Email: Tips for Organizing Your Incoming Mail in Outlook

When a message is sent from eLearn to an instructor or student, the subject line will be auto populated to begin with the name and section of your course. It will end with this symbol >.  You can take advantage of this similar subject line to create a rule that will move all your messages from a specific course into a folder in your inbox. Using the example image below, you would make a folder for your CHEM 1030 C01 section. You may also want to add a semester identifier to the folder name as you may have the same course and section number again in upcoming semesters.

subject line - CHEM 1030 C01 Fundamentals of Chemistry > Help with Chapter 5 Question

Set up rules

Rules allow you to move, flag, and respond to email messages automatically.

Create a rule on a message

  1. Right-click an existing message and select Rules > Create Rule.

  2. Select a condition, and what to do with the message based on the condition.

    For example, to move messages with a certain title to a specific folder, select the Subject contains condition, select Move the item to folder, select or create a New folder, and then select OK.

  3. When you're done creating the rule, select OK.

  4. To use the rule right away, select the Run this new rule now on messages already in the current folder checkbox, and then select OK.

    The message now appears in that folder.

Create a rule from a template

  1. Select File > Manage Rules & Alerts > New Rule.

  2. Select a template.

    For example, to flag a message:

    • Select Flag messages from someone for follow-up.

  3. Edit the rule description.

    • Select an underlined value, choose the options you want, and then select OK.

  4. Select Next.

  5. Select the conditions, add the relevant information, and then select OK.

  6. Select Next.

  7. Finish the rule setup.

    • Name the rule, setup rule options, and review the rule description. Click an underlined value to edit.

  8. Select Finish.

    Certain rules will only run when Outlook is on. If you get this warning, select OK.

  9. Select OK.