Can the Unread Message Indicator Show Subfolders?

[Jim McGowan]

In Outlook 2003 using POP3 mail locally on my PC, I have the folders
setup to show unread messages next to the folder.

However I have a lot of subfolders and any unread messages in those do
not show up on the Parent folder.

Please tell me that there is a way to see the unread messages in
subfolders in the Parent folders' indicator!

Thank you.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Nope, not possible.

--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Jim McGowan asked:

| In Outlook 2003 using POP3 mail locally on my PC, I have the folders
| setup to show unread messages next to the folder.
|
| However I have a lot of subfolders and any unread messages in those do
| not show up on the Parent folder.
|
| Please tell me that there is a way to see the unread messages in
| subfolders in the Parent folders' indicator!
|
| Thank you.

 

[Jim McGowan]

Nope, not possible.

Ouch!

Thanks Milly.

Any workarounds, hacks, or 3rd party solutions that you've heard
about? I have a lot of rules set up to move messages to their
respective subfolders as soon as they arrive, and it's difficult to
say the least when you can't see any of them easily.

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Why not use the Unread search folder?

 

[Jim McGowan]

Why not use the Unread search folder?

Well, that's what I do now, Diane. But that has to be the most
inconvenient subfolder feature I've seen yet.

Presently, many other email clients offer a user-configurable Option
to show the same parenthesized numbers next to all the top level
folders showing unread messages there, but to have it include unread
messagers withing the subfolders also.

Really invaluable if you have lots of folders and subfolders as I do.
I am just now switching back to Outlook after using another client for
more than two years. Mainly because I need to be able to use MAPI
functions, requiring Outlook - or another fully MAPI-compliant email
client - to be set as the default mailer. However I have well over 200
total folders/subfolders with extensive rules routing my incoming mail
as needed. Some of the folder structure is devoted to personal
"friends and family" email messages, but most is devoted to PC and
Pocket PC hardware and software developers and vendors that I deal
with day to day. So I need to separate mail from all the separate
companies I work with - mostly beta testing - as well as with
publications for which I write reviews and technical articles.

The Search>Unread folder is OK, but certainly not as friendly as a
parenthetical indication at each top level folder!

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

Your problem is too many nested folders. If you want to see unread counts,
expand the folders. Or use the search folder and group by folder.

 

[Jim McGowan]

Your problem is too many nested folders. If you want to see unread counts,
expand the folders. Or use the search folder and group by folder.

Yep - I probably DO have too many subfolders!

But there's really no good alternative, that I know of, considering
the volume of messages that I both receive and need to store for
reference. And this is with messages older than one year already
archived. Do you have any suggestions for working with so many
messages, as I must?

I looked into your suggestion regarding creating custom search folders
and placing them in the Favorites box - that worked very well. I am
still working out the scheme to use that will serve me best there, but
that was a very helpful tip. Thanks - much appreciated!

I don't understand, however, your suggestion to group by folders. When
I look at View>Arrange By, I do see a selection for 'Folders', but it
is greyed out on my menu. I've been searching throughout the Office
website but I haven't yet found out why I cannot access that
selection.

Is there a specific method involving "...group by folder..." that you
had in mind when you posted that, Diane? I really appreciate your
help here!

My current PST has upwards of 15,000 messages; it was more than 50,000
before I created the archive!

Pocomail, my previous email client, handles those numbers easily, from
both a storage and speed standpoint. Filtering and scripting in
Pocomail allowed extremely organized storage and retrieval optons.

But then there are other features where Pocomail falls way short for
my needs. It restricts HTML far too strictly for my needs - Eg, I
cannot forward HTML messages and retain any semblence of what the
original message looked like. Like a "forced" security imposed on me.
Likewise, it does not support MAPI in any way, and I need to use MAPI
for some of the applications that my clients require. So Pocomail,
while having served me well in the area of user interface, search
capabilities, speed, and organization, had to be shelved.

Although I have had Office 2003 for almost two years now, the last
time I used Outlook for email was with Office XP (2002), and a lot has
changed since that version! And I don't see any one really good
resource for using Outlook for email. The MS website has it spread
out in so many little bite-sized pieces, it is difficult to read as
you would a good old user guide.

Anyway, thanks again, Diane. Maybe I'll find a great, authoritative
website for using Outlook email, similar to Chris De Herrara's
excellent Pocket PC site. If you know of any, please let me know.