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Outlook - Organizing your messages using rules Tutorial

In this video, you will learn about organizing your messages using rules in Outlook Online.
The video covers how to create rules to automatically perform actions on incoming or outgoing messages based on specified conditions.
You can categorize emails, redirect them to specific folders, and perform multiple actions within a single rule.
By using rules, you can easily organize your inbox and make your daily use of Outlook Online more efficient.
This tutorial will help you optimize your email processing and save time.

2:54
4646 views

Available in Microsoft365

Objectifs :

This document aims to provide a comprehensive guide on how to create and manage rules in Outlook for automating email handling, thereby saving time and improving email organization.

Chapitres :

Introduction to Outlook Rules
Outlook rules are automated actions that the application executes on incoming or outgoing messages. These rules help users manage their email messages by automating repetitive tasks, ultimately saving time and enhancing productivity.
Creating a Rule to Delete Specific Emails
To create a rule that automatically deletes certain emails, follow these steps: 1. Navigate to the 'Home' tab in Outlook. 2. Click on the 'Rules' button and select 'Create Rule'. 3. In the dialog box that appears, choose a condition. For example, select 'Subject contains' and enter the word 'read'. 4. Next, specify the action by checking the box for 'move the item to folder' and select the 'Deleted Items' folder. 5. After setting the conditions and actions, click 'OK'. 6. A prompt will appear asking if you want to apply this rule to existing messages in the active folder. Check the box and click 'OK'. The specified emails will now be moved to the Deleted Items folder.
Classifying Emails from Specific Senders
To classify emails from a specific sender into a designated category, follow these steps: 1. Click on 'Create Rule'. 2. Under conditions, check the box for 'From' and enter the sender's name. 3. If the desired action is not listed, click on 'Advanced Options'. 4. Proceed by clicking 'Next' and select 'assign it to the specified category'. 5. Click on the 'Category' link to choose the category you have already created. 6. Click 'Next' to review any exceptions you may want to add. 7. Finally, click 'Finish' to complete the rule setup. Once this rule is active, any email received from that sender will automatically be categorized without further action required.
Managing Existing Rules
To manage your created rules, including modifying, disabling, or deleting them, follow these steps: 1. Click on 'Manage Rules and Alerts'. 2. Here, you will see a list of all your created rules. 3. To temporarily deactivate a rule, uncheck the box next to it. 4. You can also create new rules, edit existing ones, copy, or delete rules from this window. 5. When a rule is selected, its description will be displayed in the designated box for your reference.
Conclusion
By utilizing Outlook rules, users can significantly streamline their email management processes. The ability to automate actions based on specific conditions not only saves time but also ensures that important emails are organized efficiently. Understanding how to create, classify, and manage these rules is essential for maximizing productivity in email communication.

FAQ :

What is the purpose of creating rules in Outlook?

Creating rules in Outlook helps automate the management of your email messages, allowing you to avoid repetitive actions and save time.

How do I create a rule to move specific emails to the Deleted Items folder?

To create a rule for moving specific emails to the Deleted Items folder, go to the Home tab, select Rules, choose Create Rule, set the condition (e.g., subject contains 'read'), select the operation to move the item to the Deleted Items folder, and click OK.

Can I categorize emails from a specific sender automatically?

Yes, you can create a rule that automatically assigns emails from a specific sender to a designated category by selecting 'From' as a condition and choosing the desired category as the operation.

What should I do if I want to modify or delete an existing rule?

To modify or delete an existing rule, go to Manage Rules and Alerts, find the rule you want to change, and either uncheck the box to deactivate it or select it to edit or delete.

What are exceptions in Outlook rules?

Exceptions in Outlook rules are conditions that allow you to specify when a rule should not apply, providing more control over how your emails are managed.

Quelques cas d'usages :

Automating Email Organization

A marketing professional can use Outlook rules to automatically categorize emails from different clients into specific folders, improving organization and efficiency in managing client communications.

Streamlining Email Deletion

An administrative assistant can set up a rule to automatically delete promotional emails containing specific keywords, reducing inbox clutter and saving time on manual deletions.

Prioritizing Important Emails

A project manager can create rules to flag emails from team members as high priority, ensuring that important communications are easily identifiable and addressed promptly.

Managing Notifications

A software developer can create rules to move all system-generated notifications to a separate folder, allowing them to focus on more critical emails without distractions.

Handling Spam Emails

A user can set up rules to automatically move emails from known spam sources to the Deleted Items folder, helping to maintain a clean and organized inbox.

Glossaire :

Rule

An action that Outlook automatically executes on incoming or outgoing messages to manage email effectively.

Condition

A specific criterion that must be met for a rule to be applied to an email, such as the presence of certain words in the subject line.

Operation

The action that Outlook will take when a rule's conditions are met, such as moving an email to a specific folder.

Deleted Items Folder

A designated folder in Outlook where deleted emails are stored temporarily before permanent deletion.

Category

A label that can be assigned to emails in Outlook to help organize and classify them for easier retrieval.

Manage Rules and Alerts

A feature in Outlook that allows users to view, edit, create, or delete email rules.

Advanced Options

Additional settings available in Outlook for creating more complex rules beyond the basic options.

00:00:05

that Outlook automatically executes

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on incoming or outgoing messages.

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Rules allow you to manage your email messages

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by avoiding certain actions that you often repeat.

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This automation will save you time.

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Let's take a first example.

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I would like this type of mail

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to go directly in deleted items.

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For this, in the tab Home, I select the button Rules,

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and I choose Create Rule.

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In the dialog box that opens, I must choose a condition.

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I will then tell it that the object

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contains the word read.

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Any email containing this mention will be concerned.

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Then I choose the operation to be carried out.

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I want these emails to be placed directly

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in the Deleted Items folder.

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So, I check the box, move the item to Folder

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and then I select this folder.

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Once the conditions and operations are selected,

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I can click on OK.

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A window appears to ask me if I want

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to execute this rule now on the messages

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that are already in the active folder.

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I check the box and I click on OK.

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The mail in question disappears

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and I find it in the Deleted Items.

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Another small example, I want the messages

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coming from this person to be classified

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in a specific category, so I click on Create Rule

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and under the conditions, I check the first box,

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From, followed by that person's name.

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If the operation I wish to perform

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does not appear in the proposed ones,

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then I click on the button, Advanced Options.

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The wizard then offers me more conditions.

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I click on Next, and I choose to assign it

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to the specified category.

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I've already created the category,

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so I click on the Category link here to select it.

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By clicking on Next, the wizard also suggests

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adding exceptions if necessary.

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Clicking Next again, I have a summary

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of the configuration of the rule

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and I can click on Finish.

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As soon as I receive an email from this person,

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it will automatically be assigned

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to this category without any action on my part.

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Finally, when you have created several rules

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and you want to modify one, disable it,

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or delete it, you can click on Manage Rules and Alerts.

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You will find all the rules you have created here

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and by unchecking the box next to one of them,

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you deactivate it temporarily until you decide

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to reactivate it.

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From this window, you can create a new rule,

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edit a rule, copy it, or delete a rule.

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And when a rule is selected,

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you see the description in this box.

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