best email signature generators, like HubSpot or WiseStamp. They make it easy to format Outlook email signatures and add graphics, links, and a call to action.

How to create custom Outlook email signatures.

To use this feature, simply right-click on the email you want to pin and select “Pin” from the drop-down menu. The email will then be marked with a pushpin icon and moved to the top of your inbox, making it easy to find and access.

To unpin an email, simply right-click on the pinned email and select “Unpin” from the drop-down menu. You can also select multiple emails and pin or unpin them all at once.

Scheduling emails in Microsoft Outlook is now easier than ever, since the schedule option is now just right beside the Send button. Here’s a quick rundown of how to schedule your emails:

1. Create a new email normally, by clicking on the “New Mail” button.
2. Write your email message.
3. Instead of pressing “Send,” click on the drop-down arrow next to it.
4. Select “Schedule Send.”
5. Set the time and date of your email, then press “Send.”

How to schedule an email in Outlook to be sent at a later time

There are several tasks you can do in Outlook without having to switch windows, including scheduling a meeting or event and adding a new contact. To find these options, proceed with the following instructions:

1. On your Outlook home page, familiarize yourself with the icons on the left-side menu
2. Hover your mouse over each icon to find out what they represent: Mail, Calendar, People, and Files. These are the sections of Microsoft Outlook that you can access without having to switch to a different app.
3. To set meetings and events, select the Calendar icon.
4. To add new contacts, select the People icon.
5. To find the files attached to your emails, select the Files icon.

The Outlook Calendar allows you to view your upcoming events and schedule new appointments.

There aren’t many built-in templates on Microsoft Outlook, but it’s easy to write your own or search for free marketing and sales email templates to use as references. Here’s how to create a new email template in Outlook:

1. Click the “New Mail” button to create a new email.
2. In the far right menu tab, select the ellipsis (…) for more options.
3. Under Add-Ins, select “My Templates.”
4. Click the “+ Template” option and write your template.
5. Finish by pressing “Save.”

To access and use your email templates in Outlook, make sure that you have already enabled templates in your mailbox. If you followed the instructions above, this will already have been set up. If not, head over to the “My Templates” option under Add-Ins and choose “Continue.” You can easily access your templates from there for future emails.

Outlook features like templates and its companion, Quick Parts, enable you and your team to save time on countless types of messages. Read our article listing dozens of business email examples to see how Outlook can be used to save time.

Some of the options you have in customizing the layout of your mailbox include adjusting text size and spacing, message height, message organization, and more. To find out how to change your layout, follow these instructions:

1. Go to the View tab on the top menu of your Outlook mailbox.
2. The default layout should have a number of options on your ribbon like Messages, Layout, and Density. Customize these to your preferences.
3. For more layout options, click “View Settings.”
4. Set up your layout preferences and exit the pop-up window once finished.

Make the most of Outlook’s customization tools by heading over to View Settings.

Customizing your layout is just one way to make Outlook work better for you. Learn more in our guide on how to set up Microsoft 365 business email.

There are a number of ways to share calendars in Outlook. Here is the easiest way to do it:

1. Go to the Calendar tab from your left-side menu.
2. On the menu tab under “Home,” select “Share.”
3. A pop-up window for Sharing and Permissions will appear. Enter the email address or contact name of the person you want to share the calendar with.
4. Select the type of permission you want to share with the recipient in the drop-down.
5. Press “Share.”

Once you send the shared access, the recipient can then accept it from their email.

Although Microsoft To Do has a separate app of its own, there is an integration available in Outlook that you can access while still viewing your emails:

1. On your Outlook homepage, select the fourth icon from the right of your top menu tab. It looks like the Calendar Icon, but with a checkmark on the front.
2. Press the To Do tab on the top.
3. Add a task and tick them off whenever you’re done.
4. To manage your tasks fully, click the “Manage All Tasks” link at the bottom.

How to create a task in Outlook

For even more robust project management, integrate business email tools like Asana with Outlook. You can create and assign tasks, see deal and conversation pipelines, and inform everyone on your team about the status of accounts, projects, and deadlines.

Integrate tools like Asana with Outlook for streamlined conversations and project management. (Source: Asana)

You get to set your rules for your inbox, but it has to be set up before you can manage your rules. Follow these steps to get started:

1. On your Outlook home page, select the ellipsis button (…) at the rightmost side of your menu tab.
2. Hover over “Rules” and click “Manage Rules.”
3. From the pop-up window, select the “Add New Rule” option.
4. Name your rule and set the condition and action. You can also add an exception.
5. Save your new rule.

Create simple or multi-layered Outlook email rules to automate the management of email messages.

Create better and more refined email content with Microsoft Editor. To use it, you have to set up your Microsoft 365 account first and log into Outlook with that account. If you already have a Microsoft 365 account, these instructions will lead you to Outlook Editor.

1. Create a new email by clicking on the “New Mail” button.
2. Navigate to the Options tab, right beside “Text Format.”
3. On the leftmost side of the menu tab, click on “Editor.”

If you’re still unsure about getting a Microsoft 365 account but want to utilize artificial intelligence (AI) to improve your email content, check out other top AI content writers you can use outside of Outlook.

While Gmail is the most-used business email app in the U.S. (and the world), it’s younger than Outlook and Microsoft 365 software. As such, Outlook offers more advanced features, like complex email handling rules and easy corporate calendar sharing. However, Gmail continues to close the gap, and provides ample capabilities to companies of any size.

When it comes to Microsoft Outlook features, small business owners get a lot of impressive tools and advanced options that other mail apps don’t offer. This includes comprehensive organization tools, advanced calendar and scheduling, and automation capabilities. In addition to robust native features, you can also integrate Outlook with other apps your company uses to save time and streamline workflows.

No—Microsoft 365 plans that include Outlook and Google Workspace plans with Gmail for business are equally professional. With that said, one might be better for your business, depending on what type of features you need and which apps you prefer. In our head-to-head rating, Gmail won out over Outlook for business email.