Exchange...Outlook — What's in a name?

This is confusing, because the terms are often used interchangeably. However, on these pages, we will refer to them in the following way:

Exchange is the "engine" or server that allows you to work collaboratively with others through e-mail, calendaring, and sharing resources such as contacts, notes, and tasks.

Outlook

• is a Windows program (part of Microsoft Office) that allows you to manage your e-mail, calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks

• when configured for an Exchange service, allows you to use all of its features collaboratively with others connected to the service

• is often used generically to refer to an Exchange service; however:

  • you can use Outlook without an Exchange service, just not collaboratively

  • you can access an Exchange service without using Outlook, but you won't have access to all the Exchange features

Confused yet? There's more. Most Macintosh users access their Exchange accounts using Entourage, part of Microsoft Office for the Mac. Yet, because Outlook is often generically used for Exchange, Mac users may erroneously think they use Entourage to connect to Outlook.

Need more confusion? When accessing their Exchange accounts on the web, both Windows and Macintosh users connect to Outlook Web Access.

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This page last verified February 2006.

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