Create a List of Rules

Valk Beekman wanted to share this VBA code sample that creates a text file containing a list of the rules used by the default email account. When the rule contains an email address, the address (or display name) is added to the output. It needs a little tweaking to list all the actions and conditions in a rule, but for those who just want a list of rules, in the order they are listed in Rules and Alerts, it works very well as is.

At this point, I've confirmed it works in Outlook 2007 with only an IMAP email account in the profile and in Outlook 2010 with only a Hotmail Connector account in the profile. It would not work in my Outlook 2010 profile containing several Exchange accounts.

Note that this works with Outlook 2007 and up. It will not work with older versions of Outlook.

Sample Results

The VBA below creates the list of rules assigned to the default email account. If you are editing rules to test the macro, make sure you are working with the correct set of rules in Rules & Alerts.

The resulting list is in this format:

1	Rule Name:Clear categories on mail (recommended)
2	Rule Name:Tips	Folder path:\\Personal Folders\Inbox\test	From:tips@outlook-tips.net
3	Rule Name:Clear categories on mail (recommended)
4	Rule Name:Autoaccept rule	Subject:'Autoaccept rule' 
5	Rule Name:Test	Subject:'Test' 
6	Rule Name:'?' or '?' or '?' or '?'	Body Or Subject:'?' '?' '?' '?' 
7	Rule Name:Test 3	From:alias@gmail.com
8	Rule Name:DServices	Folder path:\\Personal Folders\test\t5	From:domain@mail.com
9	Rule Name:Test1	From:sally@smith.com
10	Rule Name:Test 2	From:steve@handyman.com
11	Rule Name:Follow up	From:microsoft.com

Notes: The output does not support Unicode text as rule #5 looks for four Chinese characters (in the subject or body and deletes the message as spam).

VBA Macro to List Rules

This is not the most efficient code, but it works. I tested this VBA in Outlook 2007 with only an IMAP email account in the profile. It would not work in Outlook 2010 with an Exchange server account set as default (and several accounts in the profile). I'm not sure why yet but it works in Outlook 2010 with other profiles.

Sub ListRules()
 Dim colStores As Outlook.Stores
    Dim oFileSys As Object
    Dim oStore As Outlook.Store
    Dim oRoot As Outlook.Folder
    Dim oCondition As Outlook.RuleCondition
    Dim oCondfrom As Outlook.RuleCondition
    Dim oAction As Outlook.RuleAction
    Dim colRules As Object
    Dim oRule As Outlook.Rule
    Dim oInbox As Outlook.Folder
    Dim oMoveTarget As Outlook.Folder
    Dim sOutput As String
    Dim myVar As Variant

    'On Error Resume Next
    Set oFileSys = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

'Create a folder named Rules on your C drive or change the path to use an existing folder
    If oFileSys.FileExists("C:\Rules\OLfilterlist.txt") Then
        oFileSys.DeleteFile ("C:\Rules\OLfilterlist.txt")
    End If
    Open "C:\Rules\OLfilterlist.txt" For Output As #1

    Set colStores = Application.Session.Stores
    Set oStore = colStores(1)
        Set oRoot = oStore.GetRootFolder
        Set colRules = oStore.GetRules
        
For Each oRule In colRules
sOutput = (oRule.ExecutionOrder) & Chr(9) & "Rule Name:" & (oRule.Name)
 For Each oAction In oRule.Actions
  If oAction.Enabled = True Then
    If oAction.ActionType = olRuleActionMoveToFolder Then
     sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "Folder path:" & (oAction.Folder.FolderPath)
    End If

'add more actions here

  End If
 Next

  For Each oCondition In oRule.Conditions
    If oCondition.Enabled = True Then 
      If oCondition.ConditionType = olConditionFrom Then
        sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "From:" & (oRule.Conditions.From.Recipients(1)) 
      End If

'add more conditions here

    End If
 Next
            Print #1, sOutput
         Next
    Close #1
End Sub

Adding More Conditions and Actions

The basic macro was written for a specific purpose - to get the From conditions and the folder used in the Move to folder action. Adding more conditions and actions is very easy, although it does require a little knowledge of how to use the VBA Editor.

Below is a sample of the VBA needed to get the Subject, Body, and message header rules. The remaining conditions and actions will use similar code.

To use these with the code above, paste them where the 'add more conditions here' line is.

'Words in the Subject        
If oCondition.ConditionType = olConditionSubject Then

'use this format when the condition may contain multiple values
   sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "Subject:"
      For Each myVar In oRule.Conditions.Subject.Text
        sOutput = sOutput & "'" & myVar & "' "
     Next
End If

'Words in the body
If oCondition.ConditionType = olConditionBody Then
   sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "Body:" & (oRule.Conditions.Body.Text)
End If
               
'Message header contains
If oCondition.ConditionType = olConditionMessageHeader Then
   sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "Header:" & (oRule.Conditions.MessageHeader.Text)
End If

'body or subject
If oCondition.ConditionType = olConditionBodyOrSubject Then
  sOutput = sOutput & Chr(9) & "Body Or Subject:"
     For Each myVar In oRule.Conditions.BodyOrSubject.Text
        sOutput = sOutput & "'" & myVar & "' "
     Next
End If

1	Rule Name:This is a test
	Flagged:True
	Copy to:\\dianep@domain.com\Junk E-mail

2	Rule Name:Any
	Flagged:True
	Forward:True

Using the VBA Editor

Copy and paste the VB code into Outlook's VB Editor. You'll also need to allow macros to run. If you aren't asked if you want to allow macros when you open the VB editor, you'll need to change the macro security in Options, Trust Center to 'Always ask' about macros. We do not recommend the lowest security setting to never ask about macros.

When you paste the code, the text colors should be the same as seen in the code above. Red lines mean there is an error in the code.

1. Press ALT+F11 to open Outlook’s VB editor
2. If asked, you need to enable Macros
3. Expand Project1 and Microsoft Office Outlook Objects
4. Double-click on ThisOutlookSession
5. Copy the code and paste it into the VB editor window (right pane)
6. Save the changes (Ctrl+S or click the Save icon)
7. Press F8 or the Run button to run the macro

For more information, see How to use Outlook’s VBA Editor

Related Posts:

1. Direct support for this kind of rule was added in Outlook 2000 and is

   Create a rule to search for two different phrases in a message
2. 

   Server-side vs. Client-side Rules
3. 

   Outlook's Rules and Alerts: Run a Script
4. Current versions of Microsoft Outlook contain a rule condition you can

   Create rules to sort messages by email account