A method and apparatus are provided for routing information with a pointer-based computer such as a pen-based computer. The routing actions may be faxing, printing, mailing (electronically), and beaming (by infrared light). The routed information may be document or other item produced by or associated with a particular application running on the computer. Routing actions that send items out of the computer system preferably are processed according to the following steps. First one or more menus or windows associated with the application of the document being routed are displayed on a display screen of the computer. At least one of these menus or windows contains a list of routing actions available to the application. The user selects one of these routing actions and, in some cases, provides additional information pertaining to the destination, format, etc. of the document being routed. Then the document or item being routed is transferred to an out box which resides, at least in part, in the memory of the computer system. The out box is communication with a plurality of ports such as a modem, an IR beam transceiver, etc. From the out box, the item is routed out of the computer system and through one of the ports and the process is concluded.