While working online over a dial-up connection, you can make Outlook 2000 respond faster by using the calendar that's on the server instead of the local calendar (the one stored on your computer), turning off the preview pane, and by not automatically synchronizing when you quit Outlook.

When you use the local calendar, Outlook automatically synchronizes it each time you start Outlook. This can take a long time and prevents you from working in Outlook until the synchronization process is completed. If you currently use the local calendar, turn it off and use the copy on the server.

Turn off the local calendar

1. While online, on the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click Calendar Options.
3. Under Calendar options, clear the Always use local calendar check box.

When you have the preview pane on, Outlook may take a long time to start because it's downloading the first message to display in the pane. The bigger the message, the longer it takes to download. With the preview pane off, Outlook won't download a message until you open it.

Turn off the preview pane

• On the View menu, click Preview Pane.

If you set up Outlook to synchronize automatically when you exit the program, it synchronizes all offline folders. This includes those folders that take longer to synchronize, such as the Sent Items and Deleted Items folders. Usually you don't need to synchronize these two folders because the offline versions usually contain what you need. The most efficient way to update the contents of these folders is to wait until you can connect directly to the network instead of dialing up to connect to it.

Turn off automatic synchronization on exit

1. While online, on the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Services tab.
2. Clear the When online, synchronize all folders upon exiting check box.