Multiple identities in separate Outlook instances?

[brucemc777]

Good Evening and Hello!



I am learning Outlook slowly. I used OE for a while, went to Eudora (roughly 1988) for at the time Outlook behaved like "a drunken elephant", but now having worked with it for almost a year at my employer's, it seems that i may start having reasons to prefer it to my now long-time favorite, Thunderbird.

What I am questioning is just how best to keep my work laundry (all functions i would use within Outlook) separate from my personal. It seems to me if i simply create another account in the same tree i am liable to get things mixed up, and also if i do so i might run into someone at work overlooking some personal material - nothing that interesting, i just don't care to mix the two worlds.

Can two instances of Outlook be separately managed, one with the employer accounts and the other with the personal, so if i open one i can be rather certain it won't bring up info from the other?

Can anyone else out there that share my concerns advise on how they are managing the situation, even if it is having everything combined, and perhaps any best practices & caveats?

Thank-you very much-

[brucemc777]

What is the appropriate waiting period here before I post this on other boards to get an answer? I do not wish to start by earning a reputation as a cross poster, but then, I do need an answer-

[msperry]

Hi Bruce,

I think it's a question of style - I prefer to have two accounts (that is, two mailboxes each getting their own email, all within the same profile). You just have to be careful about sending with the right From address.

To avoid any issues at all though, it might be best to setup two different Outlook profiles. One for business, and one for personal. Only one profile can be used at a time in Outlook - but it will avoid any mixing of the two sets of emails.

[brucemc777]

Thank-you!

I appreciate the perspective. It is a rather rare event for me to transition from one client to another, and once doing so I do not want to even think of going back; trying to be as certain as i can that i won't regret the move.

I know that i will miss the themes - i prefer dark blue colors and i can do that in TB. I also very much value the "Send Later" option that allows me to create an email and set it up to send at a specified later time. And there's a few more options I enjoy. But overall, I think Outlook does now offer a package that I would find at least equal in options, and the ability to add through vba, of which i am already familiar, instead of having to learn how to create extensions, is attractive.

I suspect the final analysis will come from an item-by-item review of every addin i am using and see if there are any deal-breakers.

I greatly appreciate your help.

Best Regards,
Bruce