Rules Fail to Move Messages without using "Run Rules Now"

[bebisone]

Hi All,

I've set up a rule that is supposed to move a message from the inbox
to a subfolder on receipt. It never does so and I consistently have to
"run rules now" to organize my inbox, which, when combined with
numerous rules becomes tedious and annoying.

Does anyone have any experience with this problem? Or perhaps a fix?

Let me know!

Thanks!

 

[F. H. Muffman]

I've set up a rule that is supposed to move a message from the inbox
to a subfolder on receipt. It never does so and I consistently have to
"run rules now" to organize my inbox, which, when combined with
numerous rules becomes tedious and annoying.

Does anyone have any experience with this problem? Or perhaps a fix?

When you do the Run Rules Now, are you running *only* this rule, or all your
rules? If I had to guess, you're only running this rule, and that the rule
that isn't working affects a message that is actually affected by an earlier
rule with 'Stop Processing Rules' set on it.

Either find the offending rule, or move this rule to the top of the list.

 

[1beb]

When you do the Run Rules Now, are you running *only* this rule, or all your
rules? If I had to guess, you're only running this rule, and that the rule
that isn't working affects a message that is actually affected by an earlier
rule with 'Stop Processing Rules' set on it.

Either find the offending rule, or move this rule to the top of the list.

Hi There,

To clarify, I have multiple rules that move emails to specific
folders, none of them do so on receipt of the message, yet all of them
work when I "run rules now". None of the rules have "Stop
Processing ..." set on them.

Any other ideas? Suggestions or fixes?

 

[Solon]

Brandon,
It's actually very likely that your rules ARE running.. but Outlook's a
little.. well.. deficient in the old Attention Span department and is simply
not acting on them. Everything I put here is sourced in old Outlook forum
posts and, in part, from MVP sites for how to more effectively block
unwanted e-mails.

Here's what you do:
Put "Stop Processing More Rules" in EVERY rule.
Add a rule at the END to "Move to Inbox"

There ya go... do that, you should be fine. It's more from my Outlook 2000
days, but I find that even in the version I use now, that's the single
bestest way to ensure that not only do the rules run, they run right.

The Stop Processing command is one of the goofier things about Outlook. I've
found that people tend not to use it, or limit its use, out of fear that it
is the cause of stoppages/non-runs. Ironically, I've found that adding to
every rule consistently causes smoother rule operation.

It seems that without the Stop command, Outlook will process the first
message and, seeing it trigger a rule but not being ordered to stop, will
continue to the next rule.. and the next... and on down. When it gets to the
end it blinks, looks around, says "Hmm.. must not have triggered any
rules..." and proceeds to the next message. Kinda Attention Deficit in your
mail. A "Stop" command tells Outlook to act on a triggered rule, then stop
processing rules for THAT message.. so Outlook acts on the trigger, then
proceeds to the next message. The "Stop" simply clarifies your wishes for
Outlook, I guess.

The "Move to Inbox" at the end is simply a rule so that Outlook has CLEAR
instructions to act on EVERY message. I've never really had a problem, but
it works well with my "MVP-Inspired" "Don't try to block the BAD mail,
identify and allow GOOD mails" method of rules.

If that doesn't work, please post the first and last rule on your list (the
actual steps in each rule), maybe we can see something in one or the other.

FWIW - My rules are organized by 'Rule Traffic'.. I get mail from 3
locations every day, sometimes a few times a day, so those rules are the
MOST triggered. I put THEM at the TOP of the list (so Outlook doesn't spend
time going through rules that aren't used much). Then I list the rules that
get mail frequently, but not daily. Then I list the 'rare occasion' rules.
Finally the "Send to Inbox" (Which is simply "Apply when message arrives -
Move message to folder INBOX - alert me - Stop processing rules).
If I have a hot project going that generates mail, I'll actually go to the
trouble of moving that project's rule to the top of the list, but I'm kinda
retentive that way.

