Outlook - Rules & Alerts

Tags Outlook Rules

Background Information

Outlook Rules help you manage your e-mail messages by performing actions on messages that match a specific set of conditions. After you create a rule, Microsoft Outlook applies the rule when a message arrives in your Inbox or when you send a message. This Job Aide outlines how to create and manage Outlook Rules.

How to Create a Rule

Although there are hundreds of types of rules that can be created in Outlook, they all follow the same basic steps using the Rules Wizard. To create a rule:

  1. Select File. Under Account Information, select the Manage Rules and Alerts button.
  2. Select New Rule. This will open the Rules Wizard window.
  3. Under Step 1, select the desired template from the upper part of the Rules Wizard window. Template example:
    • Move Message Based on Sender/Subject Name
      • i.e: You receive a CANON newsletter that doesn’t pertain to you. Enter the Sender Name or Subject Name in the rule template; the rule will move an email with that Sender and/or Subject Name to a different folder.
  4. Under Step 2, select the appropriate link to have this rule applied to the appropriate options. Click the link directly to select a desired option.
  5. Select Next.
  6. Add any additional options in the following screens. Select Next after each selection to apply the change to your rule. Additional options include:
    • Conditions – Identify the situations when this Rule should be applied.
    • Actions – Describe what actions should be taken as part of this rule.
    • Exceptions – List any exceptions when this rule should not be applied.
    • NOTE: Select Finish at any time if you do not want to add additional options.
  7. The final screen includes naming your rule. Type a name for your rule under Step 1.
  8. Be sure “Turn on this rule” checkbox is checked. Select the checkbox for “Run this rule now on messages already in inbox” if desired.
  9. Select Finish.

Managing Rules

After Rules have been created, they can be edited, temporarily turned off, or deleted at any time by following the steps outlined below.

Editing a Rule

  1. Select File. Under Account Information, select the Manage Rules and Alerts button.
  2. Select & highlight the rule to be changed.
  3. Select Change Rule from the menu bar and select Edit Rule Settings from the drop-down menu.
  4. Make any changes in the Rule Wizard window, using the Next button to proceed to additional options.
  5. When finished editing the rule, select Finish.
  6. Select Apply, then select OK.

Turning a Rule Off

  1. Select File. Under Account Information, select the Manage Rules and Alerts button.
  2. To the left of each rule is a checkbox. Unselect the checkbox of a rule(s) you want to turn off.
  3. Select Apply, then select OK.

Deleting a Rule

  1. Select File. Under Account Information, select the Manage Rules and Alerts button.
  2. Select & highlight the rule to be deleted.
  3. Select Delete from the menu bar and select Yes in the next window.
  4. Select Apply, then select OK.

Helpful Tips About Rules

  • If you’d like to learn more about Rules & Alerts and how to manage your email, check out this online course in the Center for Learning here! Log into the Center for Learning, open the course and select Marking Unwanted Email from the Table Contents.
  • By default, Rules are created to run whether you have Outlook open or not.
  • Rules that will only run when Outlook is open are labelled as (_______________ - ____________).
  • Rules that you create will sync to Microsoft 365. They will exist when you open Outlook on any network device.
  • Rules are applied in the order that they are listed in within the Rules Wizard.

 

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