Filtering with Microsoft Outlook

Transcription

1 Filtering with Microsoft Outlook Microsoft Outlook is an client that can retrieve and send from various types of mail servers. It includes some advanced functionality that allows you to define rules for handling incoming messages automatically and perform functions such as moving messages to specific folders based on content in the mail headers (the TO, FROM and SUBJECT lines) and on content within the body of the message itself. Microsoft Outlook has built in functions specifically to manage junk and adult content automatically. This document will show you how to turn on these functions if you choose to do so. 1. Launch Microsoft Outlook. 2. Click on the Tools menu and then click on the Organize button. 3. The screen will then look like this:

2 4. Click on the blue Junk button under Ways to Organize Inbox. The screen will change to this: 5. You must turn on the Junk messages and Adult Content messages items to begin using them. Click on the Turn on button for either of the two items you want to use. Note that the assignment of messages to these categories is based on what is in a file called filters.txt in the Office install directory. You can edit it to control how items are categorized. The buttons will change to Turn off so that you can disable this function later if you want, but leave them turned on if you want to start filtering. 6. Now that this function is turned on, junk messages will appear in Gray and Adult Content messages will appear in Maroon. You can look at the color of the message in the inbox, and decide which to just delete without opening them and which to open. Click on the Click here button for more options.

3 7. This shows you that you can now right click on a message you consider junk and add the sender s name to your own personal junk or adult content filter. You can also review what s in the lists by clicking on the Edit Junk Sender s option or the Edit Adult Content Sender s option. 8. When you re done, click on the little underlined X in the corner of the Organize box. 9. Now when you receive a junk or adult content it will show up as in this example:

4 10. If a message comes in that does not get automatically filtered into the appropriate group, you can add them to your filter list. With the message open, click on the Actions menu, and choose the Junk item and then the appropriate Add to item from the pop-out menu.

5 Dealing with Exceptions! Note that because Outlook filters on items in the header and the body of the message, it is possible that a message you do want to see would be classified as junk . You can also set up exceptions that will never be classified as junk . To begin this process we will use the Rules Wizard. 1. Go to the Tools menu in Outlook and pick the Rules Wizard item.

6 2. The following panel will appear: 3. Click on the underlined Exception List item under Rule Description. It will bring up a panel for you to enter exceptions into. 4. Click the Add button. You will see this:

7 5. You can enter just a domain name (like ivytech.edu to get all mail from users who are part of that domain) or a specific address (like [email protected]). 6. Click OK to save this list and return to the rules wizard. Click OK again to exit the rules wizard.

8 Automatically Deleting Junk Mail and Adult Content After you have turned on junk and/or adult content filtering, and set up your exception list so you don t miss mail from important people you can consider turning on the functions to automatically delete mail for these categories. Here are the steps to set up a rule to move junk mail to the deleted items folder automatically: 1. Click on the Tools menu and click on the Rules Wizard item to get this panel:

9 2. Click on the New button to get this panel: 3. Leave the rule type set to Check messages when they arrive and just click the Next> button. You will then see the dialog box shown below:

10 4. Scroll the box labeled Which condition(s) do you want to check? down to the bottom of that list and check the box that says suspected to be junk or from Junk Senders and then click Next >. 5. Click on the delete it item and click Next>. Note that this doesn t delete it permanently, but merely moves it to your deleted items folder. If you d rather just have the system delete it right away, choose the permanently delete it option instead.

11 6. You will now get a screen to enter exceptions to the rule. If you don t typically want exceptions, just click on Next>. 7. You will get the final panel asking you to give the rule a name, and whether to enable it or not. Name the rule something like Delete Junk , make sure the Turn on this rule box is checked and click on Finish.

12 8. Make sure that the Exception List rule is first and your Delete rules are after it so that you still get mail from trusted senders. Select the rule to move by clicking on it once, and then use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to make sure that the Exception List is first in the list and then click on OK to exit the Rules Wizard. 9. Due to the way Outlook processes the rules, you have to have separate rules for junk e- mail and adult content messages. 10. Follow this same process to select the messages for Adult Content and move them to the deleted items folder automatically as well you merely make a different choice in step 4 above by choosing the item that says containing adult content or from Adult Content senders instead of the suspected to be junk item. Of course you would also name this rule something like Delete adult .