OLEXP: Message Rules in Outlook Express May Not Work as Expected

Message rule results in Outlook Express may not be as you expect.

This behavior can occur if you have multiple message rules with the same conditions but different actions. If this is the case, the action in the last rule is the final action performed.

Outlook Express applies the actions of each of the message rules but it seems as though only the last message rule configured is performed. This is because Outlook Express does not stop processing rules after carrying out an action unless configured to do so.

To resolve this issue, delete the rule you do not want, or configure Outlook Express to stop processing multiple rules that apply to a message after an action is carried out. To do this, use one of the methods below:

Method 1 - Delete the Rule

To change this behavior, delete the rule you do not want. To delete a rule:

1. On the Tools menu, point to Message Rules, and then click Mail.
2. Click the rule you do not want, click Remove, and then click Yes.
3. Click OK.

Method 2 - Configure Outlook Express to Stop Processing Multiple Rules

To configure Outlook Express to stop processing multiple rules:

1. On the Tools, menu, point to Message Rules, and then click Mail.
2. Select the rule that seems to behave incorrectly, and then click Modify.
3. In the Actions section of the dialog box, select the Stop Processing More Rules check box.

This behavior is by design.

This behavior is changed from earlier versions of Outlook Express.

The Stop Processing More Rules action should be set for most message rules to prevent this issue from occuring.