Definition of Microsoft Outlook in the Network Encyclopedia.
What is Microsoft Outlook?
Microsoft Outlook is Microsoft’s mail client and full-featured desktop information-management application. Microsoft Outlook, which is part of the Microsoft Office suite, lets users manage their messages, appointments, contacts, tasks, and activities.
It also integrates with other Office applications at the front end and with Microsoft Exchange at the back end to enable users to collaborate using e-mail, calendar, contact lists, task lists, journals, and notes.
Outlook is a full MAPI client and interoperates with all e-mail systems that support Messaging Application Programming Interface (MAPI). Outlook can be run as a stand-alone application or as part of the Office suite.
Outlook’s advanced features include the following:
- Support for MAPI, Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3), Internet Mail Access Protocol version 4 (IMAP4), and Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
- A common user interface with other Office components
- AutoNameCheck, message tracking, message recall, embedded hyperlinks, and other e-mail enhancements
- Enhancements to calendar and scheduling functions to facilitate processing of meeting requests, tracking attendees, and configuring the duration of appointments
- Simplified tracking of “to do” lists using task requests, task tracking, status reports, and task categorizations
- Custom Outlook forms for creating custom collaboration applications
