Forum Discussion
Rules Just Don't Work
I'm trying to make a relatively simple rule in Outlook 365. I've worked with rules for many years, and it continues to amaze me that this feature has not improved in the last ten years, maybe more.
Simple rule. If to [this address], then forward to [alternate address], conditionally, if it has an attachment.
Should be pretty simple. Does not work. EVERYTHING to that address is forwarded regardless of attachment or not.
Any ideas? Seems simple to me but does not work.
no idea, but yes, thats one of my complaints too! ClinicalLogistica
- Create a Power Automate flow instead.
Victor_Ivanidze thank you for a great suggestion. In theory this was straight forward- and there are numerous videos that show exactly how to do this. I have followed the exact instructions over and over, yet each time it fails at the very end with a file save permissions error. I am both the owner of the group email mailbox, mail anccount and the SharePoint and MS365 administrator. Any ideas?
This is indeed frustrating. Outlook rules can be finicky, and it's disappointing to hear that you're experiencing issues with what should be a straightforward task. Let's troubleshoot this step-by-step:
- Rule order: Make sure this rule is at the top of your rule list. Rules are processed in order, so if there's a more general rule above it, that might be interfering.
- Rule creation: Try recreating the rule from scratch. Sometimes, rules can become corrupted.
- Specific steps:
- Start with "Apply this rule after the message arrives"
- Add condition "sent to [your specific address]"
- Add condition "with attachment"
- Set action "forward it to [alternate address]"
- Test the rule: Send test emails to yourself, some with attachments and some without, to verify the rule's behavior.
- Client vs. Server: Ensure you're creating a server-side rule rather than a client-side rule, especially if you're using Outlook on multiple devices.
- Clear cache: Try clearing your Outlook cache and restarting the application.
- Update Outlook: Ensure you're running the latest version of Outlook 365.
If none of these steps work, it might be worth considering alternative approaches:
- Use Power Automate (formerly Microsoft Flow) to create a more robust email handling workflow.
- Create a separate folder and use a rule to move all emails to this address into that folder. Then set up a second rule that only applies to that folder for forwarding emails with attachments.
- Contact Microsoft Support directly, as this could be a bug in their system.
Thanks
