2.3 Using Folders to Organize Your Mailbox

Use folders to store and organize your items. For example, you can group all items related to a particular task or subject together.

By default, the items in your mailbox are deleted and archived only when you choose to do so. However, your GroupWise administrator can change this functionality to delete or archive your messages after a given amount of time. To ensure that your items are not deleted, you can archive them manually. For information on how to archive GroupWise items, see Section 16.3, Archiving Email.

2.3.1 Understanding Folder Lists

All folders are subfolders of your Home folder. Click + and - to expand and collapse folders in a Folder List. You can choose to display any of three different kinds of Folder Lists:

Full Folder List

The Full Folder List displays all the folders that you have. The default Full Folder List looks like this:

Figure 2-3 Folder List

For information about the individual folders you might have in your Folder List, see Section 2.3.1, Understanding Folder Lists.

Next to any folder (except for shared folders), the number of unread items is shown in square brackets. Next to the Sent Items folder, the number in square brackets shows how many items are pending to be sent from Caching or Remote mode.

You can organize items in your folders by moving or linking them. When you move an item into a folder, it is taken from one location and placed in another. When you link an item to a folder, the item still exists in its original folder and it also appears in the new folder. When you change a linked item, it is also changed in the other folders. If an item is linked to multiple folders and you delete the original item, the copies in your other folders remain.

You can define a different set of properties for each folder in your Mailbox. For example, you can sort the items in one folder by date, and sort the items in another folder by company.

Simple Folder List

The Simple Folder List is a context-sensitive folder list. It displays the folders that are relative to the folder you are currently in. The following are context-sensitive Simple Folder Lists:

  • Calendar: Displays a list of all calendars. From here you can select to display the contents of a calendar in the main calendar. In addition, you can change the color of a calendar.

  • Contacts: Displays a list of all personal address books. By default, the main Contacts folder is the Frequent Contacts address book.

  • Documents: Displays a list of your document libraries. By default, the main Documents folder is your default document library.

  • NNTP: Displays a list of subscribed groups within the newsgroup.

  • GroupWise Feeds: Displays a list of the RSS feeds you have subscribed to.

  • Favorites: Displayed whenever you are not in the Calendar folder, Contacts folder, Documents folder, or any NNTP folders or RSS feeds. The Favorites Simple Folder List allows you to copy folders into the folder list for quicker access.

Favorites Folder List

The Favorites Folder List allows you to add your most commonly used folders to the Simple Folder List for quick access. This is helpful when you drag and drop items to your folder list. Folders in this list are displayed in the order that they are most commonly accessed.

When you display the Favorites Folder List, the most recently used folders are also displayed in a separate list, in the Recently Used Folders section. Up to 15 folders that you access most frequently are displayed at the top of this section. If you stop accessing a folder that is in this list, it eventually is removed from the list. Also, folders that are displayed in the Favorites Folder List are not displayed in the Recently Used Folders section.

Figure 2-4 Favorites Folder List

2.3.2 Displaying Folder Lists

Arranging Your Folder Lists

  1. Click the Folder List drop-down arrow .

  2. Select one or more Folder Lists: Favorites, Simple, or Full.

  3. If you selected more than one type of Folder List, click the Folder List drop-down arrow again, then click Choose Order.

  4. Move the Folder Lists into the order you want them to display, then click OK.

  5. Size the Folder Lists as needed.

Building Your Favorites Folder List

There are two ways to add folders to the Favorites Folder List:

  • Right-click a folder anywhere in your Mailbox, then select Add to Favorites.

  • Select multiple folders to add to your Favorites Folder List.

To conveniently select multiple folders:

  1. Right-click your Favorites Folder, then click Choose Favorites.

  2. Select the folders to add or remove.

  3. Click OK.

Reorganizing Your Folders

  1. Click Edit > Folders.

    Folders dialog

From the Folders dialog box you can create, delete, rename, and move folders.

Alphabetizing a Folder List

  1. Right-click your Home folder.

  2. Click Sort Subfolders.

Closing the Folder List

You can close your Folder List to leave more room for other views, such as the Calendar, in the Main Window. This is convenient when you access your folders through the Nav Bar. To hide or show the Folder List, click View > Folder List.

