Using the "Rules and Alerts" option to "run a script", the list of scripts to run is empty. What makes a script appear in the list?
The argument must by type MailItem or MeetingItem for the subroutine to be available in the Rules Wizard in Outlook 2007. In Outlook 2010 and 2013 (and up), PostItem also works.
You need to avoid processing messages using more than one rule when you are using a run a script rule. Run a script rules should be placed at the top of the rules list and include the "stop processing" action.
All actions should be in the script - don't combine actions in the rule with the run a script rule. Include all of the actions you want to take on the items that meet the rule's conditions in the VBA procedure.
Something like this:
Public Sub ShowMessage(Item As Outlook.MailItem)
'code
End Sub
Using VBA Editor
Open Outlook's VBA editor by pressing Alt+F11 and expand Microsoft Office Outlook Objects then double click on ThisOutlookSession.
You'll type or paste the code into the module, then create the rule with the 'run script' Action and select this script
Create a Run a Script Rule
After the script is written, you need to add it to a rule.
If you have Outlook 2016 and run a script action is missing, see Run-a-Script Rules Missing in Outlook for the fix.
- Open Rules Wizard. In Outlook 2010 and 2013, it's on Outlook's Home ribbon,
Rules > Manage Rules & Alerts. Look on the Tools menu in older versions.
- Click New Rule.
- Select Apply Rule on messages I receive and click Next.
- Select your conditions and click Next.
- Select Run a script action (near the bottom).
- Click on a script.
- Select your script, click OK.
- Click Next then finish the rule.
For best results, all actions should be in the script.
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137 Comments on "Outlook's Rules and Alerts: Run a Script"
Hello,
The article was really impressive.
I followed the steps for running a batch file. However, when I was testing that by sending a mail from myself to me to check if the batch file gets triggered, I see that the batch file is not triggered.
I am not sure why it is not triggering the batch file.
Could you please help.
Thanks.
What batch file are you running? (There isn't one on this page.)
BTW, if the rule isn't running, you may need to use an ItemAdd macro that watches the folder for new items.
you need to use an array - see https://www.slipstick.com/developer/using-arrays-outlook-macros/ for an example
Hi Diane,
I do not have the option to run a script when I go to create new rule. Is there a way to activate this?
Yes, you need to set a registry key - it was removed from outlook 2013 and 2016 in in the June security update.
See https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/rules/outlook-2016-run-a-script-rules/ for the key and a ready to use reg file.
I use itemadd - that will pick up new items as they are added to the folder. See https://www.slipstick.com/developer/itemadd-macro/ for more information.
Hello Diane,
I'm here to bother you on this page because it's the "next step" and I'm having a bit of trouble.
When I have finished with a test script, and go through the steps above to create a rule to run it, no scripts show up in the list.
What must I do "up front" after the script is tested so that it will show up in that list?
Thanks again for your assistance.
What did you name the script? The name line should be in this format:
Public Sub YourScriptName(Item As Outlook.MailItem)
if you don't have the Item As Outlook.MailItem in the (), it won't be seen by the rule.
if you mean, you can't see the rule action for run a script, see https://www.slipstick.com/outlook/rules/outlook-2016-run-a-script-rules/ - both 2013 and 2016 had run a script disabled by a recent security patch.
Diane,
Thanks again. I had failed to declare the parameter and, without it, that script will not appear in the list of scripts since *something* has to be passed to a script invoked by a rule. Or at least it looks that way because it showed up without issue once I'd corrected that oversight.
I have Outlook 2010, but the person I'm assisting has Outlook 2016, and I had already noticed your warning at the top of this page and on at least one other page at slipstick.
Brian
How i can get E-mail fields as input for external command.
Example :
I would like to pass subject and msg to below parameters.
Object =
Message =
you'd use the object name and field name - in this example, I'll assume item is representing the outlook.mailitem:
item.subject
I'm not sure what you mean by msg - is that is the mailitem, how you reference it depends on how you are accessing it. In a run a script macro, you'd put it in the () in trhe macro name - sub macroname(item as outlook.mailitem)
Thanks for reply , I have one more query ,
A. Do we need to keep open outlook client on system always to run the script ?
Yes, you do.
Did you change macro security and restart outlook?
add msgbox "Working" after the if.. thens - this will tell you where it is failing. Stepping though the code and watching which lies it skips could be helpful too.
I'm assuming that the server path is correct and complete and the slashes were removed by my website software.
Hi Diane,
I use Office 2007, and I have a script running in outlook that will extract only
numbers from a mail, then it will update an Excel with that data and then
send an email with a picture of a chart.
I configured a Rule that runs when mail from A sender arrive, set it up to
run the script.
The problem is, when Rules and Alerts starts, the mail is not in the Inbox yet,
so the script cannot find the mail, and I get the MsgBox "There is no mail".
Once the Script exits and the Rule ends, the mail is in the Inbox, so now
when I run the rule manually it runs with no problem.
I added the "Stop Processing more rules" but it did not change the status,
In the rules and Alerts it looks like it first run the script then stop processing
more rules.
What am I doing wrong?
appreciate your help
attaching the code.
you are getting that message with a run a script rule? I'm guessing its something in the script. can you post it?
Hi Diane,
ProcessMail.txt is the script.
and the Pic is my Rules and Alerts screen shot.
When the mail I want to process arrives, Rules and Alerts pics it up,
at that moment I cannot see the mail in the Inbox,
This is why I added the If Then Else section, When I get the message
"There is no mail" the mail I want to process is no in the Inbox,
only after I press the OK on the message box, I can see the mail,
Unread, in the Inbox, then I run the Rule manually (Run Rules Now)
and the Script does what I expect it to do.
My script looks for the mail in the Inbox.
with run a script rules (or itemadd macros), you don't need to search for the message - the rule picks up the message - the script moves it and does whatever.
Hi Diane,
OK, thanks for the clarification.
Now, how do I handle the message? The Rules and Alerts Identified it
as "Mail From", how do I move it? send it's content to the Function
that extracts the Numbers from it? basically, what is it's "Name"?
when the rule picks it up, it sends to it to the script as Item or whatever word you use for mailitem in the macro -
Public Sub ShowMessage(Item As Outlook.MailItem)
that is the same as using this for the selected item - but the rule has already selected it.
Set Item = objApp.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Item(1)
Hi Diane,
Grate, this solved it and even simplified my code
Thank you for your time