Manage Tasks and Notes
This domain tests personal and assigned work items: tasks, flagged messages, the To-Do Bar, and notes. Know the task fields, how assignment transfers ownership, and how reminders and recurrence behave.
Tasks
Open Tasks with Ctrl+4 or the navigation bar. New Task includes Subject, Start date, Due date, Status (Not Started, In Progress, Completed, Waiting on someone else, Deferred), Priority, % Complete, Reminder, Recurrence, Private, and Categories. Tasks appear in the Tasks folder and, when flagged or dated, in the To-Do Bar and To-Do List.
Assigning tasks
Assign Task on the Task tab sends a task request. The assignee becomes the owner; the assigner can keep an updated copy and request a status report when the task is complete. The assignee can accept or decline; on decline, ownership returns. Status updates flow back as task updates.
To-Do Bar and flags
The To-Do Bar (View > To-Do Bar) shows Calendar, Tasks, and People. Flagged email messages appear in the task list with follow-up dates. Completing a flagged message clears the flag rather than deleting the message. The To-Do List view combines tasks and flagged items.
Notes
Notes (Ctrl+5) are quick sticky-style items. Create with New Note, then use Categories, color, Forward, or Print. Notes can be dragged into folders and linked to contacts. Notes are not tasks and have no due date or reminder.
Worked example
A manager delegates a report with a due date and wants status updates. Reasoning: create a New Task, set Due date and Reminder, then Assign Task to the report owner. Select Keep an updated copy and Send me a status report. The owner accepts; the manager tracks % Complete and status in the Tasks list.
Traps
Assigning a task transfers ownership; the assigner cannot complete it on the assignee's behalf. A recurring task creates the next occurrence when the current one is completed, not when it is deleted. Reminders fire only while Outlook is running for non-Exchange items. Notes have no reminder field-use a task for anything time-bound.