IF you receive a lot of messages, you might want to have the
messages analyzed as they come in, to perform actions on them before you
read them. For example, you can have all messages from a specific
account sent to a specific folder. Perhaps you want messages that come
from specific senders to be assigned high priority. Microsoft Outlook
2010 lets you manipulate your incoming messages to achieve the results
that you want.
Understanding Message Rules
A message rule defines the actions that
Outlook 2010 takes for a sent or received message if the message meets
certain conditions specified by the rule. For example, you might
create a rule that tells Outlook 2010 to move all messages from a
specific sender or with a certain subject into a specified folder
rather than leaving them in your default Inbox. Or you might want
Outlook 2010 to place a copy of all outgoing high-priority messages in
a special folder.
In Outlook 2010, you use one or more
conditions for defining a message rule. These
conditions can include the account from which the message was
received, the message size, the sender or recipient, specific words in
various fields or in the message itself, the priority assigned to the
message, and a variety of other conditions. In addition, you can
combine multiple actions to refine the rule and further control its
function. For example, you might create a rule that moves all your
incoming POP3 messages to a folder other than the Inbox and also
deletes any messages that contain certain words in the Subject field.
Although not a complete list, the following are some of the most
common tasks you might perform with message rules: -
Organize messages based on sender, recipient, or
subject. -
Copy or move messages from one folder to another. -
Flag messages. -
Delete messages automatically. -
Reply to, forward, or redirect messages to individuals or
distribution lists. -
Respond to messages with a specific reply. -
Monitor message importance (priority). -
Print a message. -
Play a sound. -
Execute a script or start an application.
Whatever your message processing requirements, Outlook 2010
probably offers a solution through a message rule, based on either a
single condition or multiple conditions. You also can create multiple
rules that work together to process your mail. As you begin to create
and use message rules, keep in mind that you can define a rule to
function either when a message is received or when it is sent. When
you create a rule, you specify the event to which the rule
applies.
Creating and Using Rules
In Outlook 2010, you can create either
client-side or server-side
rules. Outlook 2010 stores client-side rules locally on your computer
and uses them to process messages that come to your local folders,
although you also can use client-side rules to process messages on
computers running Microsoft Exchange Server. A client-side rule is needed when
you're moving messages to a local folder instead of to a folder on the
computer running Exchange Server. For example, if messages from a
specific sender that arrive in your Exchange Server Inbox must be moved to one of your personal folders, the
rule must function as a client-side rule because the computer running
Exchange Server is not able to access your personal folders (and your
computer might not even be turned on when the message arrives in your mailbox on the server).
Server-side rules reside on the computer running
Exchange Server instead of on your local computer, and they can
usually process messages in your Exchange Server mailbox whether or
not you're logged on and running Outlook 2010. The Out Of Office
Assistant is a good example of how server-side rules can be used. It
processes messages that come into your Inbox on the server even when
your computer is turned off and you're a thousand miles away. So long
as Exchange Server is up and functioning, the server-side rules can
perform their intended function.
When you create a rule, Outlook 2010 examines the rule's logic
to determine whether it can function as a server-side rule or a
client-side rule. If it can function as a server-side rule, Outlook
2010 stores the rule on the computer running Exchange Server and
treats it as a server-side rule. If the rule must function as a
client-side rule, Outlook 2010 stores it locally and appends
(client-only) after the rule name to designate it
as a client-side rule. Figure 1 shows two rules
in Outlook 2010, one of which functions as a client-side rule and
another that functions as a server-side rule. Note
If you don't use an Exchange Server account, all rules that
you create are client-side rules.
TROUBLESHOOTING
Your server-side rules don't execute
Server-side rules, which process messages arriving in your Exchange Server Inbox, usually can execute when Outlook 2010 isn't
running. In some cases, however, server-side rules can't function
unless Outlook 2010 is running and you're connected to the
server.
