Q154774: XCLN: Exchange Client Inbox Assistant Rules FAQ

Article: Q154774
Product(s): Microsoft Exchange
Version(s): WINDOWS:4.0,5.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbusage
Last Modified: 17-NOV-2000

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Exchange Windows 95/98 client, versions 4.0, 5.0 
- Microsoft Exchange Windows 3.x client, versions 4.0, 5.0 
- Microsoft Exchange Windows NT client, versions 4.0, 5.0 
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SUMMARY
=======

Rules are set using either the Inbox Assistant or the Out Of Office Assistant
options from the Tools menu in any of the Microsoft Exchange Clients for Windows
while connected to a Microsoft Exchange Server computer. Each rule consists of
two elements: one or more conditions that specify which items the rule applies
to, and one or more actions that specify what to do with a qualifying item.

When a rule is created, it is stored on the Exchange Server computer, including
any template messages for replies. When a message arrives, the Exchange Server
computer evaluates the message and determines if it has fulfilled any rules
criteria. If it does, the Exchange Server computer will then process the message
according to the rule action.

Rules are Exchange Server-based and are executed on the Exchange Server computer
even if the user is not logged onto mail. If the Exchange Server computer is not
able to execute a rule (for example, moving mail to a local folder when the user
is not logged on to the server), a Deferred Action Message (DAM) is created,
which is used to complete the action when the client reconnects to the Exchange
Server computer.

Rules which require deferred actions are determined at the time the rule is
created. When the DAM is received on the client, it is evaluated by the client
and the requested action is performed. The DAM is then deleted. When a message
arrives at the Exchange Server computer, it is evaluated independently against
ALL existing rules before any action is taken. Then all rules that apply to the
item are executed.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Q: Are Inbox rules related to the profile that was used to create them?

A: There are two types of Inbox rules: profile-dependent and
profile-independent:

Profile-dependent: Otherwise known as profile-specific rules. These rules will be
executed only when logged onto Exchange Server with the profile that created the
rule. Any one of the following actions in a rule make that rule
profile-dependent:

- Alert With (New Items of Interest dialog box)
- Move/Copy To a folder in a Personal Store (.pst)
- Move/Copy To a public folder
- Custom Action

NOTE: Each Exchange Server profile that is created, no matter what the name, has
a unique ID number assigned to it. If two profiles have the same name, they are
still unique profiles.

Profile-independent: Otherwise known as server-specific rules. These rules are
available for editing, appear black, and their actions take place regardless of
the profile. Any one of the following actions in a rule make that rule
profile-independent:

- Forward To
- Reply With Template
- Delete
- Move/Copy To an Exchange Server Private Store folder.


Q: What determines whether a particular rule will be profile-dependent or
profile-independent?

A: It only takes one profile-dependent action in a rule to make the whole rule
profile-dependent.

Q: Why are some Inbox rules grayed out or unavailable?

A: Each profile-dependent rule is stamped with the unique ID of the profile that
created the rule. Profile-dependent rules can only be edited when logged on with
the same profile that was used to create the rule. Again, this is determined by
the unique ID. These rules become inactive and uneditable when you log on with a
different profile or from another computer. They are the rules that appear gray
in the Inbox Assistant window.

Q: How do you edit rules that are grayed out or unavailable?

A: To edit profile-dependent rules, you must be logged onto Exchange Server with
the profile that was used to create the rule.

Q: What if a profile gets deleted that has profile-dependent rules created
against it?

A: If you create a profile-dependent rule and then delete that profile, the rule
becomes deadwood; it can't be activated or edited, just deleted by selecting the
"Show Rules for all Profiles" option. Because of this, profile-dependent rules
should be deleted if the originating profile is deleted or no longer used.

Q: Can rules be copied from one profile to another?

A: You can back up profile rules to a separate .pst file, send that .pst file to
another user, and have them extract the rules in that .pst file. For additional
information, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q150303 XCLN: How to Backup Profile Rules to a Different .PST

Q: How many rules can exist in a single profile?

A: There is a 32-KB memory limit for creation of rules, not a defined limit for
the maximum number of rules that can be assigned to a folder. On the average, it
is between 40 and 50 rules for each folder. For additional information, please
see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q147298 XCLN: Maximum Number of Rules Per Folder

Q: What happens to profile-dependent rules when logging on with a different
profile?

A: All rules are stored on the Exchange Server computer and are evaluated on the
Exchange Server computer for each message sent to a user. If a profile-dependent
rule cannot be performed by the Exchange Server computer, it creates a Deferred
Action Message (DAM) to be processed by the client. The DAMs are marked with the
ID of the profile that was used to create them, and are only processed when that
profile is used. When you log on, all the DAMs are analyzed to see if they have
the correct ID for the current profile, and, if they do, the DAMs are processed.
If not, they are left in the folder that stores them, a hidden folder called the
Deferred Actions Folder (DAF), and are analyzed each time you log on until you
log on to the profile that created them, and they can be processed.

Q: How long will DAMs remain in the Deferred Action Folder due to an unused or
deleted profile?

A: Even though they are gray and inaccessible, the rules are still being analyzed
by Exchange Server and are still creating DAMs for use when the correct (or
matching) profile is used (where they will not be gray and will be editable).
And they'll keep being triggered even if the profile is destroyed because there
is no way for Exchange Server to tell if the profile still exists. This can
cause a large backlog of DAMs that eventually will be removed by the Exchange
Server computer (after 60 days, when the Exchange Server computer will disable
the rules and start deleting old DAMs) and, if the backlog is large enough, it
can affect performance while logging on. So, if you end up deleting/recreating
one of your profiles, or never using it again, delete the gray rules associated
with it.

