Using Rules Rules, or filters as they're called in some email programs, are an important method for email management. | Team LiB Using Rules Rules or filters as they re called in some email programs are an important method for email management. Uses for rules include moving messages to other folders adding flags reminders or categories to messages and sending replies to messages that meet specific conditions. Rules can be used for spam control although they really aren t the best way to manage unwanted mail especially considering the large amounts of spam many people get. Instead you should use the Junk E-mail filter included in Outlook 2003 or one of the numerous third-party anti-spam programs that are available. Junk email filters work with POP3 and HTTP Hotmail when the full message is downloaded and Exchange Server when you use a local store cached mode . Creating a Rule from a Message Organizer is simple and builds simple rules but it s not the only way to quickly make a simple rule. Right-click on any message and choose Create Rule. The dialog shown in Figure opens. Figure . The Create Rule dialog enables you to customize the conditions of a rule to suit your needs. Using Create Rules you can create a rule using the From To or Subject field and display the item in the Desktop Alert dialog shown in Figure play a specific sound or move the message to a folder. Figure . The New Alert window is a small window that contains a custom message and a list of new mail that meets the conditions of the rule. This isn t the same as the semitransparent desktop alert used for all new mail. The Advanced Options button opens the Rules Wizard at the Select Conditions dialog as shown later in Figure . Complete the rule using the wizard. Figure . You can choose as many conditions as you need from this list. However each condition uses the AND operator to connect with the other conditions. The more conditions you have the fewer messages you ll catch. You can select a message just by right-clicking on it it doesn t have to be highlighted in blue. When a message has a .
