Maximum number of rules per folder in the Inbox or in a public folder in Exchange Server 2003, Exchange 2000, and Exchange Server 5.5

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This article was previously published under Q147298

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SUMMARY

Microsoft Exchange Server can define rules to automatically operate on messages in the Inbox or in a public folder. There is a 32-kilobyte (KB) "packed data" memory limit for the rules on each folder in the Inbox or in a public folder. The reason for the memory limit is that the total sum of the information that is contained in a user's rules must fit in a remote procedure call (RPC).

Sometimes, you may receive the following error message when the number of rules exhausts the 32-KB memory limit:

changes to the rule could not be saved. There is not enough memory or the rules are too complex. Try deleting some rules.

MORE INFORMATION

The maximum number of rules depends on the size of the rules that are defined. Additionally, the amount of data that is required for a rule varies depending on the rule.

For example, a rule to move messages into a folder for a single recipient takes about 660 bytes. Therefore, there is no defined limit for the maximum number of rules that can be assigned to a folder. Typically, the limit is between 40 and 50 rules per folder.

For more information about the maximum number of rules per folder in the Inbox or in a public folder in Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, visit the following Microsoft Web site:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125040.aspx (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb125040.aspx)