UALR Communications Express for E-Mail (https://mail.ualr.edu)
Rev. September 2005

UALR Computing Services Help Desk
(501) 569-8720

Contents

1. Introduction
2. Logging In
• Login Problems
3. Getting to Know the Interface
4. Working with E-Mail Messages
• Sending E-Mails
• Adding Attachments
• Using Spell Check
• Replying to E-Mails
• Forwarding E-Mail to Others
5. Deleting E-Mail
6. Understanding Mail Folders
7. Using the Address Book
   • Adding Contacts
   • Searching for Contacts
   • Creating Group Mailing Lists
8. Searching Messages
9. Logging Out

Introduction

UALR Web-based E-Mail is the most reliable and convenient way to access your UALR E-Mail. It is important to check your E-Mail periodically since it is the official means of receiving UALR news and information about the school and your account. It can be reached using a web browser such as Internet Explorer, Netscape, or Firefox by typing https://mail.ualr.edu in the address bar. If you already use a web-based E-Mail service such as YahooMail or Hotmail, the look and feel should be familiar to you. Users of E-Mail applications such as Microsoft Outlook will also feel at home with the organization and features of this web-based interface.

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Logging In

UALR WebMail initially displays a log-in screen. The default login information is your user name (everything before the @ symbol in your UALR E-Mail address) and your password (intially by default your T number with a capital T). Hitting the Enter key on your keyboard or clicking Log In will prompt the system to authenticate the information you have entered.






Login Problems


If you have entered a correct user name and password combination, the screen will load with the actual WebMail interface. If either the user name or password is incorrect, you will receive a message in red letters stating that the authentication failed.

Authentication Failed Reenter your username and password.

Usually after five unsuccessful attempts to log into your E-Mail account, the account will be locked out as a security measure. You can look up your username and unlock your account by changing your password in BOSS (boss.ualr.edu). You do not need to know your old password to change it. You can log into BOSS with your T number and six digit PIN and navigate through the Personal Information Section to View Usernames or Change Passwords on UALR Computing Systems. When you change your password, it should be at least 8 characters long consisting of both numbers and letters.

If you get a message stating you are denied access or your account has been disabled, call the Computing Services Help Desk at (501) 569-8720.

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Getting to Know the Interface

Once you have successfully logged into UALR WebMail, you will see a screen divided into three general sections.






1. The first section is called the Command Link section. This encompasses the top portion of the screen containing the icons and the search bar.
   
2. The second section is the Message Area. This is the lower right section of the screen. It lists the messages available in the currently selected folder, and will change as messages are added or deleted.
   
   Note that there are six general columns in the Message Area:
   
   

   		Select	Tracks which messages are selected for manipulation (i.e. to be deleted).
   		Priority	Indicates which messages are marked high priority by the sender.
   		Attachments	Indicates the E-Mail contains an attached file.
   		Order	Toggles between the ascending and decending order of the messages. The order depends on which column heading is chosen to order the messages by.
   		From	Orders E-Mails alphabetically by the name or E-Mail address of the sender.
   		Subject	Orders E-Mails alphabetically by subject line .
   		Received	Indicates date and/or time E-Mails were received. Toggles the order of E-Mails by receive time. Newest E-Mails appear at the top of the column by default.
   		Size	Orders E-Mails by the size of each E-Mail. Note that large messages (especially ones with a K beside the number) take up more of your disk quota, so clean these out often.

   
   
3. The third section is the Folder List on the lower left side of the screen. This lists all available Mail Folders that you can store E-Mails in and provides you with a Manage Folders option to add or remove folders.

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Working with E-Mail Messages

To read a message, you can click on either the name of the sender or the subject line of the message. The Message Area will change to display the E-Mail (screenshot).

• To view next or previous messages, you can click on at the top right off the message window.
• To get back to the message list in your INBOX, you can click on button at the top of the message near the Previous and Next links.
• Alternatively you can also click on the .on the left hand side of the screen in the folder list to go back to the Inbox.

Sending E-Mails

To send a message, click on the link on the far left hand side in the Command Link section. A separate window will open titled New Message (

screenshot).

• Type the address in the To: field at the top and enter in a subject in the Subject line.

