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Outlook 2000 Rules Wizard

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by steve.hutson

Closed to new repliesThis discussion is closed. It stays readable, but it takes no new replies.

I am creating a rule in Outlook 2000 to forward messages to an Internet Mail Address. I have created a Custom Recipient in Exchange 5.5 SP4 for that Internet Mail Address and can send mail to that Custom Recipient.

The rule is to apply to ALL messsages received. The rule has no conditions or exceptions. The rule copies to the Exchange server without complaint or error.

No messages are forwarded to the Custom Recipient (Internet Mail Address).

As you can see from the points, this question is very important to me.

15 replies

by maxwell edison

You can divide rules, whether created with Inbox Assistant or Rules Wizard, into two types – server-side and client-only. Server-side rules are handled entirely by the Exchange Server, independent of the state of the Outlook client. Client-only rules do not execute until the user who created the rule logs in to the Outlook client with the same profile used to create the rule.

One myth is that you can only use Inbox Assistant to create server-based rules. This is not true. Some rules created with IA run only on the client. Many rules created with Rules Wizard run from the server. Whether a rule is server-based or client-based depends, not on the tool you use to create it, but on the exact conditions and actions for that rule.

Certain rules are always client-only – those that involve some element from the Outlook client that does not exist on the Exchange Server. The following table classifies these according to whether they depend on Outlook features, client files or the mail profile. The last group contains something of a surprise: A rule to copy to a public folder fires only when the client is logged in with the profile that created the rule. (TIP: Try forwarding the message to the public folder instead. That rule always fires on the server.)

When you create a rule, the Rules Wizard stores the rule settings (conditions, actions, and exceptions) in a .rwz file with the same name as the user’s profile. For rules for incoming messages, it also storesthat information in the Inbox folder itself, with an indicator of what profile created the rule. This means that the details of the rule are available to the server.

When a message arrives, the server compares it with the list of rules. If the server can execute the rule, it does so. If not, it places a deferred action message (DAM) in a hidden Deferred Action folder in the mailbox.

(continued..)

by maxwell edison

When the user runs Outlook, the client checks the Deferred Action folder and examines each DAM. If the rule was created with the current profile, Outlook carries out the actions indicated in the DAM. This helps explain why rules may fire in an order different from that listed in the Rules Wizard: If the user is not logged in, rules that run on the server execute first, while client-only rules don’t fire until the next time the user runs Outlook with the appropriate profile.

Note thatif a mailbox is over its size limit, it cannot execute any rules that will send replies or forward items.

The preceding answer was obtained from the SlipStick Web Site, article "Server-based vs. client-based rules":

http://www.slipstick.com/rules/serverbased.htm

There is additional information not pasted into this answer.

Also see, "Rules Wizard and Assistants":

http://www.slipstick.com/rules/

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URLs.)

Maxwell

by maxwell edison

Another informative source:

How do I make automatic replies?

Before creating a reply rule, you need an Outlook template file containing the text and subject of the reply. Create a new Outlook message, then add your own subject and text. You can also add Bcc and Cc addresses. Then use File | Save As to save it as an Outlook template .oft file.

When you create your reply, you'll be asked to specify the location of the reply template -- that's your .oft file.

Several issues on Rules Wizard replies:

Rules Wizard replies are a client-only function, because they depend on the .oft file.

On Outlook98, Only one reply per address is sent, no matter how many times someone sends to you. This means that Rules Wizard replies actually work like the Out of Office Assistant replies. However, it also means that, when you're testing reply rules by sending to yourself, you must exit Outlook and then restart. Otherwise, after the first test, you won't see any replies to other messages you send yourself. We have tested this feature with Outlook2000.

See this link for that article as well as many more:

http://www.sahs.uth.tmc.edu/helpdesk/rules_wizard_faqs.htm#reply

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)

Good luck,
Maxwell

by steve.hutson

This is all good information, but not directly related to the problem at hand. It's not a reply rule; it's a forward rule. It is a rule that can be server-based. Even if not, Outlook is running, so the DAM information would not solve the problem. The mailbox is not over its size limit.

Thanks for trying, though.

Steve

by dklippert

It looks like you've done what is required:

" Create a Custom recipient for the forwarding address. Set this address as the Alternate recipient of the mailbox (mailbox property ? delivery options tab)whose incoming mails have to be forwarded. Also select if the mails are to be sent to both the recipients or only the Alternate recipient."

