# MS Outlook: How do I...? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 31, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474 "2010-03-31T17:28:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/1 "2010-03-31T17:28:44Z")
I am using Microsoft Outlook 2007 12.0 on Windows. This is my work laptop, so there may be some levels of complexity in the network level. How do I… [ul] [li]When I forward an email with an attachment, the new email includes the attachment. But when I reply to the same original email, the attachment is lost. How can I keep the attachment when I am replying?[/li][li]When scheduling a calendar appointment, I want it to always “Show Calendar Details” and “Show Only my Working Hours”. I can switch the Show Calendar Details on for any given appointment, but the next time I have to do it again. How can I make this persist? Show Only my Working Hours does persist.[/li][/ul] Much thanks! ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/2 "2010-03-31T18:29:45Z")
Dropping attachments when replying is default behavior for every email I’ve ever used. The logic is, you’re replying to the person who sent them to you, they already have them. There’s an add-in that will let you reply with attachments. I’m sure you can figure out ways of locating it. Can’t help with bullet 2, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/3 "2010-03-31T19:01:37Z")
**KneadToKnow** is right…you really don’t want to re-attach anything by default. It’s a waste of time and money. If you want to re-attach without hitting reply -\> attach, you could just choose “forward” instead of “reply” and just forward to the person that sent it. No rules against that. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/4 "2010-03-31T19:13:32Z")
It is not a waste of time and money. I do this because I often am replying to the sender and cc:ing someone else who needs to have the attachment. For instance, “Yes boss, good point, Frank will take the specs from here” saves me from writing two separate emails and potentially spawning two separate email threads for no reason. Yes, I could forward it (that’s what I do), but it’s annoying to have to look up the sender in the directory, and yes I could reply and then attach or copy and paste. I am trying to avoid the extra clicks. I’m honestly surprised it’s not an option somewhere. Even worse. After googling around a bit (yes, I should have done that first ☹ ), there is a dropdown under Email Options, and one of the choices is Attach Original Message. That does it, \*\*but \*\*it won’t reply with the original text also. There is no option for Include Original Message Text \*\*and \*\*Attach Original Message. Nyargh! ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/5 "2010-03-31T19:34:26Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > It is not a waste of time and money. I do this because I often am replying to the sender and cc:ing someone else who needs to have the attachment. For instance, “Yes boss, good point, Frank will take the specs from here” saves me from writing two separate emails and potentially spawning two separate email threads for no reason. Then your e-mail should be a Fwd: to Frank saying, “Frank, here’s the specs boss and I were working on - take it from here” and you cc: the boss. ---
**Author:** ![Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Carol\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carol_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/6 "2010-03-31T20:07:52Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > (Snip)… but it’s annoying to have to look up the sender in the directory… Wouldn’t auto-fill take care of this? If you start typing the first few letters of the sender’s email, doesn’t it fill in the rest for you? ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/7 "2010-03-31T20:16:39Z")
Munch - good point. I still think I ought to be able to have that as an option. Mentally I am replying to the sender and adding someone to the conversation, I ought to be able to have the technology mirror my mental process. Anyone know anything about the second question? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/8 "2010-03-31T20:18:35Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > I still think I ought to be able to have that as an option. Did you investigate the add-in I mentioned in my [del]forward[/del] reply? ---
**Author:** ![nivlac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3bc359/32.png) [@nivlac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nivlac)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/9 "2010-03-31T23:12:32Z")
Frankly if I sent someone an email with an attachment and he replies with my \*\*\*same \*\*\*attachment (no change whatsoever) that would not only make the sender look dumb to me but annoy the hell out of me. Why would I want those extra bytes sitting in my in-box? ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/10 "2010-04-01T02:41:24Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > Munch - good point. I still think I ought to be able to have that as an option. Mentally I am replying to the sender and adding someone to the conversation, I ought to be able to have the technology mirror my mental process. I’d honestly work on changing that mental process. Like nivlac mentioned, that would annoy me to have someone working for me repeat back the same thing I just went over. Having them cc: me is entirely different, and shows me they’re moving on to the next phase. It’s going to be much more professional to do it that way. ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/11 "2010-04-01T12:00:33Z")
