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Lotus Notes FAQ

Using Lotus Notes
Q: How do I choose a different browser for HTML webpages?
Q: How do I get Lotus to recognize the messages I have read in the preview pane?

Lotus Notes Email
Q: How long will deleted messages remain in the trash prior to permanent deletion?
Q: How do I display e-mail in a threaded view?
Q: How do I spell check an e-mail with Lotus Notes?
Q: How do I set up spell checking on all outgoing e-mail?
Q: How do I set up an Out-of-Office notification?
Q: I've created an Out-of-Office notification. Must I leave my computer on during my absence?
Q: How do I add a signature to my e-mail memos?
Q: How do I filter my mail to specific mailboxes or to the trash?
Q: Are there options to bounce or redirect messages in Lotus Notes?
Q: Can I schedule e-mail to be sent at a later time?
Q: I have messages stored locally in my previous e-mail client. Can I transfer these to the Lotus server?

Lotus Notes Calendar
Q: How do I grant access to my Calendar?
Q: I have calendar entries in Meeting Maker. Can I transfer these entries to Lotus Notes?
Q: I have calendar entries in Outlook. Can I transfer these entries to Lotus Notes?

Lotus Notes Address Book
Q: How do I move contacts from my previous e-mail application into Lotus Notes?

Using Lotus Notes with a PDA
Q: I have a Palm OS, Symbian OS, or Windows Mobile device and would like to sync with Lotus Notes. What are my options?
Q: I have a RIM Blackberry device and would like to sync with Lotus Notes. What are my options?

Issues with Security Management
Q: How do I register a password change with the Domino system?
Q: I am regularly getting messages asking me to verify certificates and trust remote sites. What can be done to fix this?

Using Lotus Notes from Remote Locations
Q: When using Notes remotely, I have encountered an error that states Path to Server Not Found. What can I do to address this?

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Using Lotus Notes

  1. How do I choose a different web browser when using Lotus Notes?

    On a Windows system, go to File > Preferences > Location Preferences. Select the Internet Browser tab and click the down arrow and choose your preferred browser from the available options. If you would like to use Mozilla Firefox or a browser not specified, select Other and choose the application from within the Program Files directory.

    On a Macintosh system, go to the Lotus menu > Preferences > Location Preferences. Select the Internet Browser tab and click the down arrow and choose your preferred browser from the available options. If you would like to use Mozilla Firefox or a browser not specified, select Other and choose the application from your Applications folder.

  2. I am reading my mail in the preview pane, but when I move to another message, the previously read message still appears in red, as if I hadn't already viewed the message. How do I get Lotus to recognize the messages I have read in the preview pane?
    On a Windows system, go to File > Preferences > User Preferences. In the Additional Options section put a check next to "Mark documents read when opened in preview pane."

    On a Macintosh system, go to Lotus menu > Preferences > User Preferences. >In the Additional Options section put a check next to "Mark documents read when opened in preview pane."

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Lotus Notes E-mail

  1. How long will deleted messages remain in the trash prior to permanent deletion?
    Messages will remain in your trash folder for 48 hours by default. After 48 hours the messages will be automatically purged. To change the default, select the Mail icon, click the Tools buttonfrom the Action Bar, and select Preferences from the menu. In the Mail tab, change the hour value next to Soft Delete to the hour value you prefer.
  2. How do I display e-mail in a threaded view?
    To display e-mail threads sequentially, select the Mail icon, expand the Views option in the right hand browser pane and select Mail Threads. This will group all mail threads together in sequence enabling you to access a topic quickly.
  3. How do I spell check an e-mail with Lotus Notes?
    To spell check a specific memo, select the appropriate memo in the Window tabs, go to the Edit Menu > Check Spelling.
  4. How do I set up spell checking on all outgoing e-mail?
    To configure Lotus Notes to spell check each memo prior to sending, click on the Mail icon within the Bookmark bar and click the Tools option from the Action bar and select Preferences. In the Preferences window, under Mail > Basics, check the box next to 'Automatically check mail memos for misspellings before sending.'
  5. How do I set up an Out of Office notification?

