Gmail’s many features help keep your inbox organized and easier to search. Our virtual assistant business serves a number of busy clients and consequently, we get a great deal of e-mail each day. Here are a few features of Gmail that we use to help keep things in order:
Take advantage of labels. There are no folders in Gmail. Instead, there are labels. Labels let you tag your messages for more efficient archiving and search. Labels are different than folders because one message can have several different label tags. For example, if the message is about your client’s travel plans, you might apply a label of your client’s name or business name, and you might also apply a label of travel.
There are 2 ways to create labels:
- Click on Settings, then click on the Labels tab.
- To apply a label on the fly, when your message is open, click on the More Actions drop down and select a label or create a new one.
You can now also color code labels for even easier identification. Assign colors by clicking on the gray square drop down box to the right of the label name in the left vertical panel on your Gmail browser inbox screen.
Use Archive. Once you’ve labeled or tagged your messages, get them out of your inbox by clicking Archive. An Archive button appears near the top left when your message is open and being viewed, or you can archive en masse from your inbox view by checking the boxes to the left of the messages you wish to archive, then clicking the Archive button near the top left.
Create filters. I use filters a lot for automated messages, listservs and other routine e-mail. It’s a great way to quickly keep your inbox clear of the bulk messages that can rapidly fill it. Filters are like rules. Based on certain criteria you specify, such as who the sender is, what the subject line is, if an attachment is present, Gmail will take the action you specify.
For example, I participate in several very active listservs. To keep me focused during the day, I only read listserv mail every few hours. I created a filter that said “if the message is addressed to listservname@example.com, tag it with the label listservs and remove it from my inbox.”
Create a filter one of two ways:
- From your inbox, click on Settings, then the Filters tab.
- Or, from within a message, click on the drop down next to the Reply button, and select Filter messages like this.
Gmail’s folderless organization and threading of messages take a little getting used to by some. Once you gain understanding of these features and begin creating a few labels and filters, you’ll wonder how you ever worked without them.
About the author: At Your Service Cincinnati principal Nora Rubinoff’s core virtual assistant services include social media management, WordPress support, online reputation management, project management, customer relationship management, customized e-mail marketing campaigns and productivity enhancement. Nora is a Mac and PC specialist. Nora is enthusiastic about architecting solutions that enable clients to make more out of their business day.
Nora is a recipient of the Karen S. House Award for Regional Collaboration as well as the Women of Excellence Award, several state and local government proclamations and holds the IVAA EthicsCheck™ certification. Nora is a past board member for IVAA and serves on several community advisory boards. Read more from this author
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