Flagging Items for Follow-Up in Outlook: A Detailed Tutorial for JAWS Users

Microsoft Outlook offers a powerful feature that allows users to flag email messages, tasks, and contacts for follow-up. This functionality is particularly useful for managing tasks and ensuring important items are not overlooked. For users who are blind and rely on JAWS (Job Access With Speech) screen reader, this tutorial provides a step-by-step guide to effectively use the flagging feature in Outlook.

When you flag an item in Outlook, it is automatically added to your to-do list. This list can be accessed by pressing Ctrl+4. Once in the to-do list, you can navigate through the items using the arrow keys. Pressing Enter on an item will open it for editing, allowing you to make necessary changes or updates.

To flag an item for follow-up, follow these steps:

First, locate the item you wish to flag. This item can be an email message, a task, or a contact. Once you have selected the item, press the Applications key or Shift+F10 to open the context menu. This menu provides various options related to the selected item.

Next, use the arrow keys to navigate to the Follow-up submenu and press Enter to open it. Within this submenu, you will find several options for flagging the item. These options include today, tomorrow, this week, next week, no date, and custom. Additionally, there is an option to add a reminder. Select the desired option and press Enter. If you choose Custom or Add Reminder, a dialog box will appear, allowing you to set the start date, end date, and reminder for the item.

For a quicker method, you can press Ctrl+Shift+G to bring up the custom follow-up dialog directly. This shortcut can be used when you are focused on an item in the inbox or contact list, as well as when viewing an individual email message. This dialog box provides the same options for setting the start date, end date, and reminder.

Once a follow-up flag is set on an item, JAWS will announce “red flag” when you navigate to the item, indicating that it has been flagged for follow-up. This auditory cue helps you quickly identify items that require your attention.

By following these steps, you can efficiently manage your tasks and ensure that important items are flagged for follow-up in Outlook. This feature, combined with the capabilities of JAWS, enhances productivity and helps maintain organization in your daily workflow.