How to Organize an Email Account With Folders

Keep track of every important email message you send or receive by organizing your Outlook email with folders. Create separate folders for each vendor, group, contact, department or training class. You may want to create an "Unread Mail" folder where you can store messages, so you can locate and read them at a more convenient time.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Use Outlook 2007 Search Folders to automatically separate and organize your email. Each email is searched for a specific word in either the subject or body. If found, Outlook will automatically send the email to the appropriate folder.

2. Organize your email messages into virtual folders. The messages can live in more than one folder at a time, and if you inadvertently delete a folder it will not delete the message.

3. Create a new search folder by clicking "File", "New" and select "Search Folder." Or, use the short cut by simultaneously selecting "Ctrl+Shift+P " on your keyboard to achieve the same result.

4. Scroll down to view the new screen and select "Create a Custom Search Folder." Click "Choose button to customize your criteria." For your base, you may also use another search folder. Choose a folder name and type it into the name field.

5. Select the "Browse Button" and make a selection for your custom search folder. Choose as many as you like. Select "OK" to continue.

6. Customize your search folder by selecting specific criteria. To do this, click the "Criteria" button. Your search folder can use criteria based on importance, sent items, received items and just about anything else.

7. Choose the "More Choice" tab to create a search for color categories. When your selection is complete, select "OK." Outlook will automatically create your customized search folder and add it to your folder view.

Tips & Warnings

• Create search folders based on the importance of the message, email to and from your boss, or all email sent or received by a specific client.