Your inbox keeps growing, your calendar fills up, and somewhere between the two, important action points get lost. Sound familiar? With tasks in Outlook you build a third, clearly organized layer alongside email and calendar; this way you know exactly what still needs to be done, and when.
In this article you will learn step by step how to create tasks from an email, how to use follow-up flags, how to set deadlines and how to find those tasks again in Microsoft To Do.
What exactly are tasks in Outlook?
Tasks in Outlook are individual action points that you manage separately from your emails and appointments. You will find them in the tasks section of Outlook, usually at the bottom left of the navigation or via the menu icon. A task has a title, can be given a start date and due date, and can be linked to a reminder.
The major advantage: you do not have to install an additional tool. Tasks in Outlook work directly together with your mailbox and your calendar, and are also visible in Microsoft To Do.
How do you create a task from an email?
This is one of the most commonly used ways to create tasks, and also the fastest.
- Open or select the email that requires action from you.
- Drag the email to the tasks icon in the navigation bar, or use the follow-up flag option (see below) to turn it into a task straight away.
- Outlook automatically creates a task with the subject line of the email as the title, and the content of the email as an attachment.
- Add a due date or priority if required, and save the task.
This way an action point no longer disappears at the bottom of your inbox; it sits separately, with a clear deadline, in your task list.
What does a follow-up flag do, and when do you use it?
The follow-up flag is a quick way to mark an email as “I still need to do something with this”, without immediately turning it into a full task.
- Right-click an email and choose “Follow Up”, or click the flag icon in the email list.
- Choose a preset time frame such as “Today”, “This Week” or “Custom”, which lets you set your own date and time.
- The flagged email receives a flag icon and also appears in your Task List, alongside your standalone tasks.
The difference compared with creating a task from an email: a follow-up flag is lighter and faster, while a full task offers more room for notes, subtasks and more detailed planning.
How do you set deadlines and reminders?
Every task in Outlook can be given a due date; that is the moment by which the task has to be completed. You can also set a reminder, so that Outlook sends you a notification at a specific moment.
- Open the task and click “Due date” to select a date.
- Enable the reminder and set a date and time at which you want to be alerted.
- For recurring tasks, such as a weekly report, you can set a repeat pattern; that way you do not have to create the task again each time.
A clear deadline helps you set priorities; a task without a date often disappears to the bottom of the list, and stays there.
How do you find your Outlook tasks in Microsoft To Do?
Microsoft To Do is the app that uses the same task list as Outlook; everything you create in Outlook automatically appears in To Do as well, and vice versa.
- Tasks that you create in Outlook or mark with a follow-up flag appear in To Do under the “Flagged email” list or in your general task list.
- In To Do you can organize tasks into your own lists, add steps to a task, and mark tasks as “My Day” for extra focus.
- Changes you make in To Do, such as completing a task, are synced back to Outlook.
That makes To Do a useful addition when you want to check your task list quickly on the go or on your phone, without having to open Outlook.
Practical tips for keeping your task list manageable
- Give every task a concrete title; “Respond to question from client X” works better than “Email”.
- Use due dates consistently, including for smaller tasks; that keeps your list usable in chronological order.
- Clear out completed tasks regularly, or mark them as done, so that your list stays clear.
- Combine follow-up flags for quick actions with full tasks for larger, multi-step actions.
Frequently asked question: is a task in Outlook the same as a follow-up flag?
Not quite. A follow-up flag marks an email so that you find it again later in your task list; a task is a standalone item, separate from a specific email, with its own title, notes and planning. Both appear together in your Task List and in Microsoft To Do, but a task offers more room to add details.
Getting started
You do not need to install an additional tool to stay on top of things; tasks, follow-up flags and deadlines in Outlook, combined with Microsoft To Do, give you everything you need to keep a grip on your work. Start small: flag one email for follow-up today, or create your first task, and see for yourself how much calm that brings to your inbox.
