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General discussion

Addressing an Email to Multiple Recipients in Outlook 7

Mar 15, 2010 5:24AM PDT

This sounds so simple it is embarrassing to ask, but here goes:

I previously used Outlook Express on my old Dell. When addressing an email, I just clicked "To" and I got my entire Address Book in a window. I could then just quickly go down the list and select all the recipients.

When the Dell died in December 2009, I bought a new HP Pavillion Elite that came with Windows 7 and Microsoft Office Outlook 2007. Now, when I want to send an email to several people, I click on "To" and Outlook 2007 gives me a window that requires that I do a "one name at a time" search to find each person for my recipients list. This is irritating beyond description, and I can't find any alternative way of addressing the email.

What am I missing? This is a huge step backward.

Thanks for any suggestions,
David

Discussion is locked

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Can you highlight several?
Mar 15, 2010 7:33AM PDT

If you highlight one, then hold down either the CTRL key or the Shift key, can you select other names in the list?

I can't test this as I don't have Outlook 2007.

Mark

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No...
Mar 15, 2010 11:46AM PDT

...the search box requires that I enter at least one letter, so the best I can do is highlight all the addresses that I need from a list all beginning with the same letter.

Thanks for the idea, tho'.

David

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Anyone?
Apr 23, 2010 10:44PM PDT

I still haven't found the answer. Anyone else have a thought?

Thanks...

David

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Can you use a distribution list?
Apr 24, 2010 12:17AM PDT

Define once, use many times.

Kees

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Yes, but...
Apr 24, 2010 1:45AM PDT

..as a retiree, most of my emails are of a casual nature that have various audience mixes. That is the frustration, I can't freewheel like I previously could.

Thanks for the response,
David

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At work, we have Outlook 2007 linked to MS Exchange.
Apr 24, 2010 4:55AM PDT

I never use the address book.

I type the first character(s) of the names. Like in the IE address bar the corresponding choices appear in a dropdown list. Choose one and start another. So to send to David, Emily and Joan, I type something like Da tab Emi tab Jo tab

I don't know if this only works with an Exchange address book or that it works with you also. Outlook, of course, primarily is an Exchange client, so it could well be that it isn't particularly suited to the needs of home users. Than maybe try another more suitable email client (Windows Live Mail and Thunderbird are obvious choices).

Kees

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I think you are on to something....
Apr 25, 2010 12:52AM PDT

..with the thought that Outlook isn't configured for my (apparently rare) method of addressing emails.

With Outlook Express, I had no distribution lists. When I received an interesting email, or found something fascinating on the web, I would just click "To" then go down my entire list and decide to whom I wanted to send the info. Each time I did it, I would use a different set of criteria for deciding which addressees to include: "Got one like this from him last week" or "Haven't heard from her for a while" or "Forgot about him, maybe I should see if he is still there", etc.

I assumed Outlook had that capability since Outlook Express has it. But since my random method is time consuming and imprecise, Outlook apparently doesn't accommodate it.

Thanks for your help,
David

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Outlook 2007
Apr 26, 2010 12:08AM PDT

I'm not sure if this will help, but like mentioned before, I click on TO:. that brings up my contacts, I simply click each one holding down the CTRL key. I use the vertical scroll bar to view them all and it works fine. However, most of the time I just type in the beginning of a person's name and it will give me the drop down list to choose from. I use both ways for different mailings. Good Luck.

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Addressing an Email to Multiple Recipients in Outlook 7
Sep 15, 2010 8:13PM PDT

I had the same problem.I thought that I would have to type at least one letter to bring up a list of contacts. But that only brings up contacts starting with that letter. It is amazing that there is a simple solution...we overlooked.
1) Start a New Message
2) Click the "TO" button
3) The next Dialog box that appears is "Select Names...."
4) There are two choices right there: "Name Only" and "More Columns".By default More Columns is selected
5) Change the selection to "Nam Only". Your contact list appears allowing to to select which ones you want by using Ctrl.
6) Be sure you have have the right contacts folder selected by selecting it (look under "Address Book" next to the "Go" Button.
SIMPLE