Microsoft Outlook has some reasonably effective rules support for filtering and managing e-mails. However, there are some situations where I feel I need something a bit smarter.

For example, I work on two related projects and I'd like e-mails relating to project A to be filtered to a folder for Project A, and Project B to a folder for Project B. However, a simple word check is not sufficient as either project could be mentioned. Now, I could create a rule that copies the e-mail to both locations but quite often, the message will be relevant for just one of the two projects, mentioning the other in passing.

I realise this is quite a complex idea as it would involve the filter understanding the language in the e-mail to a certain degree, but it's not beyond the realms of possibility.

  • Are there existing plug-ins for creating more complex rules like this?
  • Are there mail systems other than Outlook that might provide such a feature (fog or cloud use)? For example, can GMail's filters do this by providing a search as a filter instead of just keywords?
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Can't you just have some random code (or just the strict name) in the subject of the message?Or add a fake address to the CC, like projecta@yourcompany.com?

That would make it easy for everyone to filter.

Edit: from what I could find, it seems impossible if neither the subject, the sender/recipients nor the actual mail are unique.

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I guessed this may be the case and currently, what you suggest is what I try to do, but it involves active participation by all and that's hard to ensure. It's an interesting problem and I can see why no one has solved it - probably just corner case. – Jeff Yates Jul 23 '09 at 17:20
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