Filtering your messages

Filtering applies a set of matching rules to incoming mail and then executes a specified action.

You can filter your incoming mail messages to sort them into folders, automatically tag them, forward them, or discard them. For example, you can create a rule as follows:

To create or edit a new filtering rule:
  1. Click the Preferences tab.

  2. Open Filters and click New Filter.

  3. The Add Filter dialog displays. This is where you define the rule and the destination for the new filter.

  4. In Filter Name, type a unique name for the filter rule.

  5. In the line  If xxx of the following conditions are met, choose a grouping preference.  

The following steps can be repeated to set up multiple conditions and actions within a single filter. Click the + link to set up multiple conditions.

Click plusbutton.gif , to add more conditions. You can continue to add more conditions or proceed to the next part, which is to add one or more actions.

  1. In the Perform the following actions area, choose an action from the drop-down list.

Specify a folder or tag name, if necessary. What you specify depends on the action you choose.

Click plusbutton.gif , to add more actions. You can continue to add more actions or click OK to finish.

  1. At the top of the Add Filter dialog is an Active check box. Check this box to turn on the filter rule.  You can uncheck the Active box if you do not want a rule to run.

  2. Check Do not process additional filters, if this is the only filter to be run on messages that meet the conditions of this filter. The Do not process additional filters action should be the last action within each filter rule. This prevents the application of any additional filter rules to email messages that match the current rule.

     Note: If it is not specified, subsequent filter rules are evaluated for the mail message, even if the current filter is a match. You probably do not want to have the same message match more than one filter rule and undergo multiple, perhaps contradictory actions.

Changes to filter rules are saved immediately. The filter will be applied automatically to all new incoming mail messages as they arrive.  

You can also run the filter rules over existing mail. In Filters Preferences, click  Run Filter and select the mail folders to run against the selected filter.

Note: You can also create a new filter from an email message. Right-click on the message, choose New Filter. The Edit Filter dialog displays with From and Subject set with this information from the email message.  If the filter conditions are correct, give the filter a name and click OK.

 

Related Topics