How do I use Outlook 2007 to filter certain e-mails to a folder?

[lsquare]

I can't seem to figure out how to properly setup Outlook 2007's rules to filter and move certain e-mails to a folder. For example, I created a folder with the name hotmail. I want Outlook to move any e-mails that have a "@hotmail.com" domain name to the hotmail folder. I thought I set it up correctly, but not all hotmail e-mails were moved to that folder so I think I did something wrong. Can someone here please post some detailed instructions on how to set this up? Thanks!

[gigapixels Veteran]

Well if you're trying to filter based upon account (which is what it sounds like) it's actually very easy.

In the Account Settings window, click the email account you want to put in a specific folder, and then click the "Change Folder" button below.

[lsquare]

Well if you're trying to filter based upon account (which is what it sounds like) it's actually very easy.

In the Account Settings window, click the email account you want to put in a specific folder, and then click the "Change Folder" button below.

I don't think that will filter all incoming e-mails with the "Hotmail" domain into my newly created hotmail subfolder.

[gigapixels Veteran]

So you want to filter based upon who they're sent from, not which account they're being sent to?

In that case, you would need to use Rules and Alerts, which it sounds like you're already fiddling with. I find the easiest way to filter by domain is to use the "with specific words in the sender's address" rule. Then just put the word you want (in this case, hotmail) and it should filter any domain that has the word hotmail in it. You can specifically do hotmail.com if you'd like, but it will work either way.

I find this method works better than using a domain with the "from people or distribution list" rule.

[BGM]

right click your email and select 'create rule'

select 'advnaced options'

choose an option like 'where a specific word is in the senders address' - im using outlook 2000 at work right now, so it might be differnet on yours

click the 'specific words' link

type in 'hotmail'

select 'move to specified folder'

next next next, save save save, yadda yadda

any help?

[lsquare]

So you want to filter based upon who they're sent from, not which account they're being sent to?

In that case, you would need to use Rules and Alerts, which it sounds like you're already fiddling with. I find the easiest way to filter by domain is to use the "with specific words in the sender's address" rule. Then just put the word you want (in this case, hotmail) and it should filter any domain that has the word hotmail in it. You can specifically do hotmail.com if you'd like, but it will work either way.

I find this method works better than using a domain with the "from people or distribution list" rule.

Thanks to you and BGM for the advice, but wouldn't it be more appropriate to filter by domain name instead? Did I do something wrong with my initial rule? Not all e-mails sent from a hotmail account was moved to the hotmail folder. Some did and some weren't. I'm not sure why that was the case even though I checked and the sender's e-mail address does end with a hotmail.com.

[gigapixels Veteran]

Were you using the "from people or distribution list" rule? That doesn't seem to work properly when it comes to domains, only specific email addresses.

Using the "specific words" rule is much more relaxed and allows a full text search of the sender's address. You can do hotmail.com, but it should work either way. If you were already using the "specific words" rule with hotmail.com and it's not working properly, I really don't know why it wouldn't be.

[lsquare]

Were you using the "from people or distribution list" rule? That doesn't seem to work properly when it comes to domains, only specific email addresses.

Yes. Are you saying that I shouldn't?

Using the "specific words" rule is much more relaxed and allows a full text search of the sender's address. You can do hotmail.com, but it should work either way. If you were already using the "specific words" rule with hotmail.com and it's not working properly, I really don't know why it wouldn't be.

So I should be using this instead?

[gigapixels Veteran]

Yeah. I searched and searched wondering the same thing when I first started using Outlook 2007, and came to the conclusion that the "people or distribution list" rule simply doesn't work well for blanket domains.

I think it worked in 2003 though, so I'm not sure why they changed it.

[BGM]

yeah, use 'specific words' it works a lot better :)