Hi Folk,
I have been commenting on this forum for some time now trying to be as objective as I could regarding the lack of support, in the new Outlook, for basic old Outlook functionality. Particularly that found on the Windows platform.
There was a lot of development that was due for release in Feb 2021, so I thought I would go check it out.
I thought it was right to post some of my recent findings, to see what has actually been done by Microsoft, to see if some of the development in the Roadmap has been released to the preview program.
The "Pros" I have found.
- All my different email accounts, most of them IMAP have come across into the new Outlook.
- All the folders and subfolders (Gmail Labels) associated with those accounts have successfully come across, except those on my computer.
- All my contacts have come across and are shown under each account. This is brilliant as it gives me the opportunity to easily clean up all my contacts.
- All my Calendars from iPhone, Google Calendars (multiple) have come across and can be shown in a combined view.
- It is really easy to turn on or off any of the calendars in the combined view, therefore enabling one to zero in on one by reducing the clutter of having all calendars shown.
- The look and feel are really good.
- The ease of use in maintaining items is really intuitive
- Calendar items I can add and maintain entries in my Calendars and they immediately sync to other people who have those calendars. But see the Cons below.
- Contacts are very easy to manage but see the Cons below.
- ToDo tasks albeit by the web interface that is automatically loaded when you go to edit a ToDo item.
- If I go to my Gmail account and add "Labels" to my mail account they automatically appear in new Outlook after sync occurs.
- If I go to my iCloud mail using the Apple Mail app I can create and maintain "Mail Boxes" and that maintenance is reflected in my new Outlook after syncing. You can leave this to sync automatically or you can force a sync to ensure the maintenance occurs immediately.
- I can move mail entries from one folder to another and that movement is reflected in the original Gmail "Labels" and or iCloud account Mail Boxes.
- I can't move mail entries from one account to another account. I think that is a Pro, but some might consider it a Con.
- I really like how I can see "My Days appointments / Calendar entries" to the right of my email.
The Cons I have found so far:
- Folders on My computer did not come across. I believe these should show up inside new Outlook if only in a virtual sense?
- I can't create folders for any IMAP accounts, I have to go to the original account like Gmail and do that by adding using the "Label" Google Web or Google Mail app.
- I can't create Mail Boxes for any Apple accounts, I have to go to the original account like Apple Mail and add or maintaining Mail Boxes there.
- I can't maintain folders for IMAP accounts. That has to be done back in the original (Google, Apple) mail app.
- I am really disappointed with the dropping of One Note by Microsoft. I believe they would have been far better of adding the ToDo functionality to OneNote and integrating that with new Outlook, rather than developing the new ToDo task manager.
In summary, the new Outlook is still lacking some of the essential bi-directional IMAP functionality but it is definitely getting better. If this development continues over the next couple of months I see the new Outlook being a real winner.
BUT only if the development continues, so for now I will continue testing for a few more days and report any significant findings and then switch back to old Outlook, such a shame new Outlook is still not quite ready.
Microsoft
