Using Outlook 2013 Rules to Filter Messages and Spam

Many of the message management functions available in Outlook can be easily accomplished with the use of rules. Rules can perform a variety of actions on a message, e.g., changing the importance level, automatic filing into other mail folders or even automatic deletion.

Getting Started

You first need to determine something unique about the messages from the list or sender that will allow the messages to be filtered out, while leaving the rest of your mail intact. This might be something in the subject, a unique sender, something in the body of the message, or a customized header.

Note on deleting messages: Even the most thoroughly thought-out filter can fail due to any number of unforeseen variables. We do not recommend creating a filter to automatically delete messages.

                         

Transferring to a Mail Folder Based on Subject

A few months ago, you subscribed to the mailing list "Earth-Info." At first the list wasn't getting a lot of traffic, but now it is. You still want to read the messages but want them in a separate folder from you inbox. You first need to determine something unique about the messages from this list that will allow them to be filtered out while leaving the rest of your mail intact. This mailing list includes the text "[earth-info]" in the subject like of every message. 

1. Select File | Manage Rules & Alerts. 
2. Click on the New Rule button. 
3. Locate the "Step 1: Select a template" box. 
4. Under the section labeled "Start from a blank rule", select Apply rule on messages I receive. 
5. Click Next. 
6. In the "Which condition(s) do you want to check?" box,check the box with specific words in the subject. 
7. In the "Edit the Rule Description" box below, click on specific words. 
8. In the "Specify words or phrases to search for in this subject" window, type the text to sear for. In this example, you would type [earth-info]. 
9. Click the Add button. Click OK. Click Next. 
10. Check the box to the left of the action you wish to perform on this message. In this example, you would check the box to the left of move it to a specified folder. 
11. In the "Edit the Rule Description" box below, click on specified. 
12. In the "Choose a folder" dialog box, select an already existing folder or create a new one. 
13. Click Next at the "Are there any exceptions?" box. 
14. Specify a name for this filter. It does not matter what you call it. This is just so you can tell it apart from other filters you may create. Make certain that the box to the left of Turn on this rule is checked. 
15. Click Finish | OK.

Filtering Based on Customized Headers

A mailing list you are subscribed to has recently been hit by a sudden surge of email postings. Unfortunately, the list doesn't appear to include any way of distinguishing the messages from other mail. The subject isn't modified, the "From" field always appears as the original sender rather than the list, and the "To" field is always your own email address.

Viewing the full headers of the message reveals something, however. (To view all of the headers, select View | Options... while reading the message.) The messages from this mailing list includes the header:

X-List-Remailer: i-list@heron.com

The following example moves all email messages that contain the above header into a mail folder called "FilteredMessages". 

1. Select File | Mange Rules & Alerts. 
2. Click on the New Rule button. 
3. Locate the "Step 1: Select a template" box. 
4. Under the "Start from a blank rule" section, select Apply rules on messages I receive. 
5. Click Next. 
6. In the "Which condition(s) do you want to check?" box, select with specific words in the message header. 
7. In the "Edit the Rule Description" box below, click on specific words. 
8. In the "Specify words or phrases to search for in the subject" window, type the exact match for the header you wish to filter. In this example, you would type: X-List-Remailer:                       i-list@heron.com
9. Click Add | OK | Next. 
10. Check the box to the left of the action you wish to perform upon this message. In this example, select move it to the specified folder, located in the "What do you want to do with the message?" box. 
11. In the "Edit the Rule Description" box, below, click on specified. 
12. In the "Choose a folder" box, select an already existing folder or create a new one. For this example, select Mailbox-yourname and click New. 
13. In the Name field, type FilteredMessages 
14. Click OK. 
15. Click OK again. 
16. Click Next. 
17. Click Next again at the "Are there any exceptions?" box. 
18. Make certail that the box to the left of Turn on this rule is checked. 
19. Click Finish | OK. 

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