Multiple Account Rules

[zaineyma]

I have the following issue:
Outlook 2007 - I have created four email accounts and created four folders, one for each account. I have then created four contacts with the email address as the contact email address. I have then created four rules so whenever an email comes into each address it goes directly to each folder.
However, one issue we are facing is this and it happens daily: when somebody sends one email and addresses it to two, three or even four of the email addresses in the same email (cc etc) every folder gets four emails in it so I end up with 16! I have checked the hosting accounts email settings but the accounts are created fine and there doesnt seem to be any issues in there. I have also redone the rules but it still does this. Surely this shouldnt be the case and when this happens each email address should just go into one folder rather than four emails per folder?
Any ideaS, MANY THANKS IN ADVANCE.

 

[JockMullin]

1. Make sure you are moving the message to the folder and not copying it.

2. At the end of each rule include stop processing rules so the first rule that fires will be the last.

Jock

 

[zaineyma]

No both did not work, I stopped processing rules after each single rule then four emails came in but they went into one folder, then I stopped processing rules after the last rule in the list but this still has not worked and yes I am def movinf emails not copying.

Any ideas?

 

[smah]

Unfortunately, there isn't a particularly good way to resolve this without at least 1 more rule. This is simply a logic challenge. There are other ways, but here is what I think I would do based on the conditions that you've specified. Remember that all mail rules are processed in the order listed unless a 'stop processing' command is encountered.

Modify your existing 4 rules with exptions for the other 3 & add the stop processing functions.

sent to recipient1@whatever.example move to recipient 1 folder except if sent to recipient2 or recipient3 or recipient4 and stop processing more rules.

This will catch messages that were sent to recipient 1, but not any of the others and then stop processing other rules for this message. Thinking logically and in order, the stop processing is not really needed until we add the extra rule below. This will prevent the duplicates that you're getting now..

With those rules in place, the only messages not caught & processed will be messages sent to more than 1 of your 4 recipients. How you handle these is up to you- you could make 1 additional rule to dump them all into a 'common' folder. You use several rules to 'catch' the right combinations & move the the correct folders. Personally, I'd go with the 1 additional rule to send them to a common folder and sort them manually.

 

[eyec]

i see so many users trying to force Outlook to use multiple email accounts with their own folders/inboxes much to their frustration.

if you are using pop email then switch to Thunderbird and live happily ever after, as it handles this situation easily and properly.