The present invention extends to methods, systems, computer program
products, and data structures for presenting different types of
electronic messages at a common interface. Electronic message items are
stored in an item database along with other types of items, such as, for
example, contact items, folder items, document items, etc. Electronic
message items have some common defined data fields and possibly other
differently defined data fields that represent protocol and/or
application specific properties. Computer systems can query the item
database for message related data (e.g., from commonly defined data
fields) and display links to message related data at a common messaging
interface. Links to different types of electronic messages (as
represented by protocol and/or application specific properties) may be
displayed simultaneously at the common messaging interface.