If you are not displaying your Folder List and you drag and drop an item to where the folder location is, the Folder List pops out so you can drag and drop the item to the Folder List.

2.3.3 Working with Folders

Creating a New Folder

  1. Right-click in the Folder List

  2. Select New Folder

  3. Type a name for New Folder

If you create a folder and then decide you want it in a different position, drag the folder to a new position in the Folder List.

Creating a Specific Folder

  1. In the Folder List, click File > New > Folder.

  2. Select folder type from list of options, then click Next.

  3. Type the name and description for the new folder.

  4. Click Up, Down, Right, or Left to position the folder where you want it in the Folder List, then click Next.

  5. Specify the display settings for the folder, then click Finish.

Moving a Folder

  1. Drag and drop the folder to the desired location in your folder structure.

See also Reorganizing Your Folders.

Renaming a Folder

  1. In the Folder List, right-click the folder, then click Rename.

  2. Type a new name for the folder.

You cannot rename the Calendar, Documents, Mailbox, Sent Items, Tasklist, Contacts, Cabinet, Work In Progress, or Trash folders.

Deleting a Folder

  1. Right-click the folder you want to delete, then click Delete.

  2. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

You cannot delete the Calendar, Documents, Mailbox, Sent Items, Tasklist, Contacts, Cabinet, Work In Progress, or Trash folders. You can delete the Junk Mail folder only if Junk Mail Handling has been disabled.

To delete a folder that is shared with you, right-click the folder, click Delete, then click Yes.

Deleting Multiple Subfolders at Once

You can delete multiple folders contained within another folder.

  1. Open the folder containing the subfolders.

  2. In the item list, select the subfolders you want to delete.

  3. Right-click the selected folders, then click Delete.

  4. Select whether to delete only the items contained in the folders, or the items and the folders, then click OK.

2.3.4 Managing Item Lists in Folders

Enabling Group Labels for a Folder

Group Labels organize a list of items based on the type of items displayed. For example, in your Mailbox folder, Group Labels separate items based on the received date of the items.

  1. Right-click a folder, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab.

  3. Select Show Group Labels.

  4. Click OK.

To collapse or expand Group Labels, click the + or - sign next to the label.

Enabling Message Previews for a Folder

A message preview shows two lines of the message. You cannot configure the number of lines displayed.

  1. Right-click a folder, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab.

  3. Select Message Preview.

  4. Click OK.

Using Columns

The Item List in a folder is divided into columns. Each column displays information about the items in the list. For example, different columns display the subject of items, the date they were sent, and so forth. You can customize the column display for each folder.

Moving a Column

Drag a column to a new position in the column header.

HINT:You can also right-click a column heading, click More columns, click a column name in the Selected columns box, then click Down or Up.

Resizing a Column

Drag the edge of the column heading to make the column wider or narrower.

Adding a Column

  1. Right-click the column header.

  2. Click a column you want to add.

    or

    Click More Columns.

    1. In the Available columns list, select one or more columns, then click Add.

    2. Use Up and Down to position the new columns relative to the existing columns.

    3. Click OK.

Sorting by a Column

  1. Click the folder containing the items you want to sort.

  2. Click View > Display Settings > Sort.

    Sort dialog box

  3. Click the item property you want to sort by in the list box.

  4. Click Ascending to sort from A to Z.

    or

    Click Descending to sort from Z to A.

  5. Click OK.

You can also sort the Item List by clicking a column heading. To reverse the sort order, click the column heading a second time.

Removing a Column

Drag the column heading off the column header bar.

Moving or Linking an Item to Another Folder

When you move an item into a folder, it is taken from one location and placed in another. When you link an item to a folder, the item still exists in its original folder and it also appears in the new folder. When you change a linked item, it is also changed in the other folders.

  1. Drag an item from the Item List to the folder you want.

    Press Alt while you drag the item to remove it from all folders it was previously linked to and place it in only that folder.

    Press Ctrl while you drag the item to link it to that folder.