(Note: An E-Mail must contain a subject --without one, the E-Mail will not be sent and an error message will appear.)

• You can send a copy to another E-Mail address by typing in another address in the CC: (Carbon Copy) field.
• If you do not want any of your recipients to see who you sent copies of your E-Mail to, enter additional E-Mail addresses in the BCC: line (Blind Carbon Copy).
• Type your message in the window area below the subject line.
• You may choose to set the Priority drop-down menu to Normal, Urgent, or Non-Urgent.
• You may choose to set the Request receipt drop-down menu to None or When viewed.
• To send the message, click on the button.
• For information about using the Address Book, click here.

Adding Attachments

If you wish to attach a file to an E-Mail message such as a word processing document or a picture:

1. Prepare to send a message as above.
2. Click on the button. The following window will pop up.
   
   
   
   
3. Click on the button to bring up the file selection window.Once selected, click on the Attach button to attach the file to the E-Mail message.
   
   
   
   
4. Click on the file you would like to attach, then click on the button.
5. Click on the button in this window to actually attach the file.
   
   
   
   
6. Repeat steps 3 to 5 for all needed attachments.
7. If you have attached the wrong file(s) by accident just click the button beside the file that is not needed.
8. Once you have finalized your choice of what files need to be attached click on the button to complete the process.
9. When you are back in the message composition window you will see a drop-down menu beside the Attachments heading. Clicking on this will allow you to see the files you have added (screenshot).
   

Using Spell Check

This feature of Communications Express allows you to spell check your E-Mail for common spelling mistakes.

NOTE: The dictionary is not exhaustive and will not catch all spelling mistakes. It does not include a grammar check so please do not rely on it to proof read and correct all errors.

First, complete your message in the compose window and then click on the button. You can choose what language you need your message to be checked against by clicking on the drop-down button and click on the language you are typing your message in.



After clicking on the button, your recognized spelling mistakes will be highlighted (screenshot).

Now you can click on each highlighted spelling error for correction suggestions (screenshot). Click on the one you agree with or click on Edit... to type in your own correction.
When you are done with the corrections, send the email by clicking on the button at the top of the compose window or on the button at the bottom of the compose window.


Replying to E-Mails

To reply to a message that you have received:

1. Open the message you want to reply to by clicking on it in your message list.
   
   
   
   
2. Now click on either or . The button will only reply to the original sender of the message, the will reply to everyone that the message was sent to.
3. Edit the message that appears(delete unwanted text and add your own responses where appropriate).
4. Send the message as usual.(Refer to Section 5).

Forwarding E-Mail to Others

To forward messages in your Inbox to other people:



1. Open the message you want to forward by clicking on it in your message list.
   
   
   
   
2. Now click on either the or the buttons. The button will send the original message as an attachment, while the button will send the original message as text at the bottom of the new, forwarded message.
3. Edit the message, adding your own text or introduction to it.
4. Send this message as usual. (Refer to Section 5).

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Deleting Mail

To delete an E-Mail message from the Message list area:

1. Select the message you wish to delete by putting a in the check box.
   
   
   
   
2. Click on the button at the top of the Message Area. This will change the envelope icon to look like this .
   NOTE: The message is then only marked to be deleted.
3. To remove the message permanently after it has been crossed out, click on the Actions drop-down menu and click on Expunge.
   
   

To delete an E-Mail after you've read the message:

1. Click on the button at the top left hand side of the Message Area. Just as above, the message is marked to be deleted. The next message in your inbox will then appear.
2. To remove the message permanently, go back to the INBOX by clicking on and repeat Step 3 from above.


If you don't want to go through the process of expunging your E-Mail after you delete them you can edit your E-Mail options to have the messages moved to a folder such as the Trash folder, which you would then have to empty yourself.

To do this you need to click on Options, then click on Mail, then click on Settings.



Once you are there you have two choices: Move deleted messages to folder: or Mark messages as deleted; Use Expunge to delete messages permanently. Click on the radio button for whichever you want and then click the button.

If you have chosen the Move deleted messages to folder: option and elected to have the messages sent to your trash folder you need to empty this on a regular basis. To do so click on either your E-Mail address or the Manage Folders link on the left hand side of the screen






This will bring you to the folder list. Once here, just click on the button to actually empty this folder.



