• Outlook User
  • New Outlook app
  • Outlook.com
  • Outlook Mac
  • Outlook & iCloud
  • Developer
  • Microsoft 365 Admin
    • Common Problems
    • Microsoft 365
    • Outlook BCM
    • Utilities & Addins

Using Arrays in Outlook macros

Slipstick Systems

› Developer › Using Arrays in Outlook macros

Last reviewed on February 11, 2018     No Comments

Carol asked how to add a category to tasks she is creating with the macro at Create a Task from an Email using a Rule.

Using that task macro as the example, it's easy to add a category if you want the same category for all tasks - just place this line before the objTask.Save line:
objTask.Categories = "keyword"

To assign different categories based on different keywords in the subject, you can use If Statements, repeated as needed for each keyword:
If InStr(Item.Subject, "keyword") Then objTask.Categories = "keyword"

While that works OK for a few keywords, if you are using more than a few keywords, it's much more efficient to use an Array or Case statements.

You can use arrays with any field (not just categories!). To use, you need to assign values to the variable that represents the array, then run the it through the If statement looking for a match.

Note: the Array is case sensitive; you need to use LCase on the field name and lower case letters in the arrays to make it case insensitive.

Dim strCat As String
Dim arrCat As Variant

' Set up the array
arrCat = Array("key1", "key2", "key3", "key4", "key5", "key6", "key7", "key8", "key9")

' Go through the array and look for a match, then do something
For i = LBound(arrCat) To UBound(arrCat)
    If InStr(LCase(Item.Subject), arrCat(i)) Then strCat = arrCat(i)
Next i

' Use the result of the If statement:
 objTask.Categories = strCat

To use two arrays, you need to create a second array, with the same number of entries as the first array. This code sample checks the subject for a word in the array and assigns the category that is in the same position in the second array.

Dim strCat As String
Dim arrSubject As Variant
Dim arrCat As Variant

' Set up the array
arrSubject = Array("key1", "key2", "key3", "key4", "key5", "key6", "key7", "key8", "key9")
arrCat = Array("1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "6", "7", "8", "9")

' Go through the array and look for a match, then do something
For i = LBound(arrSubject) To UBound(arrSubject)
    If InStr(LCase(Item.Subject), arrSubject(i)) Then strCat = arrCat(i)
Next i

Using Case Statements

Instead of using arrays, you can use Case statements. These would be more appropriate when applying one category to multiple values of a field, such as the same category to messages from several different people.

    Select Case LCase(Item.SenderName)
        Case "mary contrary", "john smith", "jane doe"
            Item.Categories = "Business"
        Case "sally sue", "bo peep"
            Item.Categories = "Friends"
        Case Else
            Item.Categories = "Unknown"
    End Select

Array Examples

This macro adds attachments to messages based on the first 4 letters of the file name. All files beginning with 2012 are added to one message, all files with 2013 are added to another.

Using Arrays in Outlook macros was last modified: February 11th, 2018 by Diane Poremsky

Related Posts:

  • Change the image on a Business Card based on the Category
  • Create a Task when a Message is Flagged
  • Automatically change Appointment categories using VBA
  • To set up Outlook Subcategories

About Diane Poremsky

A Microsoft Outlook Most Valuable Professional (MVP) since 1999, Diane is the author of several books, including Outlook 2013 Absolute Beginners Book. She also created video training CDs and online training classes for Microsoft Outlook. You can find her helping people online in Outlook Forums as well as in the Microsoft Answers and TechNet forums.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
newest
oldest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Visit Slipstick Forums.
What's New at Slipstick.com

Latest EMO: Vol. 30 Issue 19

Subscribe to Exchange Messaging Outlook






Support Services

Do you need help setting up Outlook, moving your email to a new computer, migrating or configuring Office 365, or just need some one-on-one assistance?

Our Sponsors

CompanionLink
ReliefJet
  • Popular
  • Latest
  • Week Month All
  • Jetpack plugin with Stats module needs to be enabled.
  • Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell
  • Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook
  • Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail
  • Import EML Files into New Outlook
  • Opening PST files in New Outlook
  • New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies
  • Insert Word Document into Email using VBA
  • Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell
  • Warn Before Deleting a Contact
  • Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026
Ajax spinner

Recent Bugs List

Microsoft keeps a running list of issues affecting recently released updates at Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in classic Outlook (Windows).

