Setting Rules in Outlook 2016

I like to set a rule for the messages I receive from my boss.  I have a new boss so had to figure out how to do this again and thought I should just write it down for the benefit of anyone else who may need it or for myself for the next time.


I want any emails sent from my boss to go into a special folder .  I also want it to make a sound when the email arrives.  I chose a ring tone so it is different than the default email notification.  This way, when I hear the ring, I know it is from her and will check it right away. 


In my case, I actually turn my regular email notifications off, so her email is the only one that makes a sound.  I find the notification noise and the incoming emails floating across my screen are just too distracting.  I have gotten in the habit of checking Outlook regularly.  This is especially helpful when I am drafting minutes.  It is nice to just focus on that and not be interrupted so much.  Of course when I hear the ring, I do check …


Before you set up the rule, you should first set up the folder where you want it to go.  To do this, right click on Inbox and choose New Folder.  Name it and then press OK.  I want it to go right under by Inbox so I name it  _  Joan Brown (FROM).  The underscore makes it file at the top:

1. Choose File, Manage Rules & Alerts
2. Click on 'New Rule'
3. Go to 'Start from a blank rule' and click on 'Apply Rule on messages I receive'.  Then click NEXT
4. Under Step 1, check the first box 'From people or public group' and then in the Step 2 box, click on 'people or public group' and that will open your Address Book.  Choose the person you want the rule to apply to.  Once you have found the name, click on the From button and the name will go in that box.  Then press OK.  Click on NEXT
5. Under Step 1, check  the box 'move a copy to a specified folder'.  Under Step 2, click on 'specified' and it will bring you to your Outlook Account and you can choose where you want it to go. If you want it to play a sound, in the same Step 1 box choose 'play a sound', then in the Step 2 box click on 'a sound' and a dialogue box will open with a list of possible sounds.  Scroll down until you see what looks like a road pylon.  Choose the sound you want.  I chose the basic Ring 01 sound, click on it and then press OPEN
6. Press NEXT
7. Click FINISH and it is all set up. 

Now when my boss sends me an email, it will go directly in the folder I identified it to go to and make a ring sound.  I know it can seem scary to have emails go into a folder (out of sight/out of mind - What if I miss something important?). Since it is the first sub-folder under my Inbox, it is noticeable and if I step away from my desk and miss the ring, I will see the folder bolded to show there is an unread email in it. 


I also check this folder regularly as I am doing work from there most of the time.  Another benefit to having all the emails from my boss in one place is if I want to find something, I just go to her folder and they are all there. 




I also like to keep track of emails I send her.  I name this folder under my Sent box as _ Joan Brown (TO).


To do this:

1. Choose File, Manage Rules & Alerts
2. Click on 'New Rule'
3. Go to 'Start from a blank rule' and click on 'Apply Rule on messages I send'.  Then click NEXT
4. Under Step 1 click on 'Sent to people or public group'
5. Under Step 2 click on 'people or public group' and that will open your Address Book.  Choose the person you want the rule to apply to.  Once you have found the name, click on the To button and the name will go in that box.  Then press OK.  Click on NEXT
6. Press NEXT
7. Click FINISH and it is all set up. 

I really like having all the emails I send to my boss in one place.  It is so much easier to search and actually find.


There are a number of rules you can apply in Outlook, but as my daughter used to tell me when she was a teenager, too many rules is not cool, and it really can get confusing so I limit it to these two and that works just right for me.