Creating message rules

Message rules can help you organize your e-mail messages as well as delete unwanted messages automatically.  They work in conjunction with folders.  To learn how to create folders, click the 'Folders' link above.

In this example we'll create a message filter that will allow Outlook Express to automatically send e-mail to a specified folder.

On the Toolbar, click Tools, select Message Rules and Mail from the menu.

The Message Rules window appears.

Click New to create a rule.

We'll create the message rule here.  Note the four fields.

In the first field, select Where the From line contains people.

In the second field, select Move it to the specified folder.

In the third field, click contains people.

The following window appears:

Here we'll enter the words for which we'd like Outlook express to check.

In the upper field, enter a word.  In this example I entered 'grandma'.

Click Add.

Enter any additional words for which you'd like Outlook Express to check.

Click Add after each word.

Click OK when finished.

The word or phrase you specified now appears.

Now we'll pick the folder in which we'd like Outlook Express to place the e-mails.

In the third field, click specified.

The following window appears:

Select the folder in which you'd like Outlook to place the e-mails.  In this example, I selected the folder we created in the 'Folders' tutorial:  'Family'.

Click OK when finished.

The folder now appears and the rule is complete.

In the fourth field, give the rule a name.  In this example, I gave the rule the name 'Grandma'.

Click OK when finished.

The window now displays the newly created message rule.

From this window you can create, modify, and remove any rules.  There are a wide variety of rules you can create; create as many as you need.  Experiment.

Click OK when finished.

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