Managing Project Support with Outlook for email

rmjb

Registered
Hi, use Outlook for my email, and set it up according to the guide with the @Action Support and @Waiting For Support folders, but I found those things tedious to maintain. What I ended up doing, and where I am now, is I have a [Projects] folder with subfolders for each project, with the same name as the project in my list manager. What it allows, is for me to file emails into those folders when getting clear.
This method is not fast a fluid though, I sometimes have to hunt in the folder for the particular bit of info I need. In addition, when filing, I have to scan the long list of folders to see where to put the email.
On the other hand, this is handy because, if done diligently, all the project emails and attachments are in one folder.

Im curious what other persons are doing for project support when using Outlook for email.
 
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Gardener

Registered
This may or may not be relevant:

I find Outlook to be essentially unusable as a list manager. If I were forced to use it as a list manager, I would regularly do what I already occasionally do--I would forward emails to myself, changing the subject lines, so that the email list is all meaningful subject lines.

So, let's say that Joe sends me an email with a subject line, "Heeelp!" In that email, he discusses the fact that he can't log into the Widget system, the fact that he can no longer produce PDF reports in the Gadget system, and he asks for a training meeting in using the Whatsit system.

I would, in this scenario, forward that email to myself three times, treating the Subject line as the Next Action:

FW: Find out who does password resets for Widget system, and tell Joe Smith
FW: BUG REPORT: PDF reports in Gadget. Reported by Joe Smith
FW: Set up Whatsit training meeting with Joe Smith
 

rmjb

Registered
Hi Gardener,

I don't currently use Outlook as my list manager. I was hoping for a discussion around how other people are handling project support, and if there may be better ways.
 

Gardener

Registered
Hi Gardener,

I don't currently use Outlook as my list manager. I was hoping for a discussion around how other people are handling project support, and if there may be better ways.

Ah. I don't sort project support emails--instead, I write tasks that require reference to an email with enough information--usually date and sender--to allow me to find the email through search.
 
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