You can also click an item, click Edit > Move/Link to Folders, select the folders you want to move or link the item to, then click Move or Link. Select Delete old links to remove the item from all folders it was previously linked to and place it in the selected folder.

If the item you move is a folder, and a folder with the same name already exists in the new location, a dialog box opens so you can change the name of the folder you are moving.

If you delete the original item, the copies in your other folders remain.

Changing the Item Read Options

You can select to have the folder display either the first unread item or the last item read. However, if the folder contains a large number of items, it could take a while for the contents of the folder to display.

To select the default read option for the folder:

  1. Right-click the folder to modify.

  2. Click Properties.

  3. On the General tab, select Select first unread item when folder is opened.

    If you deselect Select first unread item when folder is opened, the folder displays the last item read.

  4. Click OK.

2.3.5 Customizing Folder Display Settings

Display settings determine how GroupWise displays the information in a particular folder. For example, the Home folder has a default display setting that includes the Folder List and panels. These settings are saved in the GroupWise database so they follow you from machine to machine. You can select from a list of default preconfigured display settings or customize your own display settings.

Understanding Basic Folder Display Settings

You can view the items in your Mailbox different ways, depending on how you want the information organized.

  1. Right-click the folder you want to change the display settings for, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab, then click More Display Settings.

  3. Select the display setting from the View by drop-down list.

    You can select from the following settings:

  4. Click OK twice.

Details

Details displays a list of your items and information about them organized in columns, including Subject, Date, CC, Priority, Document Type, Due Date, Size, Version#, and many other categories. Details is the default Mailbox view if you have not changed your Mailbox properties. For information about adding or rearranging columns, see Using Columns.

Figure 2-5 Details View

Discussion Thread

Discussion Threads shows the email discussion of an original item and all its replies grouped in hierarchical order. By default, only items that are received are displayed in a discussion thread.

Figure 2-6 Discussion Thread View

By default, only items that are in the folder are displayed in a discussion thread. You can add other types of items to the folder to be viewed in the discussion thread. For example, sent items can be added to the folder to complete the discussion thread.

To display sent items in a discussion thread:

  1. Right-click the folder that is displaying discussion threads, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab, then click More Display Settings.

  3. Select Sent under Choose item source.

  4. Click OK twice, then specify a name for the display setting.

  5. Click OK.

Panels

A panel displays a customized view of information in GroupWise. For example, the default Home view includes an Unread Messages panel, which displays a list of items you have not read. The Tasklist panel is another default panel on the Home view. The Tasklist panel displays items that are in your Tasklist folder.

As Calendar

The As Calendar view displays all scheduled items that are saved in a particular folder. This is useful if you organize all your appointments and other items for a specific project in one folder.

As Tasklist

The As Tasklist view displays a Tasklist area at the top of your Item List, where you can create a Tasklist from items in your Item List. Each item that is dragged to the Tasklist area displays with a check box so that you can mark it completed. You can assign due dates, priorities, and more to Tasklist items. Any items you move to the Tasklist area also display in the Tasklist folder in the Folder List.

For more information about creating a Tasklist, see Section 5.3.1, Assigning a Task.

Changing or Deleting Folder Display Settings

You can control the name that appears in the Display drop-down list, the source of the items in the folder, the column display, and the order in which items sort in the folder. The display settings are set at the folder level. If you want to use the same display settings for multiple folders, save the display settings, then use that display setting for the other folders.

  1. Right-click any folder in the Folder List, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab.

  3. Click the display setting you want to modify in the Setting name drop-down list.

  4. Make any changes to the display settings in the dialog box.

  5. Click Save As, change the display settings name as required, then click OK.

  6. To delete a folder display setting, click the display setting, then click Delete.

  7. Click OK.

Saving Your Display Settings

After you have customized your display settings the way you like them, you can save those display settings for future use. The display settings are saved in the GroupWise database so they follow you from machine to machine.

  1. Click View > Display Settings > Save Current.

Selecting Saved Display Settings for a Folder

You can select from a variety of default display settings or from previously saved display settings.

