# 10 TIPS to SAVE TIME with NEW Outlook Rules 2024  ## Intro [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=0s) - The video provides 10 tips to save time using [[Microsoft Outlook | Outlook]] rules, aiming to help viewers organize and prioritize their inbox [(00:00:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=0s). - The main goal of these tips is to improve the management of one's inbox [(00:00:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=3s). - The video is structured around 10 tips, with the first one being introduced immediately after the introduction [(00:00:08)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=8s). ## Move Emails to Folder (Cc/Bcc) [(00:00:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=10s) - To manage emails where you are CC'd or BCC'd, a rule can be created to move these emails to a separate folder for review, which can be done by going to 'Rules' and then 'Manage Rules' [(00:00:11)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=11s). - A new rule can be added and given a name, such as 'CC BCC', and it is recommended to keep the name of rules shortened [(00:00:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=24s). - Under the condition of the rule, 'when I am not on the To line' can be selected, meaning the email is either on the CC or [[Blind carbon copy | BCC]] line [(00:00:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=38s). - The action of the rule can be set to 'move this to a folder', and a new folder can be created or an existing one selected from the list of folders [(00:00:44)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=44s). - The option 'Run rule now' can be ticked to run the rule on all current and future emails, or left unticked to only run the rule on new emails [(00:01:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=73s). - Running the rule will move the selected emails to the designated folder, removing clutter from the inbox and allowing focus on more important emails [(00:01:41)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=101s). - To ensure the folder is checked regularly, an event can be created in the [[Microsoft Outlook | Outlook]] calendar or a task in Planner or To-Do, set to recur at required intervals [(00:02:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=126s). ## Pin Important Emails [(00:02:20)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=140s) - Pinned emails can be from important people or contain specific keywords, allowing users to prioritize them at the top of their inbox [(00:02:21)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=141s). - To pin important emails, go to "Manage Rules" and add a new rule, specifying the condition as "when the subject or body includes" and adding relevant keywords [(00:02:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=162s). - For the Q4 project at Am's Animal Shop, the keyword "Q4 project" is added to the rule to ensure related emails are pinned to the top [(00:02:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=175s). - Under "Add an action," select "Pin to top" to prioritize the emails [(00:03:00)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=180s). - Running the rule and saving it will move the specified emails to the top of the inbox, marked with a pin button to indicate their priority [(00:03:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=187s). - This feature helps keep important emails at the top of mind and prevents them from getting buried in the rest of the inbox [(00:03:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=208s). ## Stop Processing More Rules in Outlook [(00:03:37)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=217s) - When an email meets the conditions of multiple rules, the "stop processing more rules" feature can be helpful, allowing the email to be processed by only one rule and preventing further processing by subsequent rules [(00:03:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=218s). - [[Microsoft Outlook | Outlook]] rules are processed from top to bottom, and if a rule has "stop processing more rules" enabled, it will be applied and no further rules will be processed for that email [(00:03:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=236s). - If "stop processing more rules" is disabled for a rule, the email will be processed by that rule and then continue to be processed by subsequent rules that it meets the conditions for [(00:04:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=252s). - The order of rules can be rearranged using the arrows, and the "stop processing more rules" feature can be used to fine-tune the rules as needed [(00:04:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=282s). ## Mark Emails with Importance [(00:04:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=292s) - A rule can be created to mark emails from specific people as important, which can be named "Hi" for easy identification [(00:04:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=293s). - The condition for this rule is set to "when the recipient address includes" a specific email address or domain, allowing emails from a particular organization to be marked as important [(00:05:02)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=302s). - The email address or domain can be partially or fully entered, making it possible to mark emails from a specific client or organization [(00:05:07)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=307s). - The action for this rule is to "Mark with importance", which can be set to high, normal, or low, depending on the priority level [(00:05:27)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=327s). - By setting the importance to high, emails from specific senders can be visually identified as high priority, such as emails from clients [(00:05:32)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=332s). - Once the rule is run, emails that meet the condition will be marked with the chosen level of importance, making it easier to prioritize emails [(00:05:39)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=339s). - In this example, an email from Mike is marked with high importance, making it visually distinguishable from other emails [(00:05:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=343s). ## Categorize Emails [(00:05:55)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=355s) - To categorize emails, a rule can be created to make emails stand out, and a name can be given to the rule for identification purposes [(00:05:56)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=356s). - The condition for the rule can be set to trigger when the subject line includes specific keywords, such as "document signed", which can be applied to emails from clients or specific domains [(00:06:13)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=373s). - The action for the rule can be set to categorize the email, allowing users to create a new category or select an existing one from the category dropdown menu [(00:06:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=384s). - Once the rule is created and run, emails that meet the specified condition will be automatically categorized, making it easier to