Using Outlook Categories is better than using subfolders for two reasons:
- You can assign multiple categories to an item
- Categorization is saved with the item so you won’t lose it by moving things around.
(Tip: you can assign categories just by dragging and dropping in the ‘arrange by categories’ view)
Master Category Lists
This is the ‘pick list’ of categories that can be assigned to an item (contact, calendar, mail).
What’s important to know is that categorization is stored with the item and will stay with it regardless of whether it’s on the Master List.
So the Master List isn’t all that important – you are not going to lose categorization of your items no matter what you do.
However, the Master List is useful when categorizing items to know what you’ve used before.
How to add to the Master Category List
You can see from the pictures below that Outlook 2007 no longer shows you a separate list. Instead it shows you a combined list of the Master List plus any categorizations for your item.
If the category isn’t yet part of the Master it says “(not in Master Category List)”. To add it…
1. Select the category and click ‘New…’
2. Click OK.
Note: other users (delegates)will need ‘owner’ permissions on the CALENDAR folder in order to edit the Master Category List (for any folder)
Converting
When you first install Outlook 2007 you may want to upgrade to colored categories. This just assigns colors to your categories in the new format.
Mailbox (right-click)… Properties… Upgrade to color categories.
Making sure all your contacts’ categories are in the Master Category List
1. View… Current View…By Category
2. View… Arrange by… Categories
3. View… Expand / Collapse Groups … Collapse All Groups
4. Then, starting at the bottom (it’s easier)
a. Click on the plus to expand the group
b. Right-click the first contact… Categorize…All Categories
c. Then click the category that says “(not in Master Category List)” and click New… OK.
d. Click the minus and move up to next group
Where the Master Category Lists are stored
Outlook 2007 (colored and named) categories are stored in the default message store (mailbox or pst). i.e. with the data – better.
Outlook 2003 (named) categories are stored in the registry (HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Office\11.0\Outlook\Categories). i.e. on that machine – not so good.
