Hi,isn't it about time outlook upgraded their rules so that you didn't have to create separate rules for incoming and out going messages?Having to create 2 rules every time i want an email to and/or from a certain person to go into a specified folder is surely counter-intuitive and productive.How hard could it be to re-script it to include 'if', 'and', 'or' statements into the code so that:IF you receive a message from ContactA OR you send a message to ContactA move that message into ContactA's folder. Is that not better than separate rules for every person?My VBscripting back in 2004 could achieve that (can't remember a thing about it now though). Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Cheers 🙂

alenezi err thanks for the copy’n’paste but that just explains how to create a rule. It’s not really what is asked.

It is very disappointing that Outlook doesn't have this basic feature. Even mail servers from 90th have it. Right now it is only AND statement. So if you need to do something with emails like moving in a folder emails from 2 senders, you can't do email1 OR email2, you must create 2 rules.Also, you can't use something like "do something with emails from addresses *@some.com", only specify the particular address. (SOLVED) It is possible via "Keywords -> Sender Address Includes"

Hi krutilkoa, if you are running your Outlook against Exchange online (Office 365), consider using a Power Automate flow instead of 15 or 30 rules.

Hi Victor, or works on a specific condition, but if you want to specify more than one condition its always AND, e.g I want to say move messages from specific people(no proplem using or for several people) but then want to add another condition that says OR with specific words in subject. This does not seem possible without creating additional specific rules just for those keywords.

It's amazing to me that mail rules have been around for a very long time, since maybe outlook 2003, but you cannot create an OR statement, only and AND statement when creating conditions for a rule. This seems like it would be very basic logic to code. Very tedious to have to create multiple rules to satisfy OR conditions.

Outlook rules - if/and/or statements? | Microsoft Community Hub

alenezi
Brass Contributor
Jan 03, 2020
create a rule in Outlook:

Click the File tab in the navigation ribbon.
Click Manage Rules & Alerts.
Click New Rule on the E-mail Rules tab in the Rules and Alerts dialog box.
Proceed to Step 1: Select a template.
Choose a template from either the Stay Organized or Stay Up to Date list of rule templates.
Proceed to Step 2: Edit a rule description.
Click on the underlined value.
Click Next.
Choose the message conditions you prefer under Step 1: Select conditions.
Click on presented underlined values from your selected conditions.
Enter in specifics for the underlined values under Step 2: Edit the rule description.
Click Next.
Choose exceptions to the rule under Step 1: Select exception(s).
Click Next.
Choose values for underlined text under Step 2: Edit the rule description.
Click Next.
Enter a name under Step 1: Specify a name for this rule.
Select additional actions under Step 2: Setup rule options.
Click Finish.
- kevjackson
  Brass Contributor
  Jan 04, 2020
  alenezi
  err thanks for the copy’n’paste but that just explains how to create a rule. It’s not really what is asked.
  - daniel2311
    Copper Contributor
    Sep 09, 2023
    makes you wonder what are their roles. like do they get paid for the number of replies regardless of the quality of the replies and thus all the copy and paste
AlyssaL036
Brass Contributor
May 28, 2021
Has this been done by now or is this still impossible? I don't see any way to do it, but maybe I'm just blind. I find it odd that not more people have liked/replied to this request. It's such a massive inconvenience.
- oleksiikrutilko
  Copper Contributor
  Jun 09, 2021
  It is very disappointing that Outlook doesn't have this basic feature. Even mail servers from 90th have it. Right now it is only AND statement. So if you need to do something with emails like moving in a folder emails from 2 senders, you can't do email1 OR email2, you must create 2 rules.
  Also, you can't use something like "do something with emails from addresses *@some.com", only specify the particular address. (SOLVED)
  It is possible via "Keywords -> Sender Address Includes"
  - Victor_Ivanidze
    Bronze Contributor
    Jun 09, 2021
    Hi oleksiikrutilko,
    
    1) why do you compare "mail servers from 90th" with email client?
    
    2) your statement
    Also, you can't use something like "do something with emails from addresses *@some.com", only specify the particular address.
    is wrong. Did you ever see "with specific words in the sender's address" condition?
Kris1920
Copper Contributor
Mar 25, 2022
Why not something this simple : If unread after 90 days then delete Would help keep your read mails, and keep your mailbox clean? how simple. why can't it be done?
- Victor_Ivanidze
  Bronze Contributor
  Mar 27, 2022
  It can be done but not using the rules. You can or create an add-in for Outlook or a MS Power Automate flow.
jj968c
Copper Contributor
Aug 09, 2022
I would like to know if there is a way to have a rule in outlook that automatically moves "old" emails on a thread into my "old mail" folder WHEN a new email on that thread comes in. (that is my if...then,...) If a new email on this thread comes in, then move the old email to the "old mail" folder.

This way my inbox would ONLY have the latest email on each thread. All other emails would automatically go into a bulk old mail folder. I cannot seem to write the rule correctly for this to happen. Any ideas?

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Outlook rules - if/and/or statements?

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