How do I do an "Or" search in Outlook 2003?

[EddieVenus]

I cannot seem to do an "advanced find" using "or" statements. I could in EVERY other email application I have ever used.

I am trying to make a search folder that will filter emails from the inbox based on seeing a customer name in either the subject line or the "from" line. I want to filter like this.

find "tek-tips" in the subject
OR
find "tek-tips.com" in the "from' field

or even have it look for "outlook" in the subject OR "microsoft.com" in the "from" field.

I could do this in other email apps, although not with Outlook since this is my first real use of this application. The sad thing is those other apps are all freeware, and not Exchange Compatible. So my company says I have to use outlook. Is there anything I can do about this?

EddieVenus

 

[smah]

You can do what you're asking by using Outlook's mail rules. 2 rules will be required. Search this forum for mail rules for some pointers.

 

[EddieVenus]

Thank you smah, but I am trying to avoid using Rules, as that filters the results into folders, which I am trying to avoid. I am trying to make Search Folders that replace the need for actual folders.

This way if a message is from "Tom" and it is about "Muffins" then it will show up under my "Tom" folder as well as my "Muffins" folder. Then there is no way I could miss it when I am looking for it months later.

My issue is with orginization of emails. I want them to stay in one place, and just to have differnt Queries in place to find what i am looking for, saved as "search folders". This is the same way you would do it in a database enviroment. This seems much more intuitive and better designed than the current way of sorting into folders and such.

E V

 

[Marcs41]

If you believe that having everything in one place, and sorting through that is 'better' design ..., jee.
So, if you have 10.000 mails in your Inbox, you would rather search in there, instead of using folders per client, manufactuerer, friends, etc?

There is an add-in calle Lookout for Outlook, which is something you could use.

Marc [santa2]
_{If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!}
Don't forget to shop @

http://www.cafepress.com/tektips

for Christmas!

 

[EddieVenus]

I only see it as better since having it distributed is no different. There is no difference in performance on our systems when working with 1 large folder vs lots of small folders. But then again we do alot of pruning too.

Having it all in one place or having it several folders would not be a problem if you could search all the folders with an "or" statement so that it would not search trash and sent folders or other off limit folders.

This Lookout product looks perfect.

 

[EddieVenus]

Lookout is cool, but not at all what I am looking for, it just searches, it does not save those searches to run anytime i want.

Have you used the search folders yet? If not I suggest trying them. they allow me to keep all my mail seperate in its own folder all the time, while the "real" mail is all in the same folder, Inbox.

The folder is a dynamic search, saved as a folder. Everytime I refresh the view it re-searches the inbox using the Criterea I set up.

For example I have one that only looks for files that are not read, it is a default search folder by the way, and so I have a whole folder with nothing but New mail. When I read them, they go away.

Then I have a folder consisting only of people from my company. When I open it, it searches my Inbox for emails from my company.

If I get a new message from a fellow employee it shows up in both folders, Unread mail and Company, and once I read it it shows up only in Company.

i just want to be able to make it search for criterea using "or" as an operator.

 

[Marcs41]

For one, Outlook 2003 already has an Unread Mail build in.

I use Lookout all the time, and it does a great job at it.
For the rest, I rely on my own common sense, and I really cannot see why you are trying to use Outlook in a way it was not meant to be.
That is you full right of course, but I doubt you'll ever find a 100% satisfactory answer.

Marc [santa2]
_{If 'something' 'somewhere' gives 'some' error, expect random guesses or no replies at all.
Free Tip: The F1 Key does NOT destroy your PC!}
Don't forget to shop @

http://www.cafepress.com/tektips

for Christmas!

 

[EddieVenus]

Marc,

I am sorry, but I think this is getting confused. I know that that is built in, as I already mentioned above, and so I also know that this is exactly how outlook is meant to be used. If they built it in, it is meant to be there.

I am not looking for something that is not supposed to be there. I am looking for a way to use outlook more effectively. If you go back and read the previous posts, I am not looking to do something odd.

In fact if you have ever used a database application, even things like Excel and Access count, they have a single database. Now this is going to over simplify things but here goes. They then create queries, or searches, that are run against them. When the query is run it returns with the results that matched the search criterea. You can save those queries to be run whenever you want. This is the basis for any dynamic web app that uses database back ends in fact. I am trying to run saved searches in outlook. It is a built in feature. It is, according to my tests, just as efficient if not more efficient in terms of resources than putting all my mail in seperate folders. The difference is that it is many times more efficient in locating the messages I am looking for. I actually do filter some mail to other folders too, but the idea is still the same I need to use search folders on those folders too.

In reference to Lookout, it is a nifty tool. It can quickly do a standard search, just like the built in search tool. But it can not save that search to run again later, or more importantly save it as a folder to pull the emails that match every time I view the folder.

I think before we get off track any further you should determine what a "search folder" is. Start here.

http://www.outlookexchange.com/articles/HenrikWalther/Using_Search_Folders_in_Outlook_2003.asp

or

http://weblogs.asp.net/tmarman/archive/2004/06/29/Outlook2003SearchFolders.aspx

or

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/assistance/HP073284741033.aspx

Then once you understand what it is that Search Folders does, and what I am looking to do with them, please post a helpful tip, like the one for lookout, which I am now using, though not for this reason but because it is so freaking fast.


Again I am looking for a way to do an advanced find, and use an 'OR' operator, rather than an 'AND' operator. So I can search for 'Austin' or 'Powers' but not 'Austin' and 'Powers' so that if the message comes in as apowers@movie.com my filter will catch it. At the same time if it comes in as Austin P <apfunny@movie.com> it will also find it. While with the current search options if I search for both 'Austin' and 'Powers' it will catch neiter of those things since both words do not appear in either address.

Does this help demonstrate that I am not upset with lookout, but it is still not going to help with this, and I am not looking to have outlook do something offbeat. In fact, as you already pointed out, it does this while filtering Rules, why not while searching?


Thanks
EddieVenus