In the additional Options box, keep the setting that are already checked and then make sure you also have these options checked --
 

1. Make Internet URLs (http://.....) into Hotspots -- This will automatically make urls in the body of an email clickable without having to manually create a hotspot.

2. Retain View column sorting -- This allows you to change your default column sort in a view and have it "stick" that way the next time you open the view.

3. Disable embedded browser for MIME mail -- If you are finding Notes is slow at opening internet email messages, checking this setting will speed it up. In Notes 8.x, MIME mail by default is rendered by Internet Explorer (if you use Windows) and Safari (if you use Mac). Checking this option reverts the way Notes renders the MIME email back to how it did it in previous versions. Checking this option may adversely affect the fidelity of the rendering but it will positively enhance the speed.

4. Invoke Notes on vCard files -- This allows you to double-click on a vCard file that someone sends to you and have Notes prompt you to add the contact to your Address Book.

5. Enable Icon Popup Help in View -- This allows you to hover over any of the smarticons in the Notes interface and see a description of what the icon does.

6. Show check marks in margin for selected documents. This is optional. It allows you to select multiple documents in a view with one hand by dragging your mouse down the selection margin (the old fashioned Notes way), instead of using Ctrl-Click or Shift-click Windows conventions

Select Calendar and To Do - Display - Entries

Conference Call Information -- Enter your conference call information so that mobile device users can highlight it and click dial and have the pass code automatically dialed for them. Use the Blackberry friendly format with an x before the passcode, for example:     1-718-276-7205  1-718-276-7205 x126642#

Select Calendar and To Do - Calendar and To Do - Display - Views

Select the following:

1. Display new (unprocessed) notices -- This will display invitations on your calendar

2. Process cancelled meetings automatically & Show as cancelled in calendar -- This will automatically remove cancelled meetings from your calendar so you don't have to manually open them and click the Process button.

Calendar and To Do - Calendar and To Do - Display - Notices

Select the following:

1. Select Remove meeting notices from my Inbox after I process them (This mimics Outlooks behavior and eliminates the extra step of manually removing the invitations from the inbox.)

2. Select Don't display meeting invitations in the Sent mail view (This allows users to easily clean up their email by deleting Sent mail without worrying about deleting calendar entries)

3. Select By default, keep me informed of meeting updates when: I decline meetings

Mail Basics

Select the following:
When I delete calendar documents from any Mail view or folder

Select "Remove without asking" (This is particularly handy for users who come from using the Outlook client as this setting will mimic Outlook's behavior)

Contacts

Select the following:

Enable "Synchronize Contacts" on the Replicator – Only if you have a blackberry or you have delegated access to your contacts. This setting allows contacts to automatically be transferred to the server so they can be sent to your mobile device.

Live Text

Select Enable Live Text -- so you're ready for any widgets you may want to install later

Mail – Attention Indicators - Recipient Icons

Select Mail sent to me only (at a minimum) and add your internet email address to the text box. This setting will put a solid blue circle next to emails in your inbox that were addressed directly to you. You can then sort your inbox by "Recipient Icons" and all the email in your inbox addressed directly to you will go to the top.

Spell Check

Select Enable Instant Spell Checking - with this selected, misspelled words will be underlined with a red line as you type. To correct the spelling, right-click on the red underlined word and accept the correct spelling. Example below.

Web Browser

Select "Use the browser I have set as the default for this operating system". This offers best performance when viewing web pages.

Now close the Preferences box by selecting OK and Restart Notes

If you are upgrading from a previous version make sure your email columns display correctly.  With the inbox open and an email highlighted, select View – Customize this View. Then click Defaults to return any view customizations from previous versions back to the defaults.