The Service Pack 2 update to Exchange Server includes several enhancements to OWA. See the list below for more details.
Contact Distribution Lists
This new feature allows users to create personal distribution lists in their Outlook Web Access Contacts folder. After they create their list, users can add other contacts by entering the contact's one-off SMTP address or by selecting the existing contact card entry. Users of Internet Explorer 5.0 or later can also search and select contacts from the global address list (GAL).
Search
Exchange 2000 SP2 provides a new Search icon for Outlook Web Access users. The Search feature allows users to search for messages in their folders. Searches (single folder and whole folder subtrees) can be based on the From, To, CC, Subject and Message Body fields. Searches can also be performed on the Calendar and Contacts folders; however, the Search feature is mainly designed for searching through standard email folders such as the Inbox.
Log Off Page & Warning
A new Log Off icon on the main Outlook bar connects to a page that gives the user instructions about how to log off their mailbox.
New Mail Notification
Users of Internet Explorer 5.0 or later receive notifications when new mail arrives in their Inbox. For users of Internet Explorer 5.0, the notification appears in the form of an icon on the navigator bar. For users of Internet Explorer 5.5 or later, the notification appears in the system tray in addition to on the navigation bar.
Calendar Reminders
The new Calendar Reminder feature enables users to set alarms on calendar appointments as a reminder. There is complete interoperability between the meeting reminders in Outlook Web Access and the full version of Outlook. Therefore, if you dismiss a reminder in Outlook Web Access, you are not reminded again in the full version of Outlook.
New Calendar Controls
THe new calendar interface provides improved performance, multi-day views, the ability to double-click in the calendar to create a new item, and drag-and-drop in the details pane.
Improved Calendar Printing
Exchange 2000 SP2 introduces calendar printing from Outlook Web Access. To experience the best results with calendar printing, in Internet Explorer, in Internet Options, on the Advanced tab, select the print background colors and images check box.
New Tree Control for your Folder List
In Exchange 2000 SP2, the folder tree control is redesigned. Folder expansion is now an asynchronous process, allowing you to expand folders more quickly, as well as perform other actions in Outlook Web Access during the expansion. Furthermore, there is a new icon set on the folder control to provide a more pleasurable experience. Another new feature of the tree control is to show the unread message count, similar to the full version of Microsoft Outlook. Unread message counts appear for folders in Mailbox as well as in Public Folders. However, the unread message count is not designed to dynamically increase or decrease when changes occur in the folder. To forcibly update the counter, you must perform an action in the folder. Alternatively, you can right-click the folder, and then click Update Folder.
Type-Down Search
If a folder is sorted by Subject or From fields, you can highlight a single message and type the first few characters of text to automatically move to the correct point in the folder.
Enhanced Keyboard Navigation Support
Exchange 2000 SP2 includes enhanced keyboard support for Outlook Web Access users. Keyboard shortcut keys such as HOME, END, PAGE UP and PAGE DOWN now work in Outlook Web Access. Additionally, SP2 provides First Page and Last Page buttons that allow you to quickly move between pages.