New feature request: Introduce email locking mechanism to prevent multiple email threads of the same subject
New feature request: Introduce email locking mechanism to prevent multiple email threads of the same subject.
Problem:
Sometimes, at workplace in the same group, multiple people will be replying all to the same email thread. As a result, there will be several threads of the same email floating around. Different people’s emails will be in different threads of the same email subject.
Proposal:
1.Introduce a button in the compose email window that says, “Lock”.
2.Whenever someone (say, Person A) is replying all to an email message, he/she clicks on the “Lock” button.
3.At the email server, there would be a queue for locked messages.
4.Another person, say, Person B, also tries to reply-all to the same email message. He/she clicks on “Lock” button.
5.The email server sees that there is already a lock for the same email message and returns a warning to Person B that Person A is replying to the same email.
6.The lock will be released once Person A sends the email. Or, after a certain period (configurable at the server), say 10 minutes. Or, if Person A discards/deletes the email. Or, if Person A’s Outlook loses connection with the server.
7.The “lock” can be made automatic too. Like, when it is saved as draft, the “lock” can be automatically applied.
8.Locking would be limited to the emails within the same organization and will not be applicable for external emails.
9.Person B could still send the message ignoring the lock warning message. In that case, something in the email subject could indicate that emails will have to be manually merged.
Gururaj Narasimha
shared this idea
5 comments
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Gina Amesbury
commented
I came here to request the same thing! My inbox is FULL of replies, one thread that updates (like a text message format) would clean up my inbox. Additionally, choosing to archive or delete would be helpful at the end. I looke track of the final thread when so many are popping up.
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Clare
commented
When I click on reply, it direct me to an new window, sometimes a new window on the other screen, it feels odd. The old behavior work perfect, when I click replay and I can rely in the current email thread in the same page.
Why do you change this feature, it is a such break of user habit and adding no value in the product and causing inconvenient.
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Keith
commented
Yes, Outlook should stop relying on the subject to determine thread.
Instead use a message header.
Then add an additional reply button "reply out-of-thread" for when people actually want to branch off into a new topic.
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Danielle Reed
commented
Easier for user: Ability to merge threads (P.S. Make it also available as a quick keyboard stroke. E.g., Alt+M).
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Ashlin Redpath
commented
Or just implement a proper conversation view which groups all replies/forwards to the original email in the same conversation.
Outlook shouldn't rely on subject line and most certainly should ignore "RE:" "FW:" etc. when trying to work out which emails should be together.
Google, Apple and everyone else already does conversations properly. But Outlook struggles to keep conversations together.
