In Outlook 2002, my formula column doesn't work with unopened new messages?

Suppose you created a column in your inbox to let you search for your name appearing on the TO line or the CC line ... (hey, would you like to know how to do that - then click over here for the TO/CC formula page) - But, you notice that the formula doesn't work for a new message that hasn't been opened yet. As a filter, that's not that great ... fret not, here is a weird but successful solution to the problem!

Now, there are many steps for this, but they are mostly just clicking the NEXT button ... we are essentially going to create a "message rule" that does nothing, but it does nothing to every message (including incoming ones). For some reason, don't ask me why, that triggers the formula to work - hey, it is Microsoft, go figure.


Step 1)    Go to your INBOX in Outlook2002 and click on the TOOLS menu and select RULES WIZARD.

ol_rule01.gif


Step 2)    Click on the NEW button.

ol_rule02.gif


Step 3)    Click on the START FROM A BLANK RULE button, and make sure that CHECK MESSAGES WHEN THEY ARRIVE is highlighted. Then click the NEXT button.

ol_rule03.gif


Step 4)    Make sure that NOTHING is checked in the top box, and click NEXT.

ol_rule04.gif


Step 5)    Click YES. (Meaning .. yes, this rule that does nothing at all .. apply it to all the messages - weird huh?)

ol_rule05.gif


Step 6)    Make sure that NOTHING is checked in the top box, and click NEXT.

ol_rule06.gif


Step 7)    Click YES. (Even Outlook thinks we are strange ... )

ol_rule07.gif


Step 8)    Make sure that NOTHING is checked in the top box, and click NEXT.

ol_rule08.gif


Step 9)    Make sure that these two items are checked, and then click FINISH. Depending on how many messages you have, this might take a few seconds ... but remember, it is doing "nothing" to the messages

ol_rule09.gif


Step 10)    YES .. we said yes before, Outlook, pay attention!

ol_rule10.gif


Step 11)    Click OK to close the RULES WIZARD. If you now go back and look at your formula column - the unread new messages should finally show the correct result in the formula!

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Last Updated = Friday, 03-Feb-2006 22:34:02 EST         Of the 52 people that have visited this site, you are the most recent.