Microsoft Outlook TestBasic, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert levels
An online pre-employment Microsoft Outlook skills test that measures genuine working ability — not self-reported confidence. Choose the single level that matches the role, or test across all four to establish a candidate's proficiency. Each level combines simulated Outlook tasks with multiple-choice questions, from sending emails and making appointments through rules, templates, delegation and message encryption, so you can match a candidate's real skill level to the role.
Why test Microsoft Outlook skills
before you hire
Microsoft Outlook is the email application in Microsoft 365 and a comprehensive office management tool, with a calendar, task manager, notes and contacts built in. Business professionals use Outlook to send and track email, schedule and share calendars with co-workers, manage tasks and notes, and maintain contacts and groups, so it sits at the centre of most Australian office roles.
If your organisation runs on Microsoft Outlook, it is recommended that you establish the proficiency of all prospective and existing employees with the software. Gaps show up quickly as missed meetings, lost attachments and poorly organised inboxes. Employers are therefore advised to verify Outlook ability before relying on it.
RightPeople can help. Our organisational psychologists built this pre-employment Outlook test around Microsoft 365, the version of Outlook standard in workplaces today, and keep it current as Outlook's toolset evolves. It is one of the most requested skills tests for administration, reception, executive assistant and customer service roles across Australia.
Which Microsoft Outlook test level
fits the role?
Match the level to the Outlook demands of the role, not the candidate's stated experience. Each level can be run alone, or in sequence to place a candidate precisely.
Basic
Reception, general office, data entry and entry-level administration.
Send email with attachments, make appointments, set reminders, file and flag messages and create a signature.
Intermediate
Administration officers, team assistants, customer service and HR coordinators.
Organise a busy inbox with categories and views, run meeting invitations and notes, and write professional email.
Advanced
Executive assistants, office managers, project coordinators managing others' calendars.
Automate with rules and templates, manage recurring meetings, assign tasks and archive mail systematically.
Expert
Senior executive assistants, board secretaries, IT support and roles handling sensitive correspondence.
Control permissions, encryption, delayed delivery, time zones, calendar exports and mail blocking across an organisation.
Basic Microsoft Outlook Test
RightPeople's Basic Microsoft Outlook Test evaluates the standard Outlook fundamentals, establishing whether a candidate is a genuine beginner or already has basic working competence — and whether existing staff need introductory training before moving on to more advanced inbox and calendar work. The Microsoft Outlook features it assesses include:
Establishes whether a candidate can compose, send and organise everyday email without assistance.
- Creating Emails and Attaching Files to Messages
- Moving Messages between Folders
- Searching for and Flagging Messages
Calendar and Reminders
Assesses whether a candidate can manage their own appointments and follow-ups.
- Making Appointments and Changing the Time of Appointments
- Working with Reminders
Signatures and Word Count
Checks whether a candidate can present email professionally and consistently.
- Creating Signatures
- Checking the Word Count
Personalising Outlook
Evaluates whether a candidate can adapt the interface to the way they work.
- Customising the Ribbon
Intermediate Microsoft Outlook Test
RightPeople's Intermediate Microsoft Outlook Test was developed to assess a candidate's ability to run a busy inbox and calendar on their own: categorising and previewing messages, organising meetings and meeting notes, using Quick Parts and groups, and writing professional email. The Microsoft Outlook features it assesses include:
- Previewing Attachments
- Categorising Messages
- Printing Calendars
- Mentioning Contacts in the Body of an Email
- Using Quick Parts
- Creating Meeting Invitations
- Using the Different Views
- Taking Meeting Notes
- Writing Professional Emails
- Inserting Online Pictures
- Setting a Default Signature
- Using Groups
- Working with Printing Styles
Advanced Microsoft Outlook Test
RightPeople's Advanced Microsoft Outlook Test assesses whether a candidate can make Outlook work systematically rather than message by message: automating with rules and templates, managing recurring meetings, assigning tasks, archiving and controlling how messages are sent and read. An advanced Outlook user keeps a team, not just an inbox, organised. The Microsoft Outlook features it assesses include:
- Turning on the Week Number Settings
- Setting Up Recurring Meetings
- Working with Hyperlinks
- Adding and Removing Columns
- Working with Notes
- Using the Bcc Field
- Requesting Read Receipts
- Changing the Background Colour of a Message
- Creating Templates
- Archiving Messages
- Creating Rules
- Printing Attachments
- Assigning Tasks
Expert Microsoft Outlook Test
RightPeople's Expert Microsoft Outlook Test assesses a candidate's command of Outlook's security, delegation and organisation-wide features — permissions, encryption, delayed delivery, time zones, calendar exports and mail blocking — the tools relied on by staff who manage correspondence and calendars for senior people or an entire office. The Microsoft Outlook features it assesses include:
- Exporting Calendars
- Adding and Changing Time Zones
- Applying Outlook Themes and Stationery to Messages
- Attaching Email Messages to Other Messages
- Using the Spelling and Grammar Check
- Specifying Default Fonts for Unread Messages
- Setting Delayed Delivery Options
- Encrypting Messages
- Using the Smart Lookup Feature
- Setting Permissions
- Archiving and Other Useful Features that Assist Organisation
- Blocking Incoming Mail
- Creating Tasks without Opening Outlook
Common questions about the Microsoft Outlook test
Can't find what you're looking for? Contact our team or visit our full FAQ page.
What does the Microsoft Outlook test measure?
RightPeople's Microsoft Outlook test measures a candidate's genuine, practical working ability in Outlook — not self-reported confidence or resume claims. It covers email, attachments, folders and flags, calendar appointments and meetings, categories and views, rules, templates and tasks, and (at the expert level) permissions, encryption and delivery options, matched to the specific level of the role being filled.
What are the four levels of the Outlook test, and how do I choose one?
The test has four levels — Basic, Intermediate, Advanced and Expert — each assessing a progressively deeper set of Outlook skills, from sending email and making appointments through to rules, delegation, encryption and organisation-wide settings. Choose the level that matches the Outlook demands of the role itself, not the candidate's stated experience; our team can help you match a level to a role description.
Is the Microsoft Outlook test completed online?
Yes. Like all RightPeople assessments, the Outlook test is completed online, combining hands-on tasks in a simulated Outlook environment with multiple-choice questions that test knowledge and judgement. No special software or in-person testing is required, and results are available to the employer typically the same day.
How does RightPeople protect the integrity of the Outlook test?
RightPeople uses AI proctoring technology to protect the integrity of every online Outlook test. The proctoring runs in the background while the candidate completes the assessment, and any irregularities are flagged in the report for the employer to review. This gives you confidence that the result reflects the candidate's own Outlook ability.
What roles use the Microsoft Outlook test?
The Outlook test suits any role where email and calendar management affect performance, commonly reception, administration, executive assistant, customer service and office management roles across Australian organisations. The right level depends on the role: Basic for general office positions, through to Expert for senior executive assistants and staff who manage correspondence and calendars for others.
What other Microsoft Office skills tests does RightPeople offer?
Alongside Microsoft Outlook, RightPeople offers pre-employment skills tests for Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint, each covering a range of difficulty levels. All are built and reviewed by our organisational psychologists and delivered through the same simulated online testing environment.
Ready to test Outlook skills with confidence?
Speak with our team to match the right level of Outlook test to your role, or request a quote to get started.
