There may be times when we want a specific action to take place on an Outlook item depending on the sender, recipient, or even subject. In these cases, an Outlook Rule can help.
Let's see how to create a rule in the following video.
Description of the video:
Maybe times when we have specific actions that we want taken most of the time but not all of the time for example what if we want all incoming messages that are marked with high importance to be automatically forwarded to our assistant unless the message comes from our supervisor let's use Outlook's rules feature.
Let's create a new rule now, perhaps we have signed up to be part of a beta testing program for a new application that is coming out soon we have agreed to provide feedback and receive email messages from other users who are also testing the application.
After we get started we realize that we will be receiving hundreds of e-mail messages with the word beta program in the subject line we can create a rule to send all of these messages to a specific folder.
To begin creating the rule click the rules button and click manage rules and alerts.
The rules that alerts dialog box open to set up a new rule click the new rule but now we see the rules wizard dialog box this dialog box will walk us through creating our rule we will begin with a template.
We want to use a template in the stay organized section click move messages with specific words and the subject to a folder when we select a template the items under step two in the bottom of the dialog box change slightly and will now walk us through setting a rule.
We want our rule to be applied to specific words click the specific words link under Step two yet another dialog box opens here make and type the words we want outlook to watch for in this case beta program and click add.
The keywords are added to the bottom of the dialog box and we can click OK.
Next we need to specify where we want outlook to place the messages that contain the keywords.
At the bottom of the dialog box click.
Specified the rules an alert style lock box appears with a list of folders displayed to create a new folder click new lets name the folder beta reports and click OK.
To close the dialog box and continue click OK.
To move to the next step in the Wizard click next.
The rules wizard dialog box changes and offers additional conditions for our rule let's say that we only want to send these messages to a specific folder for a month after that the beta program will be complete let's add a date span now.
Scroll down and click the received in a specific date band checkbox this condition is now added to the bottom of the dialog box.
To specify the dates band click in a specific date span a date received dialog box open.
By default today's date appears in the after field.
Is in the before field.
Today's date as it is in the before Field change the date to one month from today obviously the states will be different for everyone.
When you have this done click OK at the bottom of the rules wizard click Finish.
There is now complete description of the rule at the bottom of the rules and alerts dialog box click apply and then click OK this new rule will take effect immediately and will be in effect until we delete it.
Let's say that it is better month and the beta program is complete we no longer have a need for the rule that moves related messages into the beta program folder and we can delete the rule.
We need to return to the backstage view so will click the file tab to see all of our rules on alerts click the Manage rules and alerts button.
We can see a check mark next to the beta program this means that the rule is active if we wanted to suspend this rule we could check it then the rule wouldn't run.
Until we checked the box again today we wanted to leave the rule for good with a pro selected click delete a dialog box asking us to confirm that a lesion click yes.
The rule no longer appears in the rules and alert dialog box to apply this change click Apply and OK to return to the end box click the blue arrow.