For new Outlook for Windows: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in new Outlook for Windows .

Outlook for Mac Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues in Outlook for Mac

Outlook.com Recent issues: Fixes or workarounds for recent issues on Outlook.com

Office Update History

Update history for supported Office versions is at Update history for Office

Outlook Suggestions and Feedback

Outlook Feedback covers Outlook as an email client, including Outlook Android, iOS, Mac, and Windows clients, as well as the browser extension (PWA) and Outlook on the web.

Outlook (new) Feedback. Use this for feedback and suggestions for Outlook (new).

Use Outlook.com Feedback for suggestions or feedback about Outlook.com accounts.

Other Microsoft 365 applications and services




New Outlook Articles

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Google Workspace and Outlook with POP Mail

Import EML Files into New Outlook

Opening PST files in New Outlook

New Outlook: Show To, CC, BCC in Replies

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Delete Empty Folders using PowerShell

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Classic Outlook is NOT Going Away in 2026

Newest Code Samples

Open Outlook Templates using PowerShell

Count and List Folders in Classic Outlook

Insert Word Document into Email using VBA

Warn Before Deleting a Contact

Use PowerShell to Delete Attachments

Remove RE:, FWD:, and Other Prefixes from Subject Line

Change the Mailing Address Using PowerShell

Categorize @Mentioned Messages

Send an Email When You Open Outlook

Delete Old Calendar Events using VBA

VBA Basics

How to use the VBA Editor

Work with open item or selected item

Working with All Items in a Folder or Selected Items

VBA and non-default Outlook Folders

Backup and save your Outlook VBA macros

Get text using Left, Right, Mid, Len, InStr

Using Arrays in Outlook macros

Use RegEx to extract message text

Paste clipboard contents

Windows Folder Picker

Custom Forms

Designing Microsoft Outlook Forms

Set a custom form as default

Developer Resources

Developer Resources

Developer Tools

VBOffice.net samples

SlovakTech.com

Outlook MVP David Lee

Repair PST

Convert an OST to PST

Repair damaged PST file

Repair large PST File

Remove password from PST

Merge Two Data Files

Sync & Share Outlook Data

  • Share Calendar & Contacts
  • Synchronize two computers
  • Sync Calendar and Contacts Using Outlook.com
  • Sync Outlook & Android Devices
  • Sync Google Calendar with Outlook
  • Access Folders in Other Users Mailboxes

Diane Poremsky [Outlook MVP]

Make a donation

Mail Tools

Sending and Retrieval Tools

Mass Mail Tools

Compose Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Mail Tools for Outlook

Online Services

Calendar Tools

Schedule Management

Calendar Printing Tools

Calendar Reminder Tools

Calendar Dates & Data

Time and Billing Tools

Meeting Productivity Tools

Duplicate Remover Tools

Productivity

Productivity Tools

Automatic Message Processing Tools

Special Function Automatic Processing Tools

Housekeeping and Message Management

Task Tools

Project and Business Management Tools

Choosing the Folder to Save a Sent Message In

Run Rules on messages after reading

Help & Suggestions

Submit Outlook Feature Requests

Slipstick Support Services

Buy Microsoft 365 Office Software and Services

Visit Slipstick Forums.

What's New at Slipstick.com

Home | Outlook User | Exchange Administrator | Office 365 | Outlook.com | Outlook Developer
Outlook for Mac | Common Problems | Utilities & Addins | Tutorials
Outlook & iCloud Issues | Outlook Apps
EMO Archives | About Slipstick | Slipstick Forums
Submit New or Updated Outlook and Exchange Server Utilities

Send comments using our Feedback page
Copyright © 2025 Slipstick Systems. All rights reserved.
Slipstick Systems is not affiliated with Microsoft Corporation.

wpDiscuz

Sign up for Exchange Messaging Outlook

Our weekly Outlook & Exchange newsletter (bi-weekly during the summer)






Please note: If you subscribed to Exchange Messaging Outlook before August 2019, please re-subscribe.

Never see this message again.

You are going to send email to

Move Comment