When a server-side rule is unable to process a message because
Outlook 2010 is offline (or for other reasons), the computer running
Exchange Server generates a deferred action message (DAM), which it uses to process the message when
Outlook 2010 comes back online. When Outlook 2010 goes online, it
receives the DAM, performs the action, and deletes the DAM.
Creating New Rules from Existing Items
Outlook 2010 offers a handful of ways to create a rule. For
example, you can click a message, and on the Home tab, click Rules
in the Move group. Outlook offers options to create rules based on
the sender or recipient, and the number of options varies depending
on the message itself (see Figure 2). Click an
option to open the Rules And Alerts dialog box, choose a folder, and
click OK. Outlook will create a rule to move messages based on your
selections.
If you need to create a new rule for the currently selected
message with different actions (such as creating a rule based on the
subject of the message), click the message and, on the Home tab,
click Rules in the Move group and choose Create Rule. Outlook displays the Create Rule dialog box shown in Figure 3.
The Create Rule dialog box offers properties based on the
selected message, including sender, subject, and recipient. Choose
the criteria for your rule using any combination of these three, then choose an
action from the Do The Following group of controls. Click OK
to create the rule. Outlook names the rule according to the criteria
you selected, such as the sender's name and the subject.
Create New Rules Using the Rules Wizard
When you need more complex rules, need to perform tasks other
than moving messages, or want to create a rule that is not based on
a specific message, you can turn to the Rules Wizard. You can open
the Rules Wizard in a couple of ways: -
To create a rule based on a selected message: With a
message selected, on the Home tab, click Rules in the Move
group, and then click Create Rule. -
To create a general rule, on the Home tab, click Rules in
the Move group and then choose Manage Rules And Alerts. In the
Rules And Alerts dialog box, click New Rule.
You'll first see the Rules And Alerts dialog box, shown in
Figure 1. The
E-Mail Rules tab contains all the existing rules that
you have defined. Outlook 2010 applies the rules in the order in
which they are listed, an important fact to consider when you're creating rules. You might use certain rules all the time but use others only at special
times. Each rule includes a check box beside it. Select this check
box when you want to use the rule; clear it when you want to disable
the rule. Note
You can't open the Rules And Alerts dialog box if you are
working offline with an Exchange Server account.
Tip
You can now create rules for your Windows Live Hotmail
account, just as you can for other types of accounts.
When you create a message rule using the Rules Wizard, you
must first specify whether you want to create the rule from a
predefined template or from scratch. Because the templates address
common message processing tasks, using a template can save you a few
steps. When you create a rule from scratch, you set up all the
conditions for the rule as you create it. You can use many different
conditions to define the actions the rule performs, all of which are
available in the Rules Wizard. With or without a template, you have
full control over the completed rule and can modify it to suit your
needs. The Outlook 2010 templates are a great way to get started,
however, if you're new to using Outlook 2010 or message
rules.
Let's look first at the general procedure for creating rules and then at more specific steps. The
general process is as follows: -
Select the Inbox in which the rule will apply. For
example, if you have an Exchange Server account and a Post
Office Protocol (POP) account, you must choose the Inbox to
which the rule will apply. Note
The number of Inboxes offered in the Apply Changes To
This Folder drop-down list on the E-mail Rules tab depends on the number of
accounts in your Outlook profile and how they are configured to deliver mail.
Accounts that use their own mail stores, such as Internet
Message Access Protocol (IMAP) and Windows Live Hotmail accounts, will have
their own entries in this drop-down list.
-
Specify when the rule applies—that is, when a message is
received or when it is sent. -
Specify the conditions that define which messages are processed—for example, account,
sender, priority, or content. -
Specify the action to take for messages that meet the specified
conditions—for example, move, copy, or delete the message;
change its priority; flag it for follow-up; or generate a
reply. -
Create other message rules to accomplish other tasks as needed,
including possibly working in conjunction with other
rules. -
Set the order of rules as needed.
