Modify and Add a New Category in Outlook

Introduction to Color categories

Category has a different meaning in Outlook. It mean that a keyword/phrase used to help you in monitoring and organizing Outlook objects, such as emails, contacts, appointments, tasks and notes. These objects of Outlook are simply called as items. The main reason behind category used in Outlook come from the ability to group items under a specific topic, such as these are related to private appointment and work task; then use the category to search, filter and sort data applicable to that topic.

Categories have changed meaningfully from Outlook 2013 and now displayed as vibrant color coded stamps that you can relate to basically every item that exists within your Outlook information store.

Using the Color Categories List

Using Outlook for first time, the categories accessible have generic names with the color codes of blue, green, orange, red, purple and yellow. It is advised you to begin by defining which category will need in your day to day activities and then re-define the default ones with meaningful names. For example: if you rename category in Red to urgent, then you will easily treat the items flashed with red immediately with appropriate level of attention.

In old version of Outlook this could be done by using Master Category list, which is quite complicated to operate as compared to color category. Color categories list are highly effective and easy to use in presenting groupings of like items in a way never before accomplished in Outlook.

You can access color categories list by selecting:

• Edit
• Categories
• All categories

You can create new categories to add color categories list as appointments arrive in your calendar or new items arrive in inbox.

Adding, Modifying and Using Categories

When you decide that you are using the categories, renaming those ones which you use since default name are slightly meaningless.

There are two options from which you can choose

1. In advance rename all required categories.
2. Rename each category, deciding upon its purpose when you assign it for first.

With an example of email, highlight email which you want to assign a category to, in in box right click the item and from the context menu choose Categories.

Adding and Modifying Categories

You can easily modify and add new categories to reflect the working context through the color categories dialog box. To start with the categories highlight every item like as emails, appointments or tasks. And then choose Edit >>categories>>All categories. You will immediately see the Color Categories list which shows the list of already defined categories.

You will see the three buttons that is New, Rename and Delete in the dialog box at the right side. If you want to delete a category, highlight it by clicking on it, in the dialog box and then click on Delete. By clicking the OK button confirm the intention. Similarly if you want to change the name click “Rename” and type the name in the textbox, then click on OK. If you want to add a new category, it is easy to create. Click on New, type the name for your new Category and assign a color for it and shortcut key, when you done all that, click on OK.