Solon Aquila

 

[F. H. Muffman]

To clarify, I have multiple rules that move emails to specific
folders, none of them do so on receipt of the message, yet all of them
work when I "run rules now". None of the rules have "Stop
Processing ..." set on them.

Ok. Here's what I'd do.
Create a new rule that could run against a message I'd be able to send, like
from a hotmail account that I have.
Make sure it doesn't work.
Disable *all* rules but that one.
Test it again. Does it work now?

Oh, one other question: What kind of mail server? Is it IMAP?

And has it ever worked? Do *any* of your rules work?

 

[1beb]

Ok. Here's what I'd do.
Create a new rule that could run against a message I'd be able to send, like
from a hotmail account that I have.
Make sure it doesn't work.
Disable *all* rules but that one.
Test it again. Does it work now?

Oh, one other question: What kind of mail server? Is it IMAP?

And has it ever worked? Do *any* of your rules work?

I'm not sure how that double posted, my apologies to people who are
receiving this via email.

I'll try out your suggestions and let you know if it works!

THanks for the detailed explanation!

Cheers,

BEB

 

[1beb]

I'm not sure how that double posted, my apologies to people who are
receiving this via email.

I'll try out your suggestions and let you know if it works!

THanks for the detailed explanation!

Cheers,

BEB

Ok, so I tried your suggestions and adding the stop processing more
rules worked for a little while but then borked out.

All of the rules that I have work when you use "run rules now". I'm
downloading from google (i'm an email monkey @ work - outlook is what
I use at work and I'd like it to be what I use at home as well).

Although, I couldn't see any option to "move to inbox"... could you
explain that one in a bit more detail?

 

[F. H. Muffman]

Ok, so I tried your suggestions and adding the stop processing more
rules worked for a little while but then borked out.

All of the rules that I have work when you use "run rules now". I'm
downloading from google (i'm an email monkey @ work - outlook is what
I use at work and I'd like it to be what I use at home as well).

Although, I couldn't see any option to "move to inbox"... could you
explain that one in a bit more detail?

I'm not the one who made the suggestion you're following, I think, and,
frankly, I didn't put much credence in those suggestions. I've used Outlook
for quite a few years and I never had an issue with rules working.

So lets go back to what I did say....

So lets start there. Heck, lets start with the end first.

Do any of your rules work at all?
Have they *ever* worked?

You did answer the mail server, gmail. So it's only pop3. That takes one
of the possibilities out of the picture. Do you have Outlook set to
download the entire message when you do the send/receive, or just the
headers? If it's just headers, that could be an issue. Tell it to download
the entire body instead. See if that helps.

So, to the basics.

Disable all rules.
Create one rule that you can actively test (ie, from an address you are able
to send from outside of gmail).
See if it regularly works.

 

[1beb]

I'm not the one who made the suggestion you're following, I think, and,
frankly, I didn't put much credence in those suggestions. I've used Outlook
for quite a few years and I never had an issue with rules working.

So lets go back to what I did say....


So lets start there. Heck, lets start with the end first.

Do any of your rules work at all?
Have they *ever* worked?

You did answer the mail server, gmail. So it's only pop3. That takes one
of the possibilities out of the picture. Do you have Outlook set to
download the entire message when you do the send/receive, or just the
headers? If it's just headers, that could be an issue. Tell it to download
the entire body instead. See if that helps.

So, to the basics.

Disable all rules.
Create one rule that you can actively test (ie, from an address you are able
to send from outside of gmail).
See if it regularly works.

Hi All,

Thanks for your help with this. I've identified what CAUSES the
problem, but not what the problem actually is. In addition, I now have
fully functioning rules.

Essentially, when I right clicked an email and used the option popup
to "create rule" and I created a rule that was based off of an email
address, all of my rules would fail after that point. Not sure why
this happened - but it did, twice!

When I deleted all the rules, and re-created them from scratch they
worked perfectly and still are.

Thanks!