What is the categories column in Outlook
Last reviewed on June 1, 2022 121 Comments Show
Applies to: Outlook 2019 (Win), Outlook 2016 (Win), Outlook 2013, Outlook 2010
The IMAP protocol doesn't support the Category and Flag properties on messages and assigned categories and flags are not synced back to the IMAP server. If you need to use categories, you need to use a POP3 account instead or move the messages to a local pst file. In place of flags (and their reminders), drag the message to Tasks (or Calendar) and set the reminder. If using IMAP is a requirement, you can either move the mail to separate folders to separate it or use Automatic Formatting (Conditional formatting in Outlook 2010) to highlight messages meeting specific conditions. If you need reminders, drag the message to the Tasks folder and create a task with a reminder. Categories and Flags in Outlook 2013 and newerIf having special "this computer only" folders with reduced capabilities in Outlook's IMAP accounts isn't bad enough, I'm left scratching my head when I look at the half-removed Flag and Category features users have come to expect in Outlook. There is no reason why full flags and categories shouldn't work in an ost file, but users are stuck with the IMAP implementation, where flags are limited to on or off and the Categories button is non-existent. Whether you can add a category to an appointment or contact or add a category or reminder to a task depends on what view you are using and whether you know all the right tricks. The category picker is missing from appointments. But you can add categories if you assign keyboard shortcuts to at least one category and apply it. Once you add a category to an appointment, you can open the category MRU by right clicking on the category bar in the open appointment. In Contacts, all of the flag options are available. The keyboard shortcuts work for categories and as with the other Outlook items, once a category is applied, you can right click on it and make changes. You can even add categories from the options dialog (File, Properties). Yes, in the wacky world of Outlook 2013 IMAP accounts, the category picker on the Options dialog is disabled on mail, appointments, and tasks but it works on Contacts. A user discovered the trick to creating full reminders and color categories on tasks: select more than one. When you right click on one task, you'll get the short IMAP version of the context menu, with options to Flag, Mark Complete, or Delete. The only option for Categories is Clear All Categories (when you click on the Category column). Select 2 or more tasks and viola! The full flag and category menus appears on the context menu. In an open Task, the Categorize button has one option: clear all but keyboard shortcuts will add categories… and yes, the full category menu is available on the right-click context menu. The user went on to add "My solution right now is to just have a "dummy" task that I can select with the other tasks I want to change, but it's a pain to work around a bug like this, especially since Microsoft is expecting me to pay monthly for the software." You may occasionally receive an error message when flagging items in IMAP accounts. This error is because Outlook is syncing with the server. Select a different message then switch back to the original message and you should be able to flag messages without error.
If you need to set a reminder, drag the message to the Task folder to create a task. Using Categories with IMAP Accounts WorkaroundThese instructions are for Outlook 2010 and below or Outlook 2013 and newer when you have a separate pst file for calendar and contacts, in addition to the IMAP data file. Use the instructions in the next section when you use only the IMAP account and use the 'this computer only' folder for Calendar and Contacts. While you can't change how flags work (except by moving the mail to a local pst), it is possible to trick Outlook into letting you add categories to IMAP messages. The easy way:
If you need to assign a category that does not have a keyboard shortcut assigned, add a category using a shortcut then open the message and right-click in the category area above the subject field. Choose the category from the list before removing existing categories from the message. In most cases, the category name will "stick" and sync to other computers running Outlook. However, colors are per message store so each computer will have it's own list of colors. How to Upgrade to Color Categories has instructions on how to quickly add categories to your master category list. View the Categories in the Message ListThe default IMAP view removed the Categories column from the message list view but you should see the category in the Reading pane or in opened messages. To see the category colors in
the message list, you will need to customize the
view.
