Creating Rules in Outlook Express

Microsoft Outlook Express includes a powerful feature that allows users to filter out junk mail or "spam" mail. Creating message rules will also help you organize your email. In addition, you can use rules to easily move letters to a specified folder or to delete letters from a designated username.

Defining a Rule

To define a new rule in Outlook Express:

1. Go to Tools > Message Rules. You will get a dialogue box where you can click on New to define a new rule.

2. After clicking on New, you will get a dialogue box that allows you to check the options that you want to apply. For example, you can choose to move all messages from gmkeywor@austincc.edu to a folder called IT Purchasing.  

You will always specify a condition and then an action. For example, Where the From line contains gmkeywor is a condition. The action would be Move it to the IT Purchasing folder.

The criteria in blue are variables that you can change. Click on a blue link to change the variable. For example, you can change and to or. In the illustration above, you could click on contains "alg" to add words. You can click on Linux to designate a different folder.

Note: You should give each mail rule a name, such as Move to Purchasing. This will allow you to find the rule later should you need to edit it or delete it.

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