New Rule - Place in Distribution List?

[Terry A. Austin]

Hi folks,

Perhaps the subject line hints at what I want to do...

I'm a professor. At the beginning of every semeser I have my students email
me with their contact information. I have them include a course-specific
text string in their subject line so I can filter their mail into individual
course folders. I have four different sections and about 150 students.

I construct distribution lists for each class every semester. What I've
done in the past is open each email then cut/paste the relevant information.

Is there any way I can automate this rather tedious mess?

Obviously since I'm filtering their mails into folders based on a text
string I know how to set up filters. I can't find any obvious filter
settings for auto-creation of distribution lists. Am I overlooking
something here?

My ideal solution.

Student sends email with class identifier in subject line
That email funnels into the proper folder
The origination email address for the mail gets added to the appropriate
mail distribution list in my Outlook Contacts.


Any way to make this happen?

Thanks in advance!

T. Austin

 

[Russ Valentine [MVP-Outlook]]

I'll make a couple of preliminary suggestions, then send you off to the
right place to post your query.

Most of what you want to do will require code. Outlook provides no way to
automate the creation of DL's. There is some simple code you can add
yourself to create Contacts (but not DL's) automatically from people to whom
you reply, but that is only a small part of the solution you seek.

Although you have used DL's successfully in the past, I would steer you away
from them as any kind of realistic solution. They are buggy and unreliable.
I would think more in terms of creating separate Contacts subfolders to
contain the members of each class. It will give the code heads more to work
with and provide you more flexibility and reliability.

If you'd be willing to consider using separate Contacts subfolders instead
of DL's, then repost this question in one of the Outlook programming groups
to see how much of the rest of this they can help you automate. It would
also be advisable to include your Outlook version when you post questions.

 

[Terry A. Austin]

Russ,

You're a prince. Thanks for such a well thought out answer. I'm on the way
to working it out.

Terry

I'll make a couple of preliminary suggestions, then send you off to the
right place to post your query.

Most of what you want to do will require code. Outlook provides no way to
automate the creation of DL's. There is some simple code you can add
yourself to create Contacts (but not DL's) automatically from people to whom
you reply, but that is only a small part of the solution you seek.

Although you have used DL's successfully in the past, I would steer you away
from them as any kind of realistic solution. They are buggy and unreliable.
I would think more in terms of creating separate Contacts subfolders to
contain the members of each class. It will give the code heads more to work
with and provide you more flexibility and reliability.

If you'd be willing to consider using separate Contacts subfolders instead
of DL's, then repost this question in one of the Outlook programming groups
to see how much of the rest of this they can help you automate. It would
also be advisable to include your Outlook version when you post questions.
--
Russ Valentine
[MVP-Outlook]

Hi folks,

Perhaps the subject line hints at what I want to do...

I'm a professor. At the beginning of every semeser I have my students email
me with their contact information. I have them include a course-specific
text string in their subject line so I can filter their mail into individual
course folders. I have four different sections and about 150 students.

I construct distribution lists for each class every semester. What I've
done in the past is open each email then cut/paste the relevant information.

Is there any way I can automate this rather tedious mess?

Obviously since I'm filtering their mails into folders based on a text
string I know how to set up filters. I can't find any obvious filter
settings for auto-creation of distribution lists. Am I overlooking
something here?

My ideal solution.

Student sends email with class identifier in subject line
That email funnels into the proper folder
The origination email address for the mail gets added to the appropriate
mail distribution list in my Outlook Contacts.


Any way to make this happen?

Thanks in advance!

T. Austin