Outlook 2013 and newer with only the IMAP data fileThe instructions above are for IMAP accounts in Outlook 2010 and below, or when you have a .pst file in a profile with an IMAP account in Outlook 2013 and newer. When you don't have a .pst in your profile (and are using the 'this computer only' folder for Calendar and Contacts), you can set up category shortcuts using these steps:
Now you can use the shortcuts to assign categories to email, appointments, and contacts. After you add a category to an item, you can right-click on the Category InfoBar (see screenshot in previous section above) and select other
categories. You can add the Message Options button to the Quick
Access Toolbar in the Appointment and Contacts forms so you can use the dialog to add categories to new, unsaved items. Add Category Field to the ViewYou can customize the Message list view and add the Category field to the view. However, this only allows you to use the quick click category. You can open the message and right click on the category bar to select more categories. Using Category Shortcuts Video Tutorial
Use VBA to Display Category OptionsPaste this into the VB Editor and add it to the toolbar or ribbon. Click the toolbar button to open the Category dialog. Add it to the QAT, ribbon,
or toolbar. This works with messages or other Outlook items selected in the list views or opened in a new window. Public Sub CategorizeIMAP() Dim sel As Outlook.Selection Set sel = Application.ActiveExplorer.Selection If sel Is Nothing Then Exit Sub End If Dim obj As Object Dim selCats As String Dim gotCats As Boolean For Each obj In sel If Not gotCats Then obj.ShowCategoriesDialog selCats = obj.Categories gotCats = True Else obj.Categories = selCats obj.Save End If Next obj End Sub Adding Categories to Opened ItemsThis simple code can be added to the QAT, toolbar, or ribbon of any Outlook form. It only works on opened items but will work on recurring appointments. Add the following code to the VB Editor and then add a button to the QAT, Ribbon, or Toolbar of any Outlook form. Click the button to open the Category dialog. This code does not work with selected messages in the message list, you need to open the message (or other Outlook item) in a new window. This macro will work with recurring appointments. Public Sub ShowCategoriesDialog() 'by Michael Bauer 'http://www.vboffice.net/en/developers/assign-email-categories-before-sending Dim Item As Object Set Item = Application.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem Item.ShowCategoriesDialog End Sub This version of the macro will work with either an opened item or a selected item. (If you select more than one item, it only works on the first item.) You can use this macro as you create items or use it to add categories later. It will work with recurring events. Public Sub CategorizeIMAPItems() Dim objApp As Outlook.Application Dim Item As Object Set objApp = Application Select Case TypeName(objApp.ActiveWindow) Case "Explorer" Set Item = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1) Case "Inspector" Set Item = objApp.ActiveInspector.CurrentItem End Select If Item Is Nothing Then Exit Sub Dim obj As Object Dim selCats As String Dim gotCats As Boolean With Item If Not gotCats Then .ShowCategoriesDialog selCats = .Categories gotCats = True Else .Categories = selCats .Save End If End With End Sub How to use macrosFirst: You will need macro security set to low during testing. To check your macro security in Outlook 2010 or newer, go to File, Options, Trust Center and open Trust Center Settings, and change the Macro Settings. In Outlook 2007 and older, it’s at Tools, Macro Security. After you test the macro and see that it works, you can either leave macro security set to low or sign the macro. Open the VBA Editor by pressing Alt+F11 on your keyboard. To put the code in a module:
More information as well as screenshots are at How to use the VBA Editor Category UtilitiesWhat is the difference between categories and folders in Outlook?Outlook folders vs categories. Folders are a way to organize how you store your emails, while categories are a way to organize emails visually in your inbox using color codes.
What are categories in Outlook calendar?Categories allow you to “color-code” emails, tasks, appointments and contacts. Categories carry across Outlook. If you create a new category while updating an appointment, that same category will be available for email, tasks and contacts. Categories can be used to color-code things, and they can be used to filter.
Where is Categorize on Outlook toolbar?In any message folder, in the Tags group on the Ribbon, select Categorize > All Categories. Note: For calendar items, the Tags group appears on the Appointment or Meeting tab. For an open contact or task, the Tags group appears on the Home tab.
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