Using Filters to Help Manage Email

In a matter of moments, a web surfer can route volumes of information to the print queue, or to his or her hard drive, or both. Most people think this is a very good thing. But often, we find ourselves added to hosts of mailing lists through our web-surfing activities, too. Then, between the spam we do not want, and volumes of information that we possibly do want, many of us have tidal waves of information striking our email client inboxes every day.

Quickly and easily, you can create mail filters that will save you time sorting through voluminous email. Filters can help you keep track of what is important and filter out what is not.

Essentially, filters are automated rules for your email client to sort email. Filters can sort email based on parts of the header (e.g., From:, To:, Cc:, Subject:), or on words and phrases in the body of a message. You might want to use a filter to transfer all messages from a particular committee or work group to a specific mailbox, or to automatically raise the priorty on incoming messages from particular individuals or on certain topics. In fact, you can use filters to perform a variety of email management functions.

Although you will find some variations from system to system, and version to version of client software, the basic process of setting up custom filters is as follows. This example illustrates creating a filter with Microsoft Outlook Express v6 under Windows XP.

1. Open Outlook Express.
2. From the Tools menu, choose Message Rules, then Mail.
3. Click the New button.
4. Select the conditions for your rule.
5. Select the actions for your rule.
6. In the Rule Description box, specify the values of the conditions and actions for your rule.
7. Type in a name for your rule.
8. Click the OK button to create the rule.

Whenever possible, you will want to test new filters. For instance, you might send yourself email messages with and without specified key phrases to make sure your filters work as you expect.

For more detailed information, please check online help in your email client, see a consultant in one of UCit's public computer labs, or call the UCit Help Desk at (513) 556-3785. Alternatively, you can search the web ... at your own risk.

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