"Rules Wizard
The Rules Wizard lets you trigger an action automatically when email meeting some preset criteria is received or sent. This replicates the features of the Inbox Assistant (if you use Outlook with Microsoft Exchange Server as your email backend). The Rules Wizard is included with Outlook 98 and can be installed as part of the Outlook installation routine, but you have to manually install it yourself if you are still running Outlook 97. You can download Ruleswiz.exe from the Microsoft web site discussed earlier.
You can also find Ruleswiz.exe in the Valupack\Ruleswiz folder of your Office 97 CD.
Once installed you create rules by selecting Rules Wizard from the Tools menu.
With Rules you can:
- Move messages to a folder when sent or when they arrive.
- Automatically assign categories to messages.
- Have yourself notified when a message of a given priority (High, Normal, or Low) arrives.
For example, say you want all email related to a particular project you are corresponding about with your workgroup filed in a folder when it comes in so you can see just those messages without having to wade through all the items that collect in your Inbox folder. You create a special folder (File / New / Folder) to hold these messages, then create a rule to move the messages when they arrive to the proper folder. Click on Tools / Rules Wizard and follow the simple prompts to create a rule that automatically moves mail as it comes in or is sent out. See Figure 2-15.
The Rules Wizard is very handy and works pretty much as advertised, although it does get confused at times. Occasionally, we've experienced rules being ignored when dialing in for mail on the Internet. It's sporadic, and just opening the Rules Wizard dialog or closing and restarting Outlook seems to fix it. Very annoying, but still worth the hassle to have your email presorted for you.
For helpful information on working with the Rules Wizard, point
your browser at:
http://www.slipstick.com/exchange/rwizfaq.htm
This is an outstanding FAQ."
Annoyances titles are available for order at the Office
Annoyances Web site:
http://www.PRIMEConsulting.com/annoyances/
or at the publisher's site:
http://www.ora.com/annoyed/
