ClearContext Inbox Alert User Guide

Inbox Alert is a gadget for the Windows Vista Sidebar that displays unread messages from your Outlook Inbox. It is a quick way to get a status on what's in your Inbox without having to open Outlook. For general information on gadgets, see this page.

		Preview Unread Messages Single click a message to see a preview of it in in a flyout (Outlook 2007 only). Click on the message again or off the gadget to close the preview.
		Open Messages Double click an item from the gadget to open it.
		Common Message Actions When previewing a message via the flyout, take action on a message by pressing one of these buttons. Mark messages as read to remove them from Inbox Alert, delete messages from the Inbox or reply to the current message. (Outlook 2007 only)
		Header Information Hover over a message to see header information in a tooltip. This may require a click on the body of the gadget first.
		Docked vs. Undocked The gadget comes in two sizes. On initial install it is docked on the Sidebar in compact mode. Click and drag the gadget off of the sidebar to undock and see a larger display of unread messages. Additional fields are displayed while undocked.

Performance and Prioritization

Install the free ClearContext Outlook Add-in to unlock advanced features of the gadget.

Advanced features include:

• Gadget Performance - when running with ClearContext installed, the gadget updates unread messages 10x faster and requires fewer system resources to run. Once CLearContext is installed, no further action is required to enable these features.

• Message Color-Coding - unread messages appear color-coded by priority. Information on adjusting priority settings are available in the ClearContext user guide here and here.

• Priority Sorting - when hovering over the gadget, click the wrench that appears on the right hand side to open up gadget settings. Change sorting to By Priority to see important messages at the top of the gadget.

• Priority Filtering - in the same configuration panel, change the filter to show only important messages. For example, select High and only unread messages in blue and red will be displayed in the gadget.

• Color Theme - By default, the gadget determines a color theme to match the Outlook theme in use. Change the theme by selecting one (Blue or Silver) from the drop down in the configuration panel.

Productivity Tip

Turn off email notifications within Outlook and change the gadget configuration to only show High and Very High priority messages. This will allow you to focus on your work while ensuring that your don't miss your most important messages. To turn off notifications, go to Tools > Options > Preferences > E-Mail Options > Advanced E-Mail Options and uncheck every item under "When new items arrive in my Inbox."

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