Setting up a filter on email messages

Scope

This training will include information on Outlook 2003. Most of the features explained here are compatible with other versions of Outlook, and the concepts are the same for other email clients, such as Microsoft Outlook Express, Entourage, Thunderbird, etc.

Spam Filters

The objective of a Spam filter is to correctly identify Spam and take appropriate actions. Correctly using a Spam filter, whether it be in a client, or on a server can dramatically reduce the amount of Spam that a user receives in their Inbox. It is estimated that as high as 80% of email sent globally is actually Spam. This can be a tremendous challenge to a user to reclaim control of the Inbox manually.

Spam can be filtered out of Outlook by building Rules that check for certain criteria (such as having {Spam?} in the subject line), then state what to do once that criteria is met (such as moving it to a Junk folder). Other criteria and actions can be taken as well. This guide will present how to create a Spam filter to help control the amount of Spam mail in your Inbox.

Setting up the filters

1. In Microsoft Outlook 2003, click on "Tools" -> Then select "Rules and Alerts".

The "Rules and Alerts" option can be seen under the "Tools" menu

2. This is the "Rules and Alerts" window. From this screen, the management options are displayed for new rules and any existing rules. To create a new rule, click on the "New Rule" button on the toolbar in the "Rules and Alerts" window.

An empty "Rules and Alerts" list

The "New Rule" button in the "Rules and Alerts" window

3. The "Rules Wizard" will be displayed listing a selection of templates that can be chosen to help start the creation process. For now, skip the wizard by selecting the option "Start from a blank rule".

4. In Step 1 on the same screen, specify when this rule should be run. Most rules are most effectively run when "Check messages when they arrive" is selected. This will filter out new mail based on the criteria provided on the next few screens. Click the "Next" button to advance to the next section.

The templates for rules are displayed by default When should the rule take effect?

5. Step 1 of the rule creation will prompt the user for what conditions should be selected. The user has the ability to block a wide variety of email that will meet the requirements listed in this rule and in the subsequent rules. For the purposes of this guide, only emails that contain "{Spam?}" in the subject line will be addressed. Place a check in the option "with specific words in the subject".

6. After the conditions for the rule has been set, the rule will now need an action to take when the condition is met. For the sake of this guide, messages with "{Spam?}" in the subject will be moved to the "Junk E-mail" folder in Outlook 2003. Place a check in the option "Move it to the specified folder".

What conditions should be met? Screen for entering in new words or phrases

7. After the conditions for the rule has been set, the rule will now need an action to take when the condition is met. For the sake of this guide, messages with "{Spam?}" in the subject will be moved to the "Junk E-mail" folder in Outlook 2003. Place a check in the option "Move it to the specified folder".

8. In Step 2 on the same screen, click "Specified" in the line that reads "move it to the specified folder". A "Rules and Alerts" window will appear with a list of the folders that exist in Outlook 2003. Select the "Junk E-mail" folder and click the "Ok" button. Click the "Next" button to advance to the next section

Folder selection screen to move email

9. After the action to take has been chosen, the rule can have possible exceptions. This is where these exceptions will be listed. Note that this section is optional, and for the "{Spam?}" rule that is being created, no exceptions will be listed, as there are none needed. For other rules, exceptions might be desired. Step 2 is where exceptions would be defined, if any exist. Click the "Next" button to advance to the next section

10. The rule will now need a name to identify it by. Please type in a name for the rule, or leave the default name that it has chosen based on criteria.

11. In Step 2 on the same screen ensure that this rule is set to be turned on by making sure a check is in the box "Turn on this rule".

12. In Step 3 on the same screen read over the rule and confirm that it is what should take place. To finalize this rule, click the "Finish" button.

13. The window will close, placing the focus back on the "Rules and Alerts" window visited in Step 3 of this guide. The rule that was just created should now be listed in the upper box with the title that was specified in step 11 of this guide. The rule can be enabled by placing a check in the box beside it. For the rule to apply to messages that are already in the Inbox (and past the rule). Any additional rules that wish to be setup can be done by repeating steps 4 through 13 with different criteria, actions, and exceptions. When all the rules that the user wishes to create have been completed, click on "Apply" then "Ok".

Rules and Alerts can be very powerful resources in Microsoft Outlook 2003 or any other email client that supports these features. When used in combination, the majority of email that is undesirable can be significantly reduced. Rules are not just limited to cleaning spam out of your inbox. Other uses include a sound notification when email arrives. This sound can be custom based on the sender of the email address, so notification is instant. Organization is also easier with rules to filter certain emails or certain senders into their own folders. Auto-responses can be sent when a message is received to notify someone of additional resources to check for common solutions while they are waiting for a response from the user.

Don't be afraid to experiment with rules and filters. The best way to learn them is to be comfortable using them. One word of caution however: Notice that this guide does not delete messages that are marked as "{Spam?}". It moves them to the "Junk E-mail" folder for manual review before deletion. No Spam filter is good enough to trust that it will always differentiate between a Spam message and a legitimate message.

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