Outlook offers many different filtering options.  These include forwarding email to other users, deleting unwanted email, sending email from a particular person to a specific folder, placing email from a particular person into categories, and junk email filtering.

Some of the rules that you create will be available from any computer because they are server based rules rather than client based rules.  There will however be rules that will not move between computers.

First let’s look at how to get to the rule setup wizard.

1. With Outlook 2007 open click on tools.

2. Click on ‘Rules and Alerts’.

3. For a new rule click on ‘New Rule’

Setting a rule to forward email to other users.

1. After clicking on ‘New Rule’ click ‘Next’.

2. Select the condition that you would like this set to, for this example we will set it for anything sent to the email address.

3. Click on ‘Next’

4. Choose ‘Forward it to people or distribution lists’. (You can do this as an attachment or just as a forwarded message)

5. Once you have selected the option you will then select the link ‘people or distribution lists’ and select who you want to send this to.

6. Click ‘Finish’

Deleting Unwanted Email

1. After clicking on ‘New Rule’ click ‘Next’.

2. Select the condition that you would like this set to, for example you have a specific email address you would like blocked you will select ‘from people or distribution list’

3. Click on the link ‘people or distribution list’

4. In the ‘From’ box at the bottom type in the email address you would like blocked.

5. Click ‘Ok’

6. Click ‘Next’

7. Choose the option you would like to use.  In this case ‘Delete it’.  You can also choose to permanently delete it.

8. Click ‘Finish’

Sending mail from one person to a specified folder

1. After clicking on ‘New Rule’ click ‘Next’.

2. Select the condition that you would like this set to, for example you have a specific email address you would like moved you will select  ‘Move messages from someone to a folder’

3. Click on the link ‘people or distribution list’

4. Select the email address for the person.

5. Click ‘Ok’

6. Click ‘Next’

7. Choose the option you would like to use.  In this case ‘move it to the specified folder’.  You can also choose to move a copy to another folder.

8. Click the link ‘specified’

9. Select the folder or create the folder, using the ‘new’ button, you would like it to go to.

10. Click ‘Finish’

Placing email from a particular person into categories

1. After clicking on ‘New Rule’ click ‘Next’.

2. Select the condition that you would like this set to, for example you have a specific email address you would like marked you will select  ‘from people or distribution list’

3. Click on the link ‘people or distribution list’

4. Select the email address for the person.

5. Click ‘Ok’

6. Click ‘Next’

7. Choose ‘assign it to the category category’

8. Click on the link ‘category’

9. Select the category you would like the email to show up as.

10. Click ‘Ok’

11. Click ‘Finish’