Outlook rule not working

[nick]

Hi..

I have one rule set up in Outlook 2007 to filter spam after it arrives but
the problem is, it's not working. Nothing gets filtered.

I run dual boot with XP and Vista and the problem exists in both
installations.

The rule is:

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some spam keywords' in the subject or body
and with 'some key header details and addresses' in the message header
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

Seems simple enough and as I don't have any more rules set up, it's not
conflicting with any others so I don't understand what is wrong.

Even if I receive an email which is not being filtered, I take some details
from the subject, body and header and add them to the rule, apply the changes
and then choose to 'run rules now', the email stays there. What gives?

I have tried deleting the rule and recreating it but nothing changes.

Can anyone please make a suggestion to get this rule working?

Many thanks for any input..

Nick

 

[Brian Tillman]

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some spam keywords' in the subject or body
and with 'some key header details and addresses' in the message header
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

Seems simple enough and as I don't have any more rules set up, it's
not conflicting with any others so I don't understand what is wrong.

Even if I receive an email which is not being filtered, I take some
details from the subject, body and header and add them to the rule,
apply the changes and then choose to 'run rules now', the email stays
there. What gives?

Are those "spam keywords" separated by "or"? How about the "key header
details"?

 

[nick]

Are those "spam keywords" separated by "or"? How about the "key header
details"?

Hi Brian,

thanks for the reply.

Yes, each entry in the subject, body and header section is separated by 'or'

 

[Brian Tillman]

The rule is:

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some spam keywords' in the subject or body
and with 'some key header details and addresses' in the message header
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

The combination of the two conditions is, I believe, the problem. Your rule
as specified requires at least one of the "spam keywords" to be in the
subject AND at least one of the "header detail" to be in the headers. If
BOTH conditions are not met, the rule will not perform it action. Are you
sure this is what you want? I would think you'd want to delete any messages
containing either the "spam keywords" in the subject OR containing "some key
header details" in the headers. For that to happen, you'll need to rules,
one that says

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some spam keywords' in the subject or body
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

and another that says

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some key header details and addresses' in the message header
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

 

[nick]

The combination of the two conditions is, I believe, the problem. Your rule
as specified requires at least one of the "spam keywords" to be in the
subject AND at least one of the "header detail" to be in the headers. If
BOTH conditions are not met, the rule will not perform it action. Are you
sure this is what you want? I would think you'd want to delete any messages
containing either the "spam keywords" in the subject OR containing "some key
header details" in the headers. For that to happen, you'll need to rules,
one that says

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some spam keywords' in the subject or body
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

and another that says

Apply this rule after message arrives
with 'some key header details and addresses' in the message header
permanently delete it
and stop processing more rules.

That's a good point, I never thought of that. I'll give that a try and will
see how it goes.

Thank you