identify and prioritize important emails [(00:06:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=407s). - Categorizing emails can be particularly helpful in sales pipelines, where notifications of signed documents can prompt users to take additional steps in the sales process [(00:07:05)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=425s). - Categories can be used to search for specific emails by selecting the category and searching for all emails with that category applied, or by using the search bar to search for categories [(00:07:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=442s). - A specific example of this is the "thumbs up" category, which can be used to search for all emails with that category applied, making it easier to find and manage important emails [(00:07:34)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=454s). ## Rule for Newsletters Move Emails with ‘Unsubscribe’ [(00:07:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=462s) - A rule can be created to move emails containing the word "unsubscribe" in the body to a designated newsletter folder, helping to declutter the inbox [(00:07:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=463s). - The condition for this rule is set to "message body includes" the word "unsubscribe" [(00:07:59)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=479s). - An action is added to move the emails to a specified folder, which can be a new or existing folder [(00:08:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=483s). - To apply the rule, the folder needs to be defined, and if it's not in the list, it can be located by selecting "move to a different folder" [(00:08:18)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=498s). - Once the rule is saved, it will automatically move emails containing the word "unsubscribe" to the designated newsletter folder [(00:08:22)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=502s). - The rule can be tested by checking if an email containing the word "unsubscribe" has been moved to the newsletter folder, such as an email from Mike or a Weekly Newsletter [(00:08:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=510s). ## Quick Steps [(00:08:46)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=526s) - Quick Steps can be used to automatically forward an email to a specific person, such as a boss, assistant, or department, to streamline the process [(00:08:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=527s). - To create a Quick Step, go to the Quick Steps drop-down menu, select "Manage Quick Steps", and then click "Add Quick Step" [(00:09:16)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=556s). - When creating a Quick Step, give it a name, select the action, which in this case is "forward to", and define the person or department to forward the email to [(00:09:25)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=565s). - An optional description can be added to the Quick Step, and shortcut keys can be selected for easy access [(00:09:38)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=578s). - Once a Quick Step is saved, it can be used to quickly forward emails by using the selected shortcut keys, such as control shift 5 [(00:09:43)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=583s). - Using a Quick Step to forward an email will automatically populate the recipient's email address, streamlining the process [(00:09:57)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=597s). ## Create Task or Event [(00:10:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=604s) - To quickly create a task or event, an email can be selected and dragged over to 'Add as a task' or 'Add as an event' in the 'My Day' section [(00:10:04)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=604s). - This method allows users to efficiently create tasks or events from emails, such as the example provided for the 'document signed' email [(00:10:06)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=606s). - Although this technique is not technically a rule, it is a time-saving tip that can be applied to streamline tasks and event creation [(00:10:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=624s). ## Auto-Reply with a Template [(00:10:31)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=631s) - To set up an automatic reply in [[Microsoft Outlook | Outlook]], go to the gear icon at the top and use the search bar to find "automatic replies" [(00:10:33)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=633s). - Automatic replies are typically used when going on holiday, but can also be helpful when away or in a meeting, allowing users to define a time frame for the reply to be sent [(00:10:47)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=647s). - Users can define two different automatic replies: one for people inside their organization and another for people outside their organization [(00:11:10)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=670s). - The automatic reply feature is part of the automation portion of a four-strategy approach to managing the inbox [(00:11:28)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=688s). - The video will cover tips for managing Outlook rules and discuss limitations to keep in mind [(00:11:42)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=702s). ## Outlook Rule Tips [(00:11:50)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=710s) - When creating [[Microsoft Outlook | Outlook]] rules, it is essential to keep them simple, as this makes them easier to manage [(00:11:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=713s). - It is recommended to take the provided ideas and mix and match them to suit individual needs [(00:12:03)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=723s). - When using Outlook rules, it is crucial to consider that they may not sync perfectly to mobile devices, so it's essential to keep this in mind when using a phone with these rules set up [(00:12:12)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=732s). ## Outlook Rule Errors and Limits [(00:12:24)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=744s) - Outlook rule limitations are based on storage capacity, with most users having 256 kilobytes of storage specifically designated to their rules [(00:12:30)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=750s). - Factors contributing to storage usage include the names of rules, which should be kept short, and the number of conditions, actions, and exceptions in each rule [(00:12:52)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=772s). - To manage storage, users can temporarily disable rules, which only take up storage if active, or delete rules to free up space [(00:13:36)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=816s). - If rules are not working as expected, users can generate a report that will be emailed to their inbox for analysis to identify the issue [(00:13:53)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=833s). - The report can help users pinpoint what has gone wrong with their rules and can be used to manage their inbox more effectively [(00:13:58)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FnjzXHPjPI&t=838s).