Q: Where are Exchange profiles stored for each of the Exchange Clients?

A: Exchange profiles are stored in your computer's registry, not on the Exchange
Server computer. The Exchange Client for Windows 3.x stores them in a special
file in the Windows directory.

Q: Is a rule configured to move a message to a public folder considered
profile-dependent or profile-independent?

A: Profile-dependent, meaning that messages that will be moved to a public folder
require that a user to be logged on to complete the action. Otherwise, a DAM
will be created for these actions.

Q: If my computer is configured with both Windows 95 and Windows NT, can I use
the same profile for both operating systems?

A: No. If you dual-boot two different operating systems, you're using two
different registries and hence, two different profiles. The profile-dependent
rules you create on one side of the dual-boot won't work on the other side.

Q: What happens if a single message meets the conditions of two or more rules?

A: Multiple rules can act on a single message, resulting in copies of a message
being moved to different folders for example.

NOTE: Within the Microsoft Exchange Client 5.0 Inbox Assistant, the "Do not
Process Subsequent Rules" option has been added to specifically stop rule
processing after a particular rule has fired.

Q: Does the order in which the rules are listed have any effect on the actions of
the qualifying rules?

A: Order of the rules doesn't matter except for a delete action. After the
message is deleted with a delete action, all subsequent rule processing on that
message stops. So when in doubt, put delete rules at the bottom of the rule
list.

NOTE: Within the Exchange Client 5.0 Inbox Assistant, the "Do not Process
Subsequent Rules" option has been added to specifically stop rule processing
after a particular rule has fired.

Q: Can I use the Inbox Assistant with the MS Mail service installed on my
client?

A: No, because rules are Exchange Server-based, the Inbox Assistant will not be
available without an Exchange Server service properly installed. If the MS Mail
messages are routed through an MS Mail Connector to an Exchange Server user, the
Inbox Assistant will function against those messages.

Q: Are there any Boolean logic functions available for rules?

A: Semicolons (;) can be used as an OR condition in all fields. Put quotes ("")
around each word unless you really mean "use this root against all words." For
example, Subject: cat; tail -- this will affect all messages with those roots in
the subject line such as "locate," "retail," and so forth. To limit this to
whole words of "cat" or "tail," place the words in quotes, in other words,
Subject: "cat"; "tail".

Examples of Rules Processing
----------------------------

Q: If a message matches a rule in the Out of Office Assistant (OOF), but the same
messages also matches a delete rule in the Inbox Assistant, will the OOF
Assistant rule get processed?

A: The Inbox Assistant rules will be processed first. A delete rule in the Inbox
Assistant will delete the message, and the OOF Assistant rule will not be
processed.

For example, user Bill has a local .pst file which is configured as the default
delivery point. Bill has rules defined as follows:

1. If mail is received from JohnDoe, delete it.

2. If mail is received addressed to "Junk Alias," move it to the Later folder in
  the local .pst file.

3. If mail is received with "Bill" in the message body, move it to the BackItUp
  folder on the Exchange Server computer.

4. If mail is received from Joyce addressed directly to Bill, reply with "I'm
  working on it."

  Q: What happens if JohnDoe sends a message to the Junk Alias (assuming that I
  am on the Junk Alias)?

  A: The message will be deleted (rule #1), and no further rules will be
  processed.

  Q: What happens if Joyce sends mail to the Junk Alias (assuming that I am on
  the Junk Alias)?

  A: The message will be moved to the Later folder (rule #2) in the local .pst
  file.

  Q: What happens if Joyce sends mail to the Junk Alias (assuming that I am on
  the Junk Alias) with "Bill" in the message body?

  A: The message will be moved to the BackItUp folder on the Exchange Server
  computer (rule #3), and a reply will be sent with "I'm working on it" as the
  message body (rule #4).

  Q: What happens if I receive 20 messages addressed to "Junk Alias" while my
  computer is online?

  A: Each message will be processed through the list of rules, and all actions
  will be taken. None of the messages will remain in the Inbox because the
  action (rule #2) is a MOVE action not COPY.

  Q: What happens if I receive 20 messages addressed to "Junk Alias" while my
  computer is offline?

  A: Each message will be processed through the list of rules and DAMs will be
  created for each action in the profile-dependent rules. Any
  profile-independent rules will complete their actions.

  Q: What happens if Joyce sends something directly to Bill and it has "Bill" in
  the message body?

  A: The message will move it to the BackItUp folder (rule #3) on the Exchange
  Server computer (no copy will be left in the Inbox), and rule #4 will reply
  with "I'm working on it" as the message body.

  Q: What happens if the "Junk Alias" friendly name changes to "Junk Yard
  Alias"?

  A: The rules are processed on both resolved names (distinguished names have
  underline) and text strings in the To field. You can solve all the rule
  processing scenarios by indicating a distinguished name, a text version of
  the distinguished name, and a text version of the short alias name separated
  by semicolons (;) in the rule's To field.

Additional query words: faq

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Keywords          : kbenv kbusage 
Technology        : kbExchangeSearch kbExchange500 kbExchange400 kbExchangeClientSearch kbZNotKeyword kbZNotKeyword2 kbZNotKeyword3 kbExchange400NT kbExchange500NT kbExchange400Win95 kbExchange500Win95
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,5.0
Issue type        : kbinfo

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