How to Search & Sort in Outlook 2007

Microsoft's email manager Outlook 2007 includes several tools for searching and sorting your messages. In addition to running a search on a particular folder or on your entire set of folders, you can adjust the rules by which emails you're viewing are sorted, or create "Search Folders," which automatically accumulate messages matching a given set of rules.

Instructions

1. Search a particular Outlook folder by clicking it in the "Mail" pane and entering your search query in the Instant Search box. Search results will appear below the box; to search your entire mail archive, click "Try searching again in All Mail Items." Click the arrows next to the search box to open the Query Builder, where you can refine your search and add more criteria.

2. Sort your Outlook messages by opening the "View" menu, clicking "Arrange By" then clicking an arrangement. You can also click "Custom" and then follow the on-screen instructions to choose the precise sorting rules you want.

3. Sort messages automatically by creating a Search Folder -- a virtual folder with a set of search conditions to which messages meeting those conditions are automatically assigned. Open the "File" menu and click "Mail," then "New," then "Search Folder." Follow the on-screen instructions to set the parameters for your new folder.

References

• Microsoft: 7 Ways to Better Sort, Store and Search Your Email
• Microsoft: Find a Message or Item by Using Instant Search