OL97: Cannot Create a Conditional Rule with the Rules Wizard

ID: Q168727

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Outlook 97

SUMMARY

You cannot create a single rule which performs an action based on an "either/or" condition using the Rules Wizard for Microsoft Outlook 97.

MORE INFORMATION

The Rules Wizard is a free utility that allows you to filter or sort e-mail messages based on user-defined criteria. It is available for download on the Microsoft Web site at:

   http://www.microsoft.com/office/enhoutlook.asp

NOTE: Because the Microsoft Web site is constantly updated, the site address may change without notice. If this occurs, link to the Microsoft home page at the following address:

   http://www.microsoft.com/

If you want to create a rule that will move e-mail messages from the Inbox to a specific folder based on one criteria or another, you must use two rules to perform the action.

For example, to move all messages that contain either "Apples" or "Oranges" to a folder you created named Apples/Oranges, do the following:

1. Create a rule that looks for the text, Apples and moves it to the

   Apples/Oranges folder.

   a. On the Tools menu, click Rules Wizard.

   b. Click New to start creating the rule.

   c. In "Which type of rule do you want to create", select "Move messages
      based on content."

   d. Click "When I receive a message in my Inbox" as when to apply the
      rule.

   e. In the Rule Description, click "specific words", type Apples as the
      text to search for, then click OK.

   f. In the Rule Description, click "specified", click the Apples/Oranges
      folder, click OK, then click Next.

   g. Select the condition you prefer, such as "with specific words in the
      subject or body," then click Next.

   h. Select what you want to do to the message, such as "Move it to the
      specified folder," then click Next.

   i. Click to select any exceptions to the rule, then click Next.

   j. Type Apples as the name for this rule, click "Turn on
      this rule", and then click Finish.

2. Copy and modify the first rule.

   a. In the opening dialog box of the Rules Wizard, select the rule
      created in step 1.

   b. Click Copy, then click Rename. Type Oranges, in New Name, then click

OK.

   c. In the Rule description, click Apples, then change it to Oranges
      in Search Text and click OK.

   d. In "Apply rules in the following order", click to check the
      Oranges rule, then click OK.

Keywords          : GnlAddin 
Version           : WINDOWS:97
Platform          : WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: June 3, 1998