Purdue's Webmail system is a simple e-mail client that gives Purdue students an e-mail account accessible from anywhere with internet access. This description of Webmail will explain its major features and outline the most important processes involved with using Webmail. Many important e-mails from Purdue and its professors, ranging from safety alerts to important items for class, will be sent using Webmail. It is imperative then that each student know how to use Webmail to view and send messages and manage their account effectively.

Before we can do any of that, we must log in to Webmail. The log in screen appears at

https://webmail.purdue.edu/

Enter your Purdue Career Account login and password to continue. You will be asked if you would like to perform maintenance operations. If you check the box and click 'Perform Maintenance Operations,' the desired maintenance will be done as you load the inbox. Otherwise, clicking 'Skip Maintenance' will take you straight to the inbox.

If Webmail were a building, the Inbox screen would be the Great Hall from which all the other, smaller rooms would be accessible. Those rooms are found across the top of the screen and are titled INBOX, Compose, Folders, Options, Search, Problem?, Help, Address Book, and Logout.

INBOX

Starting with the INBOX, messages are displayed in chronological order starting with the oldest and ending with the last received. This can be adjusted to reverse chronological order, or arrangement by sender or title. Webmail uses a color system to help visually categorize messages. For example, new unviewed messages have a light purple shading and bolded text. The color key below the messages defines further color uses. To view a message, simply click on the sender or the subject line. Senders sometime include attachments to messages. To view these, click on the attachment title or the floppy disk to the right of the attachment listed under the Part(s) line in the header. You will be prompted to open the file, save the file, or cancel the operation.

 

 

To reply or forward a message, click the corresponding option at the top or bottom of the message. This will open another window that will allow you to enter receiver's addresses, compose a message, and add attachments. When complete, simply click 'Send Message'. This will be covered in greater detail under the Compose section of this description.

When you no longer need an email, you may delete it to conserve space on the server.To delete a message from the inbox screen, check the box to the left of the message and click the delete option located above and below the message list. If you decide you do not wish to delete the message, you may undelete it using a similar process. Deleted items are kept until you click 'Purge Deleted' or perform maintenance operations at login. After this point, the message may not be undeleted.

Compose

Composing a new message starts by clicking the Compose option located between INBOX and Folders. Doing so opens a new window in which you enter the addresses of those you wish the message sent, any carbon copies or blind carbon copies you want to send, and also the subject line. Next, add the text to the body of the message as needed. If you wish to send an attachment, scroll to the bottom of the window to Attachments. Click 'Browse' and select the file you wish to send. Once they are loaded, click 'Attach'. Please note that Webmail restricts the attachment size to 10 MB, so large files may not be attached. When you have completed your message, click 'Send Message.'

Folders

Sometimes it is useful to further separate messages in your inbox for later reference. You can do this by sending them to separate folders. To manage your folders, click the Folders option at the top of the page. This will open the Folder Navigator from which you can use the drop down menu to create new folders. A prompt will appear asking for a folder title. Once a title is entered and you click 'OK,' the new folder will appear in the Folder Navigator. To send messages to a folder from your inbox, check the box to the left of the message similar to the way you would delete a message. Then in the upper right corner is a drop down box that says "Messages to". From this box, select the appropriate folder and choose to 'Move' or 'Copy' the messages. Moving the messages will put them in the new folder and delete them from your inbox while copying the messages will move them but not delete them.

The remainder of the options across the top (i.e. Options, Search, Problem?, Help, and Address Book) are useful, but not as commonly used. Use Options to change your information, filters, and displays. Search will find messages in your folders that correspond to the criteria you enter into it. Problem? is a link to the iTap page concerning Webmail. If you are having difficulties with Webmail, check here first. Help is a small menu that covers the basics of many of message composition, message search, folder management and filters. By clicking the Address Book link, you can search the Purdue Electronic Directory for student and faculty contact information. Don't forget: when finished with Webmail, logout to protect your privacy.

Webmail offers a simple and easy to use web-based e-mail client for students and faculty to use almost anywhere there is a computer. The tools highlighted above should help you get started in making Purdue Webmail an effective and efficient place to communicate.