  1. Right-click the folder to change the display settings for, then click Properties.

  2. Click the Display tab.

  3. In the Settings name drop-down list, select the name of the display setting.

  4. (Optional) Type a description of the folder.

  5. Set the remaining settings as desired.

  6. Click OK.

Sending a Display Setting

You can send a display setting as an attachment to email recipients. If the recipient is a GroupWise user, he or she can then import the setting and select it from a list of available display settings. This is helpful, for example, when you want your entire company to have the same layout for the Home folder.

The display settings are sent as an attachment with the file format of .gws.

  1. Select the folder that you want to send the display settings for.

  2. Click View > Display Settings > Send Current.

    An email message appears with the settings as an attachment.

  3. In the To box, type a user name, then press Enter. Repeat for additional users. If necessary, type user names in the CC and BC boxes.

    or

    To select user names from a list, click Address on the toolbar, double-click each user, then click OK.

  4. To change the From name (to another account or proxy), click From:, then click a name.

  5. Type a subject.

  6. Type a message.

    You can specify many options, such as making this message a high priority, requesting a reply from the recipients, and more, by clicking the Send Options tab.

  7. Click Send on the toolbar.

Importing a Display Setting

You can import a GroupWise display setting from another GroupWise system, even if you are not on the same system. This is helpful, for example, when you want your entire company to have the same layout for the Home folder.

You must have a message that contains an attachment with the file format of .gws.

  1. In a message that contains a GroupWise display settings attachment, right-click the attachment in the attachment window.

  2. Click Import Display Settings.

    The display setting is added to your list of available display settings. For information on how to select a display setting, see Selecting Saved Display Settings for a Folder.

2.3.6 Understanding Find Results Folders

A Find Results folder is a folder that displays the results of a query. When the folder is opened, GroupWise examines the search criteria defined for the folder, searches for everything specified, then displays everything it finds in the Item List. You can act on items in a Find Results folder the same way you act on items in any folder, such as opening, forwarding, printing, copying, moving, or deleting them. The original item remains stored in the folder where the search found it and is also acted on. This means that if you move or delete an item from a Find Results folder, the item is deleted from the Item List, and from the original location.

You can see the folder where each item originated if you open a Find Results folder and look at the columns of information displayed in the Item List. The Folder column lists where each item is actually stored.

You can create your own Find Results folders and define the search criteria you want, such as all items from a particular address or all items with a certain word in the Subject line. Or you might create a Find Results folder that displays all unread items.

Creating a Find Results Folder

  1. In the Folder List, click File > New > Folder.

  2. Click Find results folder.

  3. To create a Find Results folder with your own search criteria, click Custom find results folder, then click Next.

    or

    To create a Find Results folder based on Find By Example, click Custom find by example folder, then click Next.

    or

    If you want to use a predefined Find Results folder as a template for creating a custom folder, click Predefined find results folder, select the predefined folder you want to base your folder on (for example, Sent Items), select Modify predefined find results folder, then click Next.

  4. Type the name and the description for your folder.

  5. Click Up, Down, Right, or Left to position the folder where you want it in the Folder List, then click Next.

  6. Specify the search criteria, find by example criteria, or information for items you want to find.

  7. If you don’t want the folder to update results each time you open it, deselect Find new matching items each time the folder is opened.

  8. Click Next.

  9. Specify any display settings you want for this folder, then click Finish.

Creating a Folder That Displays Unread Items

A popular use for Find Results folders is to create a folder that displays all of your unread items.

To create a Find Results folder that displays your unread items:

  1. Click File > New > Folder.

  2. Select Find results folder, then select Custom find results folder.

  3. Click Next.

  4. In the Name field, specify a name for the folder, such as Unread Items, then click Next.

  5. In the Look in field, select all the folders where you want to display unread items from.

  6. Click Advanced Find.

  7. In the first drop-down list, select Item Status; in the second drop-down list, select Does Not Include; and in the third drop-down list, select Read.

