# Email and Communication

# Email and Outlook Tips

This guide covers common Outlook tasks and tips for managing your FVSD email.

## Accessing Your Email

- **Outlook desktop app** — pre-installed on your FVSD computer
- **Outlook on the web** — go to [https://outlook.office.com](https://outlook.office.com) and sign in with your FVSD account
- **Outlook mobile app** — available on iOS and Android, sign in with your FVSD email

## Setting Up Your Email Signature

1. Open **Outlook**
2. Click **File** > **Options** > **Mail** > **Signatures** (or in Outlook on the web: **Settings** (gear icon) > **View all Outlook settings** > **Mail** > **Compose and reply**)
3. Click **New** to create a signature
4. Enter your signature — a professional signature typically includes:
5. Your name
6. Your title/role
7. Your school
8. Your phone number (if applicable)
9. FVSD logo or school branding (if provided)
10. Set it to apply to **new messages** and **replies/forwards**
11. Click **Save**

## Setting Up an Out-of-Office Reply

1. Open **Outlook**
2. Click **File** > **Automatic Replies** (or in Outlook on the web: **Settings** > **View all Outlook settings** > **Mail** > **Automatic replies**)
3. Select **Send automatic replies**
4. Set the **start and end dates**
5. Type your message — include when you'll be back and who to contact in your absence
6. Click **OK** or **Save**

## Managing a Shared Mailbox

If you have access to a shared mailbox:

### Viewing It

- In Outlook desktop, the shared mailbox should appear in your folder list on the left side
- If it doesn't appear, click **File** > **Open & Export** > **Other User's Folder** and enter the mailbox address

### Sending From a Shared Mailbox

1. Open a **new email**
2. Click **From** and select the shared mailbox address
3. If the **From** field isn't visible, click **Options** > **From** in the toolbar
4. Compose and send — the email will appear to come from the shared mailbox, not your personal address

## Creating Rules to Organize Email

If you get a lot of email, rules can help sort them automatically:

1. Right-click an email you want to create a rule for
2. Click **Rules** > **Create Rule**
3. Set the conditions (e.g., from a specific sender, with certain words in the subject)
4. Choose the action (e.g., move to a folder, mark as read)
5. Click **OK**

## Common Questions

**Q: I'm not receiving emails from a specific sender.**

A: Check your **Junk Email** folder — the email may have been filtered. If you find it there, right-click it and select **Not junk**. If emails are consistently missing, contact IT.

**Q: My mailbox is full.**

A: Delete emails you no longer need, especially those with large attachments. Empty the **Deleted Items** folder. If you're still running low on space, contact IT.

**Q: I need a distribution list created or updated.**

A: Submit a ticket to IT with the list name, purpose, and who should be included.

**Q: How do I recall a sent email?**

A: In Outlook desktop, open the sent email, click **Message** > **Actions** > **Recall This Message**. This only works if the recipient is also on FVSD email and hasn't read it yet.

## Contact IT

- **Submit a ticket** through the IT helpdesk
- **Email:** helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca

# Microsoft Teams Basics

Microsoft Teams is FVSD's primary tool for video meetings, chat, and collaboration. This guide covers the essentials.

## Accessing Teams

- **Desktop app** — pre-installed on your FVSD computer
- **Web app** — go to [https://teams.microsoft.com](https://teams.microsoft.com) and sign in with your FVSD account
- **Mobile app** — available on iOS and Android

## Chat

### Sending a Message

1. Click **Chat** on the left sidebar
2. Click **New chat** (pencil icon at the top)
3. Type the person's name or email address
4. Type your message and press **Enter** to send

### Group Chat

1. Start a new chat
2. Add multiple people in the **To** field
3. You can name the group chat by clicking the pencil icon next to the participant names

## Meetings

### Joining a Meeting

- Click the **meeting link** in your calendar invitation or email
- Or go to **Calendar** in Teams and click **Join** on the meeting

### Starting a Meeting

1. Go to **Calendar** in Teams
2. Click **New meeting**
3. Add a title, participants, date, and time
4. Click **Save** — participants will receive a calendar invitation with a join link

### During a Meeting

- **Mute/unmute** — click the microphone icon
- **Camera on/off** — click the camera icon
- **Share your screen** — click the **Share** button and select your screen or a specific window
- **Chat** — click the chat icon to send messages during the meeting
- **Raise hand** — click the hand icon to get the presenter's attention

## Teams (Groups)

You may be a member of one or more Teams based on your school or role. These are shared spaces for files, conversations, and collaboration.

- **Posts** — group conversations visible to all team members
- **Files** — shared documents stored in SharePoint (accessible through Teams)
- **Channels** — sub-sections within a Team for organizing topics

## Common Questions

**Q: I'm not receiving Teams notifications.**

A: Check your notification settings: click the **three dots (...)** next to your profile picture > **Settings** > **Notifications**. Make sure notifications are turned on for messages and meetings.

**Q: I can't hear anyone in a meeting (or they can't hear me).**

A: Check that your microphone and speakers are set correctly: click the **three dots (...)** in a meeting > **Device settings**. Make sure the correct microphone and speaker are selected. Test them before the meeting starts.

**Q: How do I share a file in Teams?**

A: In a chat or channel, click the **paperclip icon** (Attach) and choose to upload from your computer or browse OneDrive/SharePoint.

**Q: I accidentally left a Team — how do I rejoin?**

A: Some Teams are assigned automatically based on your role. If you were removed or left accidentally, contact IT or the Team owner to be re-added.

## Contact IT

- **Submit a ticket** through the IT helpdesk
- **Email:** helpdesk@fvsd.ab.ca