Following on from my previous posts about using Microsoft Outlook for GTD (here and here), I’d like to mention a further tweak that we can make to Microsoft Outlook’s folder view control. Most of us probably have Microsoft Outlook display the number of unread items in each folder. However, for the GTD folders that I mentioned earlier, it’s likely that you will have read the items before they are filed in the GTD Action, Defer, Waiting For or Someday Maybe folders.
For these folders, I prefer to see the total number of items regardless of whether they have been read or not. Like a lot of things in Microsoft Outlook, the folder list is configurable. Right-clicking on a folder, then choosing Properties will allow us to configure the “total” that appears after the folder name.
This is a simple little tip, but one that might be of use to you if are are “rolling your own GTD” implementation.
Other posts
GTD Action/Deferred/WaitingFor/Someday folders in Microsoft Outlook – Show Item Count
Making e-mail simpler and easier to handle: using Microsoft Outlook rules
Elementary GTD using Microsoft Outlook “move to folder”
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For implementing GTD you can use this web-based application:
http://www.Gtdagenda.com
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, schedules and a calendar.
A mobile version and iCal are available too.
I’ve been made kind of GTD tool the name is LifeManager.
It’s famus in South Korea.
Recently I made it newly in international version.
but I don’t know how to advertise this free tool.
Please try this GTD tools if possible.
You can review ‘LifeManager2’ at http://lifemanager.me
Also, it’s Free at this moment.
i’m Sorry if you inconvenience with this comment and you can delete it if you want. tks.
You use the acronym “GTD” so much that one can’t even read your sentences and comprehend the meaning of your statements.
Although I found your “item count” tip to be invaluable, the use of this “GTD” acronym is so annoying, that I will not re-visit your site.
Thanks for the count tip.
@Jim – If you found my overuse of GTD disturbing, I would suggest you seek professional psychiatric help. Would you have preferred that I type out Getting Things Done whenever I used it? With comments like yours, I don’t mind if you “will not re-visit” my site.
Instead of complaining about my use of GTD, a better comment would have been a demonstration of how you would have worded the same article. Everyone’s a critic, yet who offers solutions?
Craig, Thanks for you message on the item count. This was something I had set up on my computer. In my Outlook, I have the Inbox count set to show the unread items and in the lower left corner of my screen it shows the total items in the Inbox – best of both!
My friends computer now (did earlier) does not show this count in the lower left corner and I can’t find how to get it back… any help on this one?
Bob
I was looking for a way to count “Last Week’s” emails only. Hoping for something similar to the SUM function in EXCEL. Is there such a tool in Outlook?
Re Outlook: Like Bob’s friend in his message above, my prior laptop showed the total message count in the lower left hand corner for whichever mail folder I was in at the time. Then I set the Inbox and Inbox subfolders to display the number of unread items (displayed after the folder title). The best of both worlds, indeed. However, my new laptop does not display the number at the lower left and I really miss it.
I too have lost the number of items displayed in the lower left hand corner and would very much like to retrieve it if anyone knows how??
Hey I like your article it was great. Ive been looking for new software and found Planplus Online it’s a new software that helps you take charge of your life ,business ,, and you evr day planner… tinyurl.com/planplusv7
or
http://www.franklincoveysoftware.com
Thank you for clear instructions of how to change settings for Outlook mail.
I would recommend checking out Gtdagenda.com for an online GTD manager.
You can use it to manage your goals, projects and tasks, set next actions and contexts, use checklists, and a calendar.
Syncs with Evernote, and also comes with mobile-web version, and Android and iPhone apps.