If you’re considering upgrading to an email app that better suits your needs, then there’s no shortage of choices available. From simple, basic platforms to feature-rich options, you can find exactly what you’re looking for in the app store.
Before making a final decision, however, there are some key things to check regarding your potential new app. Use the list below to run through before installing your new app to help ensure it really does have all of the tools you’ll need and offers the highest levels of security.
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Search Capabilities
There’s nothing more frustrating than having to manually backtrack through months (if not years) worth of messages to find what you’re looking for, needing to open each email, in turn, to see if it’s the one you want.
To this end, check that the email app you’re considering has adequate search features – you may even wish to look for one with advanced search capabilities to speed up the process even further. How to search in emails is likely to be really important for business users, who need to be able to pull up the information they need without wasting precious time doing so. An email app like Spike offers a Super Search feature, allowing users to search via multiple layered filters and see a preview of potentially matching messages without needing to open each. It also lets users search by keyword, file, tag, or person, so finding the email you’re looking for is hassle-free and could take just a matter of seconds.
Basic Features
Even free email apps should come equipped with a range of basic tools and features to help your day-to-day life – both home and professional – run that little bit smoother, so check that the app you’re considering offers them before committing.
The ability to apply rules is one of these features. Typically, you can use this tool to trigger a range of automatic actions; for example, any emails that arrive in your email from a specific person or colleague could be sent to a specific folder or used to generate an automatic reply (more on these below) if a message arrives while you’re on vacation.
The ability to set up and manage multiple folders easily should also be a key criterion when choosing an email app: with so many messages potentially coming into your inbox can quickly get out of hand. Prevent this by setting up new folders – and subfolders – to keep everything organized and to help you find any information you need quickly and simply.
Collaborative Tools
Whether you’re a sole trader working from home or the manager of a large team, ensuring that your email app features all of the collaborative tools you need is one of the easiest ways to boost productivity and keep everyone singing from the same hymn sheet.
Look for shared calendars for simpler meeting scheduling and so that each employee can better manage their workloads and task interdependencies. Shared calendars also allow for easier holiday booking and rotating.
The ability to message several people at once by creating specific groups is another great collaborative tool that can save time and help to keep everyone in the loop.
Storage Requirements
The amount of space you’ll require will depend on the type of account you need and how you expect to be using your email app. Just to give you an idea: 65MB of storage space is enough for about half a million email messages.
Depending on your device, you may also want to check out how much space on your hard drive the app itself will take up. Being sure to regularly spring clean your inbox, and getting rid of messages you no longer need, will help keep your folders more manageable and mean you can make the most of any storage restrictions.
A cloud-based email platform is a great solution to possible issues with storage, and this option is becoming increasingly popular, as virtually unlimited storage means that your messages, photos, and other attachments will stay safe, secure, and accessible. Many such apps come as part of a cloud-based suite that offers a plethora of useful tools and features.
Secure Communication and Storage
And finally, the level of security offered by the app is of crucial importance and should be checked carefully. High levels of encryption and the deployment of other advanced security tools should be standard in an email app, so take a moment to make sure that these are in place before checking your app out of the app store and installing it.
It’s a good idea, too, to find out if the app offers anti-phishing tools and malware protection, to further beef up your security; some business accounts also offer additional features such as data loss prevention and account take-over prevention.
Using the above guide will help you navigate the process of choosing an email app, whether for work or home use. Thinking carefully about your requirements and comparing the options available means you’ll get an app that helps you get more done, more easily.
