Microsoft Outlook has become an outstanding email-client software widely preferred by many users. This is because of the free features it offers and the ease of use on the Window platform. One of the latest amazing features is the voting button, which has excited many users across the world. In this blog we shall see what the voting buttons do and how to use them in Outlook.
For starters, the voting button feature is used to include a set of response options in an email, allowing recipients to vote on a specific question or topic. This feature is particularly useful when you need to gather feedback or make decisions among a group of people. The voting buttons simplify the process by providing predefined response options that recipients can choose from.
How the voting buttons feature work
1. Sender’s Perspective:
- When composing a new email, the sender can enable the “Voting Buttons” feature.
- The sender can choose from predefined options such as “Approve;Reject,” “Yes;No,” or “Yes;No;Maybe.” Alternatively, they can customize the buttons to suit their needs.
2. Recipient’s Perspective:
- Recipients receive the email with the voting buttons.
- In the reading pane or when viewing the email, recipients can see the specified response options.
3. Responding:
- Recipients click on the “Vote” button and select their response from the available options.
- Once they make a selection, Outlook automatically generates a response email indicating their choice.
4. Viewing Responses:
- The sender can view the compiled responses to see how each recipient voted.
- Responses are typically displayed in the original email’s tracking options or in a separate tracking tab, depending on the version of Outlook.
How to use Voting Buttons in Outlook messages
1. Sending an Email with Voting Buttons:
Compose a New Email:
- Open Outlook and create a new email.
Enable the “Voting Buttons”:
- In the new email window, go to the “Options” tab.
Choose a Voting Option:
- Click on the “Use Voting Buttons” dropdown in the “Tracking” group.
- You can choose from predefined options like “Approve;Reject,” “Yes;No,” or “Yes;No;Maybe.” Alternatively, you can customize the buttons.
Send the Email:
- Complete your email and send it.
2. Responding to an Email with Voting Buttons:
Open the Email:
- Recipients will receive your email with the voting buttons.
Click on the Response:
- Recipients can click on the “Vote” button in the reading pane or open the email and click on “Vote” in the ribbon.
Choose a Voting Option:
- A dropdown menu will appear with the voting options you specified. Recipients select their choice and send the response.
3. Viewing Responses:
Open the Original Email:
- You, as the sender, can open the original email.
View Responses:
- On the “Message” tab, click on “Tracking.”
- Here, you can see who has responded and view the overall responses.
Notes:
- Read Receipts: Keep in mind that voting responses work similarly to read receipts, and some email clients may not support or display them correctly.
- Customizing Buttons: If you want to create custom voting buttons, you can do so by choosing “Custom…” in the voting buttons dropdown. Enter your options, separating them with semicolons.
- Outlook Versions: The steps might vary slightly depending on the version of Outlook you are using.
