Yes - you can create a new column (like subject, date received, etc.) that will output the results of a formula that inspects the TO line and the CC line and tells you where your name appears. (Naturally, you can have OL2002 just show the TO line or show the CC line - but there might be hundreds of names - why not have the computer do the heavy lifting for you! (Plus, all in one column!)
Step 1) Go to your INBOX in Outlook2002 and right click on the column header bar (for example, right click over the word FROM). Select FIELD CHOOSER from the popup list.
Step 2) At the bottom of the next dialog box, select NEW.
Step 3) Choose a name for your field ... in the TYPE: box, select FORMULA, and then click the EDIT button.
Step 4) Our formula will search for our name on the TO line or the CC line and let us know which one had it. If it can't find the thing for which we search {our name}, in this formula, it will just put a blank space {but you could add some other word between the last two double-quotes, like "other" - to indicate that your name wasn't on the lines, but maybe your email address was typed in directly?}. The easiest way is to copy the text from the text box on the left, and then paste it into the Formula box ... but remember to change my name to YOUR name! Then, click the OK button.{If you want to search for your email address .. you could do that also, maybe create a second column to search for that?}
IIf(InStr(1,[To],"Scott Schneider",1)>0,"To", IIf(InStr(1,[Cc],"Scott Schneider",1)>0,"CC"," ")) |
Step 5) The new field should show up in a list of "user defined fields" - click down on the new field and drag it up to the column header bar and drop it on it (let go of the mouse) - the little red arrows show you were it will be inserted (you can always move it sideways later).
Step 6) Close the field chooser box (or make another formula-column?) - with the little x in the upper right corner.
Step 7) Here are the results of our work! Notice the message from Marilyn had me on the TO line .. from HP Moore, I'm on the CC line ... What about that last one from Tracy Thomas? ... there is nothing there .. it means I was either part of an alias, or maybe she typed my email address in directly (so, if you had a formula-column to search for the email address ...). One other caveat ... unfortunately, you CANNOT sort by this column.
Step 8) Now, you might notice something .. the formula works great for all the messages that have already been opened. But, if a new message comes in, the formula doesn't show anything meaningful until after you open the message. As a filter, this would be very limited ... the intent was to be able to sort out which messages should be read first (since I'm on the TO line) - and which can wait a bit ... DON'T WORRY - there is another trick to get the formula to work on incoming messages, BEFORE they have been read .. a trick so weird, it has to live on its own page! Click over here to see how to make our formula activate as soon as the message arrives, but without it needing to be read!
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Last Updated = Friday, 03-Feb-2006 22:34:04 EST Of the 49 people that have visited this site, you are the most recent.