  8. Click OK, then click Next > Finish.

2.3.7 Using Shared Folders

Understanding Shared Folders

A shared folder is like any other folder in your Cabinet, except other people have access to it and it appears in their Cabinets. You can create shared folders or share existing personal folders in your Cabinet. You choose whom to share the folder with, and what rights to grant each user. Then, users can post messages to the shared folder, drag existing items into the folder, and create discussion threads.

When you share a folder, all subfolders are automatically shared by default. The maximum amount of subfolders that can included in a single shared folder is 400.

You cannot share system folders, which include the Calendar, Documents, Sent Items, Tasklist, Contacts, Cabinet, Work In Progress, Junk Mail, and Trash folders. However, you can share the Mailbox folder.

Figure 2-7 Shared Folder View

If you place a document in a shared folder, people with rights to the shared folder don’t automatically have rights to edit the document. Before they can edit the document, you must give them Edit rights on the Document Sharing tab.

You can share personal folders with other users. Recipients of the shared folder receive a notification explaining that you have shared the folder with them. They can then accept the folder or decline the folder.

In Remote and Caching modes, changes in shared folders are updated whenever you connect to the master GroupWise system.

Sharing an Existing Folder or Folder Tree with Other Users

  1. In the Folder List, right-click the folder you want to share, then click Sharing.

  2. Select Shared with.

  3. In the Name field, start typing the name of a user, or click the Address Book button to select the user from the Address Selector dialog box.

  4. When the user’s name appears in the field, click Add User to move the user into the Share list.

  5. Click the user’s name in the Share list.

  6. Select the access options you want for the user.

  7. Repeat Step 3 through Step 6 for each user you want to share the folder with.

  8. (Optional) Leave Share all sub-folders selected if you want all subfolders of the folder that you’re sharing to also be shared. Users have the same access rights to subfolders as they do in the parent folder.

  9. Click OK.

If you want the folder to have a specific function, you can create a new display setting. For example, if the folder is for shared discussions, you should create a setting that views items by reply thread and contains both sent and received items. Right-click the folder, click Properties, then click Display.

Creating a Shared Folder

  1. In the Folder List, click File > New > Folder.

  2. Select Shared folder, then click Next.

  3. Type a name and description for the new folder.

  4. Click Up, Down, Right, or Left to position the folder where you want it in the Folder List, then click Next.

  5. In the Name field, start typing the name of the user.

  6. When the user’s name appears in the field, click Add User to move the user into the Share List.

  7. Click the user’s name in the Share List.

  8. Select the access options you want for the user.

  9. Repeat Step 5 through Step 8 for each user you want to share the folder with.

  10. Click Next.

  11. Specify the display settings you want for the folder.

  12. When you’re done, click Finish.

For more information about shared folders, see Using Shared Folders.

Accepting Shared Folders

  1. Click the Shared Folder Notification in your Mailbox.

    A message appears, showing the name of the folder you have been granted rights to and the type of rights you have been given.

  2. Click Next.

  3. The name of the folder is filled in by default. Make any desired changes to the name.

  4. Use the Up, Down, Left, and Right buttons to select the folder’s location.

  5. Click Finish.

Posting an Item to a Shared Folder

  1. Click the shared folder in your Folder List to open it.

  2. Click File > New > Discussion/Note.

    If you want to post a different type of item, such as a task, click Edit > Change To, then click an item type.

  3. Type a subject.

  4. Type your message.

  5. Click Attach to attach files.

  6. Click Post on the toolbar.

To reply to an existing item in a shared folder, open the item, click Reply, select a reply option, then click OK. See Replying to an Email in a Shared Folder for more information.

Viewing Discussion Threads in a Shared Folder

  1. In a shared folder, click View > Display Settings > Discussion Threads.

  2. To expand or collapse a discussion thread, click the - and + next to the original discussion item.

  3. To scroll through different discussions, press Ctrl+Left-arrow or Ctrl+Right-arrow.

Deleting a Shared Folder

To delete a folder that is shared with you:

  1. Right-click the folder.

  2. Click Delete.

  3. Click Yes.

Deleting a folder that is shared with you just deletes the folder from your GroupWise Mailbox. All other users are unaffected. However, if you are the one who shared the folder with others, deleting that folder also removes it from all other users.