Optimize your email productivity with Microsoft Rules Wizard

We all want to stay productive while at work, and when emails continue to crowd our already crowded inbox we lose important time sifting through the clutter. We could all benefit from business email optimization and if you use Microsoft Outlook you are in luck. Outlook has a built-in email optimizing tool called Rules Wizard offering the capability of creating customized rules for email that automate your most utilized email actions procedures, saving you time to concentrate on more important work issues.  

Using Rules Wizard: Creating a rule in 4 steps  

To create a new rule in Microsoft Outlook, first travel to the Tools menu and scroll down to and access Rules and Alerts.  Once there, click on the button labeled New Rule. This will bring you directly to Rules Wizard where you will follow 4 steps to create a new rule:

1.      Selecting an event - this will trigger the rule (“When this event happens . . .”)

2.      Selecting a condition(s) - this will determine which messages the rule will apply to: you are allowed to select one condition, multiple, all, or none (“When this event happens, the messages fitting this/these condition(s) . . .”)   

3.       Selecting an action - this will determine what will be done with the applicable messages: as with conditions you may select one, multiple, all or no actions  (“When this event happens, the messages fitting this/these condition(s) will undergo this action . . . “)

4.      Selecting an exception - this will determine which messages will not obey the new rule: you may choose one, multiple or no exceptions (“When this event happens, the messages fitting this/these condition(s) will undergo this action with the exception of these messages.”)

Note that when a condition, action, or exception you have selected requires additional input – such as specific contacts or distribution lists – Outlook will automatically prompt you to complete the extra steps. Be sure to hit Finish when you have completed your new rule.

What can rules do?

Creating automated email rules in Outlook increases email and business productivity. Some of the perks include:

·         Automated organization of messages into folders based on specified criteria

·         Automated message flagging based on specified criteria

·         Automated conversation thread cleanup

·         Notifications for important emails

·         Automated email redirection

·         Predesigned server responses to specified messages

·         Automated program startups

·         Automated junking of unwanted email

·         Delay delivery capabilities tailored to your specifications

Once you implement rules into your Outlook experience, you will benefit from optimized message organization, rapid procedural speed and maximized productivity.

Want to learn more?

If you would like to learn more about Outlook’s Rules Wizard contact Bryley Systems today for a free business-technology consultation. Call 978.562.6077 or email GLivingstone@Bryley.com to learn more.

References

Microsoft Corporation: www.microsoft.com