Note
When you specify multiple conditions for a rule, the rule combines
these conditions in a logical AND operation—that is, the message
must meet all the conditions to be considered subject to the rule.
You also can create rules that use a logical OR operation, meaning
that the message is subject to the rule if it meets any one of the
conditions.
The following steps guide you through the more specific
process of creating a message rule: -
On the Home tab, click Rules in the Move group and choose
Manage Rules And Alerts to display the Rules And Alerts dialog
box. -
In the Apply Changes To This Folder drop-down list, select
the folder to which you want to apply the rule. If you have only
one Inbox, you don't need to make a selection. -
Click New Rule to display the wizard page shown in Figure 4. -
If you want to use a template to create the rule, select
the template from the list, and then click Next. To create a
rule from scratch, choose Apply Rule On Messages I Receive or Apply Rule On Messages I
Send, and then click Next. -
In the Step 1: Select Condition(s) list in the top half of
the wizard page shown in Figure 3, select
the conditions that define the messages to which the rule should
apply. For template-based rules, a condition is already selected, but you
can change the condition and add others as necessary. -
In the Step 2: Edit The Rule Description area of the
wizard page (see Figure 5), click
the underlined words that specify the data for the conditions.
For example, if you're creating a rule to process messages from a
specific account, click the word specified,
which is underlined, and then select the account in the Account
dialog box. Click OK, and then click Next. -
In the Step 1: Select Action(s) area of the new wizard
page, select the actions that you want Outlook 2010 to apply to
messages that satisfy the specified conditions. For example,
Figure 6
shows a rule that displays an alert for messages if they meet the rule
condition. -
In the Step 2: Edit The Rule Description area of the
wizard page, click each underlined value needed to define the
action, and then specify the data in the resulting dialog box.
Click OK to close the dialog box, and then click Next. -
In the Step 1: Select Exception(s) (If Necessary) area of
the wizard page, select exceptions to the rule if needed, and
specify the data for the exception conditions, as shown in Figure 7. Click
Next. -
On the final page of the Rules Wizard, shown in Figure 8, specify a
name for the rule as you want it to appear in Outlook
2010. -
Select options according to the following list, and then
click Finish: -
Run This Rule Now On Messages
Already In Inbox Select this check box if you want Outlook
2010 to apply the rule to messages that you have already
received and that currently reside in the Inbox folder in
which the rule applies. For example, if you have created a
rule to delete messages from a specific recipient, any
existing messages from the recipient are deleted after you
select this check box and click Finish to create the
rule. -
Turn On This Rule
Select this check box to begin applying the rule that you
have created. -
Create This Rule On All
Accounts Select this check box to apply the rule to
all applicable folders. For example, if you have three
folders listed in the Apply Changes To This Folder drop-down
list at the top of the initial Rules Wizard page, selecting this check box
causes Outlook 2010 to apply the rule to all three folders
instead of only the selected folder.
Tip
To create a rule that operates on all messages, don't
specify a condition that Outlook 2010 must check. Outlook 2010
prompts you to verify that you want the rule applied to all
messages.
Applying Rules to Specific Folders or All Folders
When you first open the Rules And Alerts dialog box, it
displays the rules that have already been defined for your profile,
both client-side and server-side, as shown earlier in Figure 1. You might
recall that you use the Apply Changes To This Folder drop-down list
at the top of the dialog box to select the folder for which you want
to create or modify a rule. The rules that appear in the list depend
on the folder that you select, showing only the rules that apply to
the selected folder.
To apply a rule to a specific folder, select that folder in
the Apply Changes To This Folder drop-down list when you begin
creating the rule. To apply a rule to all folders,
select the Create This Rule On All Accounts option at the completion
of the wizard (as explained in the preceding section).
Copying Rules to Other Folders
By default, Outlook 2010 doesn't create rules for all folders;
instead, it creates the rule only for the selected folder. If you
have created a rule for one folder but want to use it in a different
folder, you can copy the rule to the other folder.