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Understanding Mail Folders

Communications Express allows the use of folders to organize and store messages. The left hand column of the window contains a list of all available mail folders. Folders can be created, renamed, or deleted. To perform any of these tasks, click on either your E-Mail address (username@ualr.edu) at the top of the list or on Manage Folders at the bottom of the folder list.





To create a folder, click the button at the top of the screen and the following window will appear allowing you to type in the name of your new folder.



You also have the option of renaming folders or moving them to different areas in your mail through the two drop down menus at the top of the folders list. Just ensure that the folder you want to rename or move has its radio button marked.

The image below shows the two drop-down lists.



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Address Book

You can access your Address Book at any time in Communications Express by clicking on the icon in the Command Link area.








From here, you will be able to add contacts & groups, search for contacts, print your contacts, and transfer (import/export) address books. To return to your inbox, click on the Mail icon in the Command Link section.

Adding Contacts

In Communications Express there are two ways to add contacts to your address book. The first way is a quick add that only includes first name, last name, primary E-Mail and primary phone number. It is accessible at the bottom of the main address book screen as shown below. Just complete the information and click on the button to add this person to your address book.



The second way to add people to your Address Book is to click on the button. This will open a new window, which is shown below where you can enter all of the person's information. It has room for much more detailed information than the Quick Add option.




Once you have entered all of the persons data you can click the button or if you are adding more than one person click on the button. To access the different areas of the address card click on the links along the top of this new window.

Searching for Contacts

When in the address book section of Communications Express, you can search both your Personal Address Book, and the Corporate Directory to find people.

Personal Address Book

The Personal Address Book is searchable in two ways - by clicking on the letter of the alphabet that correspods to the first letter of their last name or by typing their last name into the Search for box above the alphabet list and clicking on the button.




Corporate Directory

The Corporate Directory is searchable only through the Search for box as illustrated below. You first type the last name of the person you are looking for into the Search for box, the click on the drop-down menu next to that. In the drop-down menu click on Corporate Directory and the click on the button.



Creating Group Mailing Lists

Communications Express will allow you to make Group Mailing Lists with people from your Personal Address book. To make a Group List you need to first click on the button in the Address Book to go to the screen below.



On this screen you imput the name you want for the group in the Group Name box, a Description if you like as well as a Web Address and a Calendar Address if they apply to this group.
Once this is done click on the button to open up the window below.



To add users just type the last name into the Search for box and click on the button which will display a list of reults as shown below.



This shows all users with the last name you selected. Check the box beside the users you want to add and click on the button to go back to the group member list, shown below.



This view now shows all users you have added to your list. Once you are happy with the list of users click on the button to save the Group List to your Address Book.



Now that the Group List is created you can check the box beside it in your Address Book and click on the Select Action drop down and choose Send E-Mail. This will open a message composition window that lists all of the group members as recipients.


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Searching Messages

There are two ways to search in Communications Express, Advanced Search and Quick Search.

With Advanced Search you must click on the button in order to bring up the following screen.






• You pick where to search by clicking on the drop-down menu at the top of the window and clicking on the folder you want to search in.
• Next you pick whether you want the search to match any or all of the following search criteria - this allows you to make the sure more general or more specific.
• If you click on the Subject drop-down you can choose from Subject, Sender, Body, To, and Cc to search in.
  
  
  
  
  
• If you click on the contains drop-down menu you can choose from the contains and the does not contains options.
  
  
  
  
  
• Ensure you put your search criteria in the box at the end of the row and then click on the button to have your list of results displayed on screen.

With Quick Search you have the ability to search your messages for specific Names or Message Subjects. Enter the word you are searching for in the Quick Search box and then click on the Search button.



NOTE: You will not be able to search for any messages that have been purged (permanently deleted).

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Logging Out

When you are finished with your E-Mail session, you must click on the Logout link at the top of the screen as is shown below.



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University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Department of Computing Services
2801 South University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204-1099
(501) 569-3345
webmaster@ualr.edu
Copyright © 2005
All rights reserved


Original information obtained from the University of Western Ontario. Permission is granted to copy in whole or in part provided that due credit is given to the authors, the Division of Information Technology Services, and The University of Western Ontario.

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