◆ Outlook · search

Record Collection

Collect scanned copies of the rare letters and photos from my inbox and the attachments I received from the British Li…

2heights
2tasks
1roles do it
See the prompt↓More search workflows

The same job, four prompts

do it · improve it · decide · become
AExecute — “help me do it”Collect scanned copies of the rare letters and photos from my inbox and the attachments I…+
Collect scanned copies of the rare letters and photos from my inbox and the attachments I received from the British Library, Bodleian, and National Archives into one project folder named "Exhibit_X_Sources" by Friday — verify each file opens before adding.
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.
BImprove — “do it better”Before I start cross-checking, pull every attachment and saved message that mentions the…+
Before I start cross-checking, pull every attachment and saved message that mentions the letters and photos from the British Library, Bodleian, and National Archives, surface duplicates and missing captions, and flag any scans that are low resolution or unlabeled so I can request replacements.
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid
The tool
Search

Search helps you find specific emails, contacts, or files within Outlook.

  1. 1

    Click the Search box at the top of the Outlook window.

    NoteYou can also use the keyboard shortcut Ctrl+E to activate the search bar.

  2. 2

    Type a name, subject, phrase, or file name into the Search box.

  3. 3

    Press Enter to execute the search.

  4. 4

    Click the Filter Email button in the Find section to expand the list.

  5. 5

    Click More Filters to reveal the Search Tools tab.

  6. 6

    Use the options on the Search Tools tab to refine your search.

    Best practiceCheck the 'Locations to Search' by placing your cursor in the search bar and using the Search Tools icon.

  7. 7

    To update search options, go to Settings > General > Search.

  8. 8

    Adjust the Search scope from there to change where Outlook looks.

For advanced searches, create a new Search Folder by going to Settings > Mail > Search folders and selecting 'Create new search folder'.

Outlook's search functionality can be integrated with other applications through Microsoft Graph API for automated record retrieval and data analysis.

Glossary

words on this page
Search FoldersVirtual folders that dynamically display email messages matching predefined search criteria.ExampleYou open a Search Folder to instantly see all unread emails containing the word 'project' from the last week.
Search ToolsA set of commands and options that help you refine and manage your email searches.ExampleYou use Search Tools to narrow down your email search to only messages received last month from a specific sender.
Search scopeThe specific folders or mailboxes that Outlook includes when performing a search.ExampleWhen searching for an email, you can choose to only look within your Inbox or across all mailboxes.

The real tasks

1 of them
Get copies of rare letters and photos from multiple archives into a single place so I can start cross-checking sources.

Who does this

1 roles
Historian

Questions people ask

honest answers

Because you rarely think 'I want the redaction tool'. You think 'I have to share this without leaking the client's details'. Start from the need, and the feature finds you.

Real. Every job here was drawn from what people in real roles were actually seen doing in Outlook — not a feature checklist.

No. Each page gives you a ready prompt you can paste into an AI assistant, plus the plain steps to do it yourself. Start with either — the goal is the finished job, not the tool.