Open an E-Mail Message

After selecting a mailbox, such as the Inbox, Outbox, or Sent Items, the messages within them will appear. Messages can be viewed in the Outlook Web Access reading pane or through a separate browser window.

Note: To open a message in a separate browser window, double-click on the message.

By default, the web-access mail window will be displayed in three sections.

  • The left column is the Navigation Pane. This area facilitates the selection of functions and folders available in Outlook.
  • While using the mail feature, the center column contains an encapsulation of the e-mail messages and contains the sender’s name, date, and subject line.
  • While using the mail feature, the right column, the Reading Pane, holds the expanded message.

Messages that have not been opened are displayed in bold, and the icon appears as an unopened envelope.

Note: To mark a message as Read, right-click the message, then select Mark as Read on the menu.

Messages that have been opened are displayed in normal type, and the icon appears as an opened envelope.

Note: To mark a message as Unread, right-click the message, then select Mark as Unread on the menu.

Opened messages are displayed in the “read message” format. The read message format and reading pane display the following information in the message heading:

  • Subject:  The subject of the message.
  • Importance:  The priority level of the message if it is set to Low or High.
  • From:  The name or e-mail address of the sender or organization.
  • Sent:  The date and time the message was sent.
  • To:  The names or e-mail addresses of the primary recipients.
  • Cc:  The names or e-mail addresses of the carbon-copy (Cc) recipients.

Note: Items such as “Importance” or “Cc” will not display if the content within the field is blank.

The From, To, and Cc fields provide quick access to information. Double-click any entry to gain more information about that person. By right-clicking on a name, a menu will display allowing you to perform the following actions:

  • View basic contact information about that person.
  • Add that person to your Contacts list.
  • Review properties for that person.
  • Apply junk e-mail settings for that person’s e-mail address, such as adding the person to your Safe Senders List.