Outlook Web Access is part of a program called Microsoft Exchange, which many large organizations use to power advanced Outlook features. With it, you can access all your Outlook data from any Web-connected computer.

Outlook Web Access comes in handy, for example, when

• You don't want to lug a laptop on a very short business trip just to check your e-mail
• You don't want to fuss with getting your home computer connected to the office network
• You need access to your e-mail and other Outlook data from a Mac (or another kind of computer that won't run Outlook)

Outlook Web Access works best when viewed with Microsoft's own Web browser, Internet Explorer. If you use another browser, such as Netscape or AOL, the program may look quite different. The basic functions are the same, but the exact locations of the buttons differ -- sometimes quite a lot.