How long until this gets moved… way out of OP territory here. What’s Got Cite… is this an April Fools gag? > [@nivlac](#): > > Frankly if I sent someone an email with an attachment and he replies with my \*\*\*same \*\*\*attachment (no change whatsoever) that would not only make the sender look dumb to me but annoy the hell out of me. Why would I want those extra bytes sitting in my in-box? Bytes are free, who cares if there are extra ones? I feel differently. If I want to reference the issue, I don’t want to have to go to separate places to find the materials. I want one email that contains the entire thread and all relevant documents, and this way it is always the most current email in the chain. > [@Munch](#): > > I’d honestly work on changing that mental process. Like nivlac mentioned, that would annoy me to have someone working for me repeat back the same thing I just went over. Having them cc: me is entirely different, and shows me they’re moving on to the next phase. It’s going to be much more professional to do it that way. I respectfully disagree. Perhaps you are annoyed by it, but not everyone is. It is simply not a fact that one way is more professional than the other. I think your attitude is patronizing . Change the mental process indeed. As if it’s crazy to want to do this. By the way, do you also think it’s unprofessional to include the email text being replied to? Isn’t that just “repeating back the same thing I just went over”? No, it isn’t. It’s enabling you to have all the relevant information in one place. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/12 "2010-04-01T13:26:13Z")
I have to agree with **Munch** ’s idea, but for a different reason. When I send a mail TO someone(s), I expect them to take action. When I CC someone(s), I expect them to take note of what’s going on, but not do anything. **Munch** ’s restatement of your scenario as > [@](#): > > Then your e-mail should be a Fwd: to Frank saying, “Frank, here’s the specs boss and I were working on - take it from here” and you cc: the boss. is spot on. You’re asking Frank to take action, not the boss. And informing the boss, not Frank. And all the relevant info is still attached to the conversation as you desire; you’re not spawning two threads. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/13 "2010-04-01T13:54:09Z")
muttrox, sorry if I came across as patronizing - that certainly wasn’t my intent. > [@](#): > > It is simply not a fact that one way is more professional than the other. Of course it is. There’s not a huge disparity in the level of professionalism, but it certainly exists, whether you want to see it or not. Other people in the thread agree, and I don’t see the need to take offense at the opportunity to make a better impression at work. > [@](#): > > By the way, do you also think it’s unprofessional to include the email text being replied to? Isn’t that just “repeating back the same thing I just went over”? I think that’s an absurd exaggeration that has nothing to do with your question. It, however, would be unprofessional to reply at the bottom of the conversation, forcing the reader to go through the entire conversation all over again - which is what your OP most closely compares to. [QUOTE=LSLGuy] When I send a mail TO someone(s), I expect them to take action. When I CC someone(s), I expect them to take note of what’s going on, but not do anything. [/QUOTE] Exactly. It would be a bad idea to send something like that TO: theboss@work .com and give him the impression that he has to do something. Being CC:ed is knowing you’re just being kept in the loop while the people you’ve assigned the tasks to are actually doing their jobs. ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/14 "2010-04-01T16:48:37Z")
> [@muttrox](#): > > Bytes are free, who cares if there are extra ones? If I were your sysadmin and read this, there would be a bulging vein in my forehead right now. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/15 "2010-04-01T20:10:43Z")
**muttrox** said: > [@](#): > > Bytes are free, who cares if there are extra ones? Most workplaces have mailbox size limits for employees. Mine certainly does. After 163,600 KB I start getting daily messages “Your mailbox is over its size limit”. At ~210,000 KB I stop being able to send mail. I am currently fighting that 210,000KB limit on a daily basis. Attachements are a big part of keeping my able to email. Having multiple copies of the _same_ attachment in both my inbox and outbox is a great way to keep me from being able to send anything… like replies to meeting notices. (No, archiving isn’t better. We’re supposed to archive with a special tool, not use .pst files, so the messages are on the server and not our hard drives. But the tool is useless for finding emails after you save them. And that drive is getting full because everybody archives attachments as part of the emails they archive. So if I archive the received message with the attachment, and then archive my sent reply with the attachment, I’m double storing the attachment. My biggest gripe is that when I delete attachments from a message I would like to be able to edit the email to say “file XXX deleted” so I later know what file it was. Well that, and I would like to get a meaningful response when I search for an archived email.) ---
**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ms-outlook-how-do-i/534474/16 "2010-04-01T20:23:26Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > My biggest gripe is that when I delete attachments from a message I would like to be able to edit the email to say “file XXX deleted” so I later know what file it was. Well that, and I would like to get a meaningful response when I search for an archived email.) You can. I just tested it in 2007, and pretty sure I remember being able to do it in 2000 as well.