Follow these steps to do so: -
Choose Tools, Rules And Alerts to open the Rules And
Alerts dialog box. Note
If necessary, choose the target folder from the Apply
Changes To This folder list.
-
Select the rule that you want to copy, and then click
Copy. -
When you're prompted in the Copy Rules To dialog box,
select the destination folder for the rule, and then click
OK.
Creating Rules That Use OR Logic
Up to now, you've explored relatively simple rules that
function based on a single condition or on multiple AND conditions.
In the latter case, the rule specifies multiple conditions and
applies only to messages that meet all the conditions. If a rule is
defined by three AND conditions, for example, Outlook 2010 uses it
only on messages that meet condition 1, condition 2, and condition
3.
You also can create rules that follow OR logic. In this case,
a rule specifies a single condition but multiple criteria for that
condition. The rule will then act on any message that meets at least
one of the criteria for the condition. For example, you might create
a rule that deletes a message if the subject of the message contains
any one of three words. If one of the conditions is met (that is, if
the subject of a message contains at least one of the three words),
Outlook 2010 deletes that message.
With Outlook 2010, you can create several rules that use OR
logic within a single condition, but you can't create a single rule
that uses OR logic on multiple conditions. For example, you might
create a rule that deletes a message if the message contains the
phrase "MLM," "Free Money," or "Guaranteed Results." However, you
can't create a message rule that deletes the message if the subject
of the message contains the words Free Money
(condition 1), or if the message is from a specific sender
(condition 2), or if the message is larger than a given size
(condition 3). OR must operate within a single condition. When you
create a rule with multiple conditions, Outlook 2010 always treats
multiple conditions in the same rule using AND logic. You would have to create three
separate rules to accommodate the latter example.
If you have a situation where you need to check for more than
one piece of data in a single condition, you can do so easily
enough; however, when you create the rule and define the condition,
specify multiple items. For example, if you need a rule that
processes messages based on three possible strings in the subject of
the messages, click Specific Words in the rule description area of
the Rules Wizard, where you specify rule conditions. In the Search
Text dialog box, enter the strings separately. As you can see in
Figure 9, the
search list includes the word or to indicate
that the rule applies if any one of the words appears in the
subject.
Although you can't create a single rule with OR logic operating on multiple conditions in Outlook
2010, you can create rules that combine AND and OR logic. For example, you might create a rule
that applied if the message arrived at a specific account and the
subject contained the words Free Money or
Guaranteed Results. Keep in mind that you must
specify two conditions—not one—to build the rule. The first
condition would check for the account, and the second would check
for the words Free Money or
Guaranteed Results.
Consider the following example: -
On the Home tab, click Rules, Manage Rules And
Alerts. -
In the Rules And Alerts dialog box, click New Rule. -
Click Apply Rule On Messages I Receive, and then click
Next. -
Select Through The Specified Account. -
Select With Specific Words In The Subject. -
At the bottom of the dialog box, click Specified, and then
in the Account dialog box, select the email account and click
OK. -
Click Specific Words at the bottom of the dialog box to
open the Search Text dialog box. -
Type Free Money, and then
click Add. -
Type Guaranteed Results,
click Add, and then click OK.
Look at the rule conditions in the Step 2 area of the dialog
box. The rule indicates that it will act on messages that are from
the specified account and that have the text Free
Money or Guaranteed Results in the
message.
You can modify a rule at any time after you create it.
Modifying a rule is much like creating one. To modify
a rule, on the Home tab, click Tools, Manage Rules And Alerts to
open the Rules And Alerts dialog box. Select the rule that you want
to modify, and then click Change Rule to display a menu of editing
options. If you choose Edit Rule Settings on the menu, Outlook 2010 presents the same
options you saw when you created the rule, and you can work with them the same way. Click Rename Rule to
change the name of the rule, or click an action to add the selected
action to the rule (retaining any existing actions).
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