can you create a rule in outlook to move all emails that were sent to ANY distribution list that you are in

Question

i want a folder with all emails that come to me because i am in distribution list. I see how i can do this individually (1 rule for each specific list) but i wanted to see if i can do this in one rule for all dist. lists without having to specify the list names ?

Answer 1

If your email address is not in the To, CC or BCC fields, then the message came to you via a distribution list. So, you can create a Rule in Outlook that moves everthing to a folder except stuff addressed directly to you.

So, click the Tools menu > Rules and Alerts > New Rule button > leave the Condition panel empty and click Next > Click Yes to the "all email" warning > select move to the specified folder > click the specified link at the bottom to pick the folder > click Next > check except if the message header contains specific words > click specific words at the bottom > enter your email address > click Add > click OK > type a name for the rule > click Finish

That may not work the way you want it to for newsletter-type emails. That's because they often put your name in the BCC field, which Outlook doesn't expose to users. In other words, your email won't be in the header, so it will get moved by the above rule. Ditto for "legitimate" email where you were BCC'd.

Answer 2

You have to create the following rule:

Apply this rule after the message arrives 
 move it to the BULK folder
 except if my name is in the To or Cc box

This will move any mail not specifically sent to you to the BULK folder.

Note that if someone sends you a personal email but uses the BCC field, this rule will fire as well.

Note also that you may need to add "...and stop processing rules" to all your other rules.