SimplyFile User Guide

Overview

SimplyFile is an intelligent filing assistant for Microsoft Outlook. See this page for a full list of SimplyFile features. SimplyFile will help you unclutter your Inbox by:

Filing messages to the right folder with one click of a mouse.
Filing sent messages to the right folder instead of dumping everything into Sent Items.
Easily creating new Tasks and Appointments from messages in the Inbox.
Quickly file messages and navigate between folders with just a few keystrokes.
Converting bloated HTML messages to plain text.

Message Filing

SimplyFile primary purpose is to help you file Outlook messages to the right folder. It learns your filing behavior and suggests the right folder to put messages into.

The two primary controls for moving messages are:

The "File Message" button.
The folder suggestion drop-down, located immediately to the left of the "File Message" button.

If SimplyFile is not sure about the right folder for a particular message, you will see "Select Folder..." in the folder selection field. In this case, click "File Message", and select the right folder. This can be very common in the first few days after you start using the product.

After a brief learning period, SimplyFile will start suggesting folders. If SimplyFile displays the right folder in the folder suggestion drop-down, simply click "File Message" (or hit Alt-m) to move the message to that folder. That's right - just one click is all it takes.

Note:
If you press the Shift key while clicking the "File Message" button, SimplyFile will automatically switch Outlook to the destination folder after filing a message.
If you press the Ctrl key while clicking the 'File Message" button, SimplyFile will copy the message to the destination folder rather than move it.

If the desired folder is not displayed immediately to the left of the "File Message" button, but is listed further down in the drop-down, simply select it and the message will be filed there.

If the right folder is not shown in the drop-down, click on "Select Folder" and point SimplyFile to the right folder. SimplyFile will take a note of this and alter its suggestion for the next similar message.

If you mistakenly file a message to the wrong folder, no worries. Simply use the "Undo File" button to bring it back to the Inbox.

Optimizing SimplyFile for accuracy

SimplyFile provides very good folder suggestion accuracy out of the box. If you prefer to give it an extra boost, SimplyFile also does provide a way to tweak it somewhat. For example, if you have a set of folders into which you file most of your messages, you can run "Train SimplyFile" command on those folders. This process will make SimplyFile pay special attention to those folders when suggesting filing locations.

If you are the type who likes to have complete understanding and control of the process, you can go one step further:

Disable the "Automatically monitor my folders" setting in the Options dialog.
Click the "Clear my filing history" button.
Invoke the "Train SimplyFile" command on the folders into which you file your messages. (You can just run it on the top level folder and enable the "Also process subfolders" option).

SimplyFile is a fun tool; and the more you use it, the better it gets. Many customers have grown attached to it. Tell us about your experience.

Other SimplyFile commands

QuickPick

SimplyFile's QuickPick window allows you to quickly find a folder for filing a message or for navigating between folders. To find the right folder, simply start typing the folder name. Usually typing three or four letters is all it takes for QuickPick to zoom in on the right folder.

Note that you can type multiple words separated by spaces. QuickPick will use all of them to match the name of the folder or its path. This is especially convenient if you have folders with the same name located under different subfolders. For example, if you have two folders named "Contracts" located under "Inbox\Clients\Microsoft\Contracts" and "Inbox\Clients\Adobe\Contracts". If you type "con", QuickPick will match both of them ("con" matches "Contracts"). If you type "con mi", QuickPick will display only "Inbox\Clients\Microsoft\Contracts", because "mi" matches "Microsoft".

Once you find the right folder, you can use the following commands:

File Message - to file message(s) to the selected folder.
Go to Folder - to navigate Outlook to the selected folder.
File and Go - to both file message(s) and switch Outlook to the selected folder.

Task It

Are you keeping messages in the Inbox as reminders? Outlook Tasks are a much better way of keeping track of your TODOs. To turn an Inbox message into a Task, simply click "Task It". It's a great time-saving shortcut. GTD followers will find it especially useful.

Schedule It

Does a message require a follow up meeting? Create a meeting request using the "Schedule It" button. SimplyFile even has an option to automatically invite message recipients to the newly scheduled meeting.

Html2Text

This handy command converts HTML messages to plain text format. Why would you want to do that? To protect your privacy and to save space in the mailbox.

By default SimplyFile saves a copy of the original message in the Deleted Items folder, so you can always recover it if you need it.

Installation

To install SimplyFile, simply download and run the installer. The installer will guide you through the setup process. Be sure to shutdown Outlook before installing or uninstalling SimplyFile.

SimplyFile installer requires Administrator (or PowerUser) privileges. Once installed, SimplyFile can be used by regular users without Administrator privileges.

Uninstallation

To uninstall SimplyFile

Launch Control Panel -> Add/Remove Programs.
Select SimplyFile (remove only).
Click the "Change/Remove" ("Add/Remove") button.
Follow the uninstaller instructions.

Give us your feedback

Do you have any questions, comments, suggestions, praises, rants? We'd like to hear from you!

SimplyFile your Inbox, simplify your life! Thank you for using SimplyFile!