Outlook 2000 FAQ: Sent Messages Status

Outlook has a folder for the messages you have sent, called Sent Items.

To open the Sent Items folder:

  • The fastest way is to select Sent Items from your Folder List. If you don't have a folder list visible next to your messages, turn on the Folder List option in the View menu.

  • Another way open the Sent Items folder is to use shortcuts:

  1. The default Outlook view has a list of Outlook Shortcuts in a strip along the left side of the screen. Click the button at the bottom of that list called My Shortcuts.
  2. A new list appears. Click on the Sent Items item.
Outlook ShortcutsMy Shortcuts

What you'll see in your Sent Items folder:

A list of messages you have sent will be displayed. Unfortunately, the small icons next to each message do not currently work with our system - they all show opened envelopes even if a message is unread. (Normally, if a message has not been registered as having been read, it would be boldfaced and the icon next to the message will show an unopened envelope. Messages known to have been opened would have normal text and show an opened envelope. But at this time our system shows all messages as if they have been read, even when they have not.)

Sent Messages Icons
The solution is to enable special tracking on messages if you need to know when they are "read" - see below.

Activating Special Tracking Options:

If you want special notification when a particular message is delivered or read, you can set that when composing the message:

  1. With the new message box open, click on Options....
  2. In the Message Options dialog box, there are options you can turn on to have an email sent to you when the message is delivered and/or read.
Message Options
Message Options 2
  1. Click Close when you've set all the options you desire.

You must set those options each time you want them for a particular message. There is a way to set them for all messages, but your mailbox would fill up quickly.


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