    To set an Out of Office notification for your incoming mail, from the Action Bar select Tools > Out of Office. Specify the duration of your absence in the date tab, and a memo you would like others to receive, in the Out of Office Message tab.

    In the Exceptions tab, DoIT stongly recommends that you check the box marked "Do not automatically respond to mail from Internet addresses". When this box is checked, your Out of Office response will only be sent to SFSU e-mail accounts. This highly decreases the likelyhood of an Out of Office response being sent to a questionable destination (e.g., spammer).

    When you are done configuring this memo, click Enable to activate the notification. When you return to the office, be sure to disable your Out of Office notification.

  6. I've created an Out of Office notification. Must I leave my computer on during my absence?
    Once they are created, Out of Office notifications are stored on the SFSU Domino server. There is no need to leave your computer running during your absence.
  7. How do I add a signature to my e-mail memos?

    To add a signature to your outgoing mail, from the Action Bar select Toolsand then Preferences. In the Preferences window, under the Mail tab, select the Signature tab. In the Signature box provided, type your text signature, or select 'HTML file or Image File' if you plan to use a non-text signature. Click on 'Automatically append a signature to the bottom of my outgoing mail memos' box, and then click OK.

  8. How do I filter my mail to specific mailboxes or to the trash?
    Lotus Notes uses Rules to filter and sort your mail to mailboxes, folders, and even the trash. To create a Rule, click on the Mail icon from the Bookmark bar. From the Action Bar, click Tools > Mail Rules. With the Mail Rules Window tab selected open, click New Rule .
  9. Are there options to bounce or redirect messages in Lotus Notes?
    At this time, Lotus Notes cannot bounce or redirect messages.

  10. Can I schedule e-mail to be delivered at a later time?

    At this time, Lotus Notes cannot schedule or post-date delivery of e-mail.
  11. I have messages stored locally in my previous e-mail client. Can I transfer these to the Lotus server?
    Messages and folders can be moved to Lotus Domino servers. However, users must remain under a space quota. To have your messages moved from your local computer to SFSU servers, please contact the Help Desk to schedule an appointment.

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Lotus Notes Calendar

  1. How do I grant access to my Calendar?

    To delegate access to your calendar go to the Calendar Action bar, click Tools "" and select Preferences from the menu. In the Preferences window select the Access & Delegation tab, then Access to Your Mail & Calendar tab. To give access to an individual, select 'Add Person or Group'. In the Add People/Groups window, specify who will have access to your calendar and how much access you will grant them. It is recommended to delegate access using the 'Calendar, and To Do'.

    If you would like to keep your To Do or Calendar items private, select the 'Mark To Do Items Private' checkbox while creating or editing the To Do item or Calendar entry.

  2. I have calendar entries in Microsoft Outlook. Can I transfer these entries to Lotus Notes?
    3. Check with your local IT staff to assist you in migrating your data.

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Lotus Notes Address Book

  1. How do I move contacts from my previous e-mail application into Lotus Notes?

    There are multiple methods available to import contacts into Lotus Notes.

    Lotus Notes supports the vCard contact standard. If your previous e-mail application can export vCards, you can quickly export your contacts either individually or as a single group of contacts. Applications that can export vCards include Outlook, Outlook Express, Entourage, Thunderbird, Netscape Mail, Apple Mail, and many more.

    To bring your exported vCard into Lotus Notes, select the Address Book from your Bookmark Bar, go to File > Import, change the 'Files of Type' to vCard, and navigate to the location of your vCard.

    If you are using Outlook or Eudora on a Microsoft Windows computer, the DoIT Help Desk does have a tool to assist you with migrating your contacts. However, this requires some administrative effort. Please consider the following options. (Tool will not function on Macintosh OS X or OS 9)

    1) If you are using Outlook and have attempted the vCard export listed above and are experiencing errors or are unable to complete the instructions provided, create a Help Desk service request and we will schedule a time to assist you.

