Base your Outlook rules on message headers for fewer rules

I use a lot of rules in Outlook to categorize messages I receive. Some rules are based on the sender's address, others based on words in the sender description, and others based on words in the subject. When I want messages based on all three to be marked the same category, I’ve been using three different rules. But I just discovered that “with specific words in the message header” is a broader category that includes a whole lot of information, including all those criteria I was using to organize mail. I was looking for a way to include messages sent “on behalf of” someone, mainly to catch messages sent on behalf of the same entity but using a different mass-mail e-mail address with each message. 

What’s in a message header?

Here are some things you can find in the message header: 

• sender's name and e-mail address
• recipient’s name and e-mail address
• time of sending and receiving
• subject
• courtesy copies

You won’t find all of these in every message, and you'll find more information in some messages.

I’ll be gradually simplifying my rule structure to take advantage of this discovery. You can find more information about message headers and how to view each message’s header here.

Beware of this approach’s potential overinclusiveness

There are some disadvantages to using message headers instead of the narrower rules. For example, if you include a name or an e-mail address (or any other word) in the rule, it will apply no matter where it occurs in the header. So the rule applies when you receive a message (all my rules are triggered when I receive messages) from that person, when you receive a message that was sent to you and that person, when you receive a message that copies that person, or when you receive a message with that person’s name or e-mail address in the subject. I’m not worried about this possible overbreadth and actually see it as an advantage to this approach. But I might tailor my criteria a little more narrowly for some of my rules (e.g., by including a specific e-mail address rather than a whole domain). BUT REMEMBER that you can always use the exceptions menu to narrow the rule, including by using the more precise rules in Outlook.

My breakthrough came when I found this page.

Graphic step by step

Don’t forget to run the rule on your inbox before clicking Finish.