Outlook Rules

What are they and what do they do?

Rules help you manage your email. For more information,see Tips for managing your e-mail using rules.

Why might we want to use rules in our daily work?

It means better organization - you know exactly where to look when you need to find a specific type of email.

It means less work - you decide once what to do with a certain type of email, then have that done automatically for every similar email in the future.

How to set up a rule…

Step 1 – Create a folder

In outlook, while viewing your email, click the down arrow next to New and select Folder

In the dialog that comes up, type a folder name and select a location. In this example I am creating a folder called Student Records in my main mailbox:

I then created subfolders to go into this Student Records Folder for Transfers, Drops, and Assignments. I did this by selecting the Student Records folder each time I created the new sub-folder.

Step 2 – Create a rule

· Find an email that is a sample of one I would like to apply a rule to. For example, I could find an email with the subject of “Transfered Student(s)”. Right click on this email and select “Create Rule…”

· In the dialog box that appears, first select the conditions that you want the rule to apply to

o I would suggest using the top two choices. That way, only the messages that get sent out of FileMaker with the specified subject will get pushed into this folder. You would not want replies from ES’s or Advisors to go automatically into these folders, as you may not check in them regularly.

o You also need to edit the field after Subject contains to remove the parent number, so that the rule will apply to all incoming messages from you with the words “Transferred Student(s)

· Next, check the bottom box for “Move the item to folder:”. If necessary, click the “Select Folder…” button to choose the folder you want it to automatically go to.

· Click the OK button. You should see the following dialog. Check the box if you choose if you would like all the messages that are currently in the folder you are working in to have this rule applied.

OK, now what?

Now when an ES or Advisor emails you with a question about a recent transfer you have made, rather than searching through your Sent folder, you will go to the Transfers folder. You can find that folder in the navigation pane on the left, just like you have always found your Sent folder.

Click here for additional help on how to create a rule.