    2) If you are using Eudora or Outlook and have only a few contacts, please consider rebuilding your contacts in Lotus Notes manually. If you have a substantial number of contacts and feel a manual process is too lengthy, create a Help Desk service request and we will schedule a time to assist you.

    For users running Eudora in Mac OS X, there is a freeware program available that will translate Eudora nicknames to the vCard format. To download this application, click here. Although the Help Desk provides information on this application, we cannot directly support its use or issues caused by its usage.

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Using Lotus Notes with a PDA

  1. I have a Palm OS, Symbian OS, or Windows Mobile device and would like to sync my personal settings, calendar, address book, and contacts with Lotus Notes. What are my options?
    There are multiple options for Palm OS, Symbian, or Windows Mobile devices. DoIT is currently  researching site license opportunities with vendors. 
  2. I have a RIM Blackberry device and would like to sync my personal settings, calendar, address book, and contacts with Lotus Notes. What are my options?
    At present, there are no options available on the SFSU campus to sync Blackberry devices with Lotus Notes. We are researching a third party solution for Wi-Fi and Wireless access.

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Issues with Security management

  1. I recently changed my password via the E-mail Account Services page. However, my new password is not working with my Lotus Notes client. How do I register a password change with the Domino system?
    To change your password for Domino e-mail access via the Lotus Notes client, you must modify your password from within the Lotus Notes client. In Windows, go to File > Security > User Security and provide your password. On Mac OS X, go to Notes > Security > User Security and provide your password. Under Security Basics click the "Change Password" button and complete the corresponding password change page. This action must be performed on all computers where you use Lotus Notes. For further information on Domino password issues, read Lotus Notes Password ManagementGuide (WIP - link coming soon).
  2. I am getting messages asking me to verify certificates and trust remote sites. What can be done to fix this?

    By default, messages that contain links to secure web pages trigger a pop-up warning that begins, "The internet service certificate is not trusted. Do you want to take corrective action now..." Internet root authorities, such as VeriSign, are companies whose business is to sell certificates.

    Setting Notes to trust Internet root authorities stops the pop-up warning for web servers secured by a certificate from one of these companies. If you see this pop-up warning after setting Notes to trust Internet root authorities, the message may contain a link to a harmful web page. Check with the sender before opening it.

    The following process will take at least two to three minutes:

    1. Select Security from the File menu, then select User Security from the Security sub-menu.
    2. Enter your Notes password when prompted.  A User Security window will open.
    3. Click on the "+" sign to the left of Identities of Others then select Authorities.
    4. Open the Certificates drop-down menu then select Internet Root Authorities from it.


    5. Click in every empty checkbox in the Trust column. Every name in the Certificate Authority Name column should have a checkmark to its left, even if it looks like a duplicate.


    6. Click OK in the User Security Window.  Click Yes when asked "Save changes to your authorities list?"
    7. A window will open stating "Trust operation succeeded for certificate issued to" followed by information about a specific certificate.  Click OK.  This will be repeated for each name listed in the Certificate Authority Name column. 

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Using Lotus Notes from Remote Locations

  1. When using Notes remotely, I have encountered an error that states "Path to Server Not Found". What can I do to address this?

    2. Users have seen this error because the Notes application is unclear how to access the database from outside of the SFSU network. To address this, go to the File menu, and select Database. In the Database menu, select Open. In the Open dialog box, under Server, type your server name (mailxxx.sfsu.edu). Your specific mail server can be identified by logging on to E-mail Account Services. Next, click the Open box and the window will update with your SFSU mail server's information. Once this has occurred, click the Cancel box to exit the Open Database dialog. At this time, exit Notes and re-open the application. The database error should no longer occur. If this is not the case, please contact the DoIT Help Desk.

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Last Modified: 29 Jul 2008
doit@sfsu.edu