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Rules Wizard, Filters, and Views

Slipstick Systems

The Rules Wizard for Microsoft Outlook automatically processes both incoming and outgoing messages. You set conditions similar to those used for Microsoft Outlook filters, then indicate what action(s) you want to be performed on messages that meet those conditions.

Rules in the Rules Wizard apply to only to mail at the time its downloaded. They can be applied to mail after its downloaded using the Run Rules Now command.

For Microsoft Exchange Server users, Rules Wizard automatically converts rules created with the Inbox Assistant feature (which Rules Wizard replaces). Exchange Server users also have an Out of Office Assistant for handling such things as vacation notices and Folder Assistant rules that run on public folders. See Server-based vs. client-based rules.

Filters are used with Search folders, Custom Views, and Advanced Find. Filters are used with Outlook items in the data file and show or hide but do not move items. You can apply filters to any Outlook item type, not just email. Filters can show, hide, or highlight items in different colors based on a variety of conditions and criteria.

Although Outlook does not support locking views against changes, you can lock view in Outlook 2010 using VBA. See How to prevent changes to Outlook views for a code sample.

Rules Wizard, Filters, and Views was last modified: February 8th, 2018 by Slipstick

Create a Task from an Email using a Rule

Create tasks from email as they arrive using a simple script and Rules Wizard. With a slight variation, you can create a task from the message you are reading in the reading pane. Complete instructions and ready-to-use code samples included.

Rules and Tools to Filter Junk Mail

Outlook includes a Junk Email filter. This filter cannot be updated by the end user and Microsoft stopped releasing updates for it in November 2016. For most users, setting the Junk email filter set to high is good enough, especially if their mail is also scanned by a server side anti-spam filter. If it does  

Understanding the Safe and Blocked Senders lists

Understanding and using Outlook's Junk Mail Safe Sender, Safe Recipient, and Blocked sender's lists.

Forward email messages by date

How to forward messages to another address during a specific period of time using Outlook's Rules or Automatic Replies.

Apply custom views to all folders

Using Outlook 2010 or newer? You can use the Apply Current View to Other Mail Folders command on the View ribbon, Change view button. This will open the folder picker, where you'll select the folders to apply the view to. You can apply it to folders in other mailboxes or data files in your profile.  

What Moved a Message to the Junk E-mail Folder?

How did the message get in Outlook's Junk Email folder? Check the InfoBar.

Using Outlook's Junk Mail filter

Microsoft is no longer releasing updates for the Junk Mail filter. Available in every Microsoft Outlook version since 2003: Junk Email handling. Junk email removes spam from your mailbox using built-in filtering capabilities. The junk mail feature is highly accurate when set on High and you can add specific addresses or domains to the Safe  

Outlook Rules Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked question about Outlook's rules wizard.

Outlook's Rules and Alerts: Run a Script

How to use Outlook's Rules Wizard Run a Script action to process messages using VBA. Using Run a Script rules will allow you to use actions not available in the Rules Wizard.

Disable New Mail Notifications for Some Accounts

How to disable new email notifications for some email accounts in your Outlook profile, using either Outlook for Windows or Outlook for Mac.

How to Copy Outlook Folder Views

How to use Outlook's Copy Folder Design command to replicate permissions, rules, forms, and views to another folder in your Exchange server profile.

Run Rules Now using a Macro

How to use a macro to run Outlook's rules on demand or triggered by a reminder.

Mark Sent Items as Read After Copying with a Rule

When you use rules to move sent messages, the sent items are not marked read when they are copied to other folders. You need to VBA to mark the messages read.

Using Rules Wizard

The Rules Wizard for Microsoft Outlook automatically processes both incoming and outgoing messages. You set conditions similar to those used for Microsoft Outlook filters, then indicate what action(s) you want to be performed on messages that meet those conditions. Rules in the Rules Wizard apply to only to mail at the time its downloaded. They  

Rules in Error and Reply with Template

This bug was fixed in Outlook 2010 in the July 2011 hotfix. Beginning with Outlook 2007 SP2 (and continuing in Outlook 2010), there is a bug in the rules engine which causes reply with template rules to fail. I was hoping for a hotfix when I saw a newly released KB article referring to "Rules  

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