Creating a rule in rules wizard

Outlook is an excellent mail program. It will allow you to screen the email that you get before you see it. You can tell Outlook to block a domain, individual, files, phrases or words from reaching your inbox.

This is only a general guide. There is too many variations to give step by step guide on using the Rules Wizard. There is a help file you can click on in Outlook to help you. To help you understand how to setup a rule, I am going to show you how to setup a rule to prevent any email from reaching your inbox and a rule on how to move email to a different folder.

First Example

For the first example, I am going to show you how to have Outlook delete email that has the word "Dumb" in it unless it is from Daffy Duck. If the email has the word "Dumb" but it is not from Daffy Duck, it will get deleted, but if it is from Daffy Duck, the email will not get deleted.

Warning! Some rules you can setup can delete email. rules used improperly can cause wanted mail to be deleted. Use the rules with caution.

Click on the hyperlink for instructions for that step.

Open Outlook
Click on Tools
Click on Rules Wizard
Click on New to create a new rule or (for the example, you will click on New)
Highlight the rule you want to edit and click on Modify
Choose Start creating a rule from a template or Start from a blank rule (for the example, Put the dot in "Start from a blank rule)
Choose the action that you want (for the example, highlight Check messages when they arrive)
Click Next
Choose the condition or conditions that you want (You can choose more than one option) (for the example you will put a check in the box for "with specific words in the subject or body" )
Click on the hyperlink in the window for "Rule Description (click on an underlined value to edit it) (For this example, you will click on specific words)
For our example, Under Specify words or phrases to search for in the subject or body:, type in Dumb (This can vary depending on what condition you chose)
Click on Add
Click on OK
Click Next
Choose what you want to do with the message (You can choose more than one option) (for the example, I am going to choose "permanently delete it" and "clear the Message Flag" Be careful on this choice because if you don't have the setting right, it may delete messages that you want to keep. If you get email from someone that is not listed in your exceptions that has the word dumb in it but you want to keep it, Outlook will delete it. You will have to adjust your exceptions or stop using this rule for the word dumb. For this example, we are going to continue using the rule.)
Depending on the option you choose, you might get a warning message. If you do, read it and decide if you want to accept it or not
Click Next
Add any exceptions (You can choose more than one option) (for this example, choose "except if from people or distribution list" )
Under Rule description (click on an underlined value to edit it):, click on the hyperlink People or distribution list (This can vary depending on what condition you chose)
Highlight Daffy Duck (This can vary depending on what condition you chose)
Click on From (This can vary depending on what condition you chose)
Now daffyduck@duck.com is listed on the right (This can vary depending on what condition you chose)
Click on OK
Click Next
Please specify a name for this rule: (for this example, Type in the name "Delete Dumb")
If you want it to run now then put a check in the box Run this rule now on messages already in "Inbox".
Click on Finish

Now when you receive an email with the word dumb in it, outlook will delete it and not ask you about it unless the email is from Daffy Duck. If the email is from Daffy, then it will reach your inbox. Later you can add other people to the allow list as you decide you want to receive email from them as well.

Second Example

Here is another good use for the rules wizard. You can create folders for individuals or business email and then create a rule to send the email to that folder. That way you will know immediately if you got an email from a particular individual. Click here for instructions on creating a folder under the inbox. Follow these steps to create a rule to move an email to a folder. (for this example, we will want Outlook to move any email we get from support@UpgradeNRepair.com that is in your address book to the folder called UpgradeNRepair and move it to the folder UpgradeNRepair.)

Click on the hyperlink for instructions for that step.

Open Outlook
Under Tools, click on Rules Wizard
Click on New to create a new rule or (for the example, you will click on New)
Highlight the rule you want to edit and click on Modify
Choose Start creating a rule from a template or Start from a blank rule (for the example, Put the dot in "Start from a blank rule)
Choose the action that you want (for the example, highlight Check messages when they arrive)
Click Next
Choose the condition or conditions that you want (You can choose more than one option) (for the example you will put a check in the box for "from people or distribution list" )
Click on the hyperlink in the window for "Rule Description (click on an underlined value to edit it) (For this example, you will click on people or distribution list)
Your address book will appear. (In this example, you will select the entry support@UpgradeNRepair.com in your address book. If there was other email you wanted to be moved to the same folder you would select it also. )
In the address book, Click on OK
Click Next
Choose what you want to do with the message (You can choose more than one option) (for the example, I am going to choose "move it to the specified folder")
Under Step two, click on "specified folder" You would select the folder you want the email to be moved to. (for this example, you will choose the folder UpgradeNRepair. If the folder didn't exist you could create it while your here) Click here for information on creating a folder.
After selecting a folder, click on OK
Click Next
Add any exceptions (You can choose more than one option) The exceptions will keep the rule from moving an email if the email has the exception you selected is listed in the email.
Click Next
Please specify a name for this rule: (for this example, Type in the name "move UpgradeNRepair")
If you want it to run now then put a check in the box Run this rule now on messages already in "Inbox".
Click on Finish

Now any email you get from support@UpgradeNRepair.com will be moved to the UpgradeNRepair folder.

NOTE: some email has the actual email address blended in with the persons name. The above rule may not work for those. In this case you may want to create another rule that looks for a word in the senders email address instead of using the People or distribution list. Below is a list of different options you can choose on the rules.

Options under Start creating a rule from a template

This allows you to choose the type of message or activity that you want to set the rule for.

Move new messages from someone
Notify me when important messages arrive
Move messages based on content
Delete a conversation
flag messages from someone
Assign categories to sent messages
Assign categories based on content
Move messages I send to someone
Stop processing all following rules

Options listed for Start from a blank rule

This allows you to use a template that Outlook already has designed or you can start from scratch

Check messages when they arrive
Check messages after sending

List of Conditions you can choose from

The condition you want to apply the rule to. For example, you want to block any email that has the word dumb in the subject or body. You would select the option for "with specific words in the subject or body"

from people or distribution list (people that is in your address book)
with specific words in the subject
through the specified account
sent only to me
where my name is in the To box
marked as importance
marked as sensitivity
flagged for action
where my name is in the Cc box
where my name is not in the To box
sent to people or distribution list
with specific words in the body
with specific words in the subject or body
with specific words in the message header
with specific words in the recipient's address
with specific words in the sender's address
assigned to category category
which is an Out of Office message
which has an attachment
with a size in a specific range
received in a specific date span
uses the form name form
with selected properties of documents or forms
suspected to be junk e0mail or from Junk Senders
Containing adult content or from Adult Content s...
sender is in specified Address Book
on this machine only

Things you can do with the message

move it to the specified folder
assign it to the category category
notify me using a specific message
delete it
permanently delete it
move a copy to the specified folder
forward it to people or distribution list
forward it to people or distribu... as an attachment
reply using a specific template
flag message for action in a number of days
clear the Message Flag
mark it as importance
print it
play a sound
start application
mark it as read
run a script
stop processing more rules
perform a custom action

Exception list

except if from people or distribution list
except if the subject contains specific words
except through the specified account
except if sent only to me
except where my name is in the To box
except if it is marked as importance
except if it is marked as sensitivity
except if it is flagged for action
except where my name is in the Cc box
except if my name is in the To or Cc box
except where my name is not in the To box
Except if sent to people or distribution list
except if the body contains specific words
except if the subject or body contains specific w...
except except if the message header contains specific w...
except with specific wo... in the recipient's address
except with specific words in the sender's address
except if assigned to category category
except if it is an Out of Office message
except if it has an attachment
except with a size in a specific range
except if received in a specific date span
except if it uses the form name form
except with selected prop of documents or forms
except if sender is in specified Address Book