You might also look at:
(
Type the Q number in the search box at support.microsoft.com)

XADM: How to Configure a Mailbox to Forward Mail to a Mail-Enabled Contact

Q281926

by shanghai sam

I believe you are right; the only problem is:

It doesn't work. I don't know why, since I can send mail to the Custom recipient.

Steve

by nikki96

All I had to do was create a rule to forward all messages to the address I gave the rules wizard. I did *not* have to create a custom recipient. Worked fine. The rule was

"Apply this rule after the message arrives
where my name is in the To boxforeward it to me (E-Mail)"

and I have "me" defined as a contact in my address book with my internet mail address.

I use Outlook 2000 on Win2KPro.

HTH
Nikki

by maxwell edison

OK, I'll try again:

Microsoft article Q216397, " Unable to Auto Forward Messages to SMTP Address"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q216397

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SYMPTOMS:
When you have an Out of Office rule set to forward all messages to an external SMTP address, it does not forward the messages. If the rule is configured to forward messages to an internal e-mail address, the messages are forwarded correctly.

CAUSE:
This functionality is disabled in the Internet Mail Service by default.

WORKAROUND:
To work around this problem and allow automatic forwarding to an SMTP address, perform the following steps on the Exchange Server computer:

Click the Internet Mail tab on the Internet Mail Service.

Click the Advanced tab, and then click to clear the Disable Out of Office responses to the Internet, and Disable Automatic Replies to the Internet check boxes.

NOTE: You must stop and start the Internet Mail Service for these changes to take affect.

Maxwell

by maxwell edison

Microsoft article Q181636, "Rule For Forwarding To Internet Address Does Not Work"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q181636

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SYMPTOMS:
The Inbox Assistant or Rules Wizard rule for forwarding messages to Internet addresses does not work after upgrading to Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5.

CAUSE:
The Exchange Server 5.5 "Automatic Replies to the Internet" option may be disabled by default in the Internet Mail Service.

WORKAROUND:
Enable the "Automatic Replies to the Internet" option by performing the following steps:

Open the Internet Mail Service object in the Exchange Administrator program.

Go to Internet Mail tab.

Click the Advanced options button.

Clear the checkbox for "Disable Automatic Replies to the Internet."

Stop and restart the Internet Mail Service in Control Panel Services.

by maxwell edison

(Reverse engineering required with this article.)

Microsoft article Q176161, "Microsoft Exchange Server 5.5 Allows Administrators to Disallow Auto Forwarding of Messages to the Internet Addresses"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q176161

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SUMMARY:
In Exchange Server version 5.5, administrators can configure the Exchange Server Internet Mail Service so that auto-forwarded messages are not delivered through the Internet Mail Service.

MORE INFORMATION:
The Exchange Server Administrator program has two checkboxes for the Internet Mail Service, on a global and per-domain basis, to prevent users from sending AutoReplies and Out-Of-Office messages. If you click to select the Disable AutoReply check box, AutoForwards are also disabled. Previously, auto-forwarded messages were not detected because there were no special message classes or properties on the envelope, as there are for AutoReplies and OOF messages. The Exchange Server 5.5 information store is modified to promote the PR_AUTO_FORWARDED property to the envelope. If this property is present, and the given domain has disabled AutoReplies, the Internet Mail Service discards the Auto Reply message.Maxwell

by steve.hutson

Hi,

I marked your solution unacceptable, only to keep the question open until Monday.

Please send me one more solution, just so that I have something to rate. I believe that this is the final answer, but I need to do more testing, probably until over the weekend.

Thank you so much for your assistance. I promise to rate no later than Monday, after I have had a chance to complete testing and hear back from the end user.

Steve

by maxwell edison

Well, I can’t post another solution, as I have run out of them. However, I’ll post another answer with reference to the same solutions.

Microsoft article Q216397, "Unable to Auto Forward Messages to SMTP Address"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q216397

Microsoft article Q181636, "Rule For Forwarding To Internet Address Does Not Work"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;q181636

Microsoft article Q176161, "Microsoft ExchangeServer 5.5 Allows Administrators to Disallow Auto Forwarding of Messages to the Internet Addresses"

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q176161

Reverse engineering required with last article.

(REMOVE SPACES from the pasted URL.)

I hope the testing goes well.

But if anyone else has any ideas, I’m sure you’ll get more replies over the weekend.

Best of luck,

Maxwell

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