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How to handle threads/conversations in Outlook

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forcedsquint

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Hello,

I understand the concept, and value, behind emptying your Inbox and using folders such as @Action and @Waiting. My problem is that I’m an avid MS Outlook 2007 user and I sort my email by “Conversation” and then by “Date”. This way the entire conversation/thread is moved to the top of my Inbox when a new response to that conversation is received.

If I move email to @Action or @Waiting then I will end up with incomplete conversations/thread in both my Inbox and the other folders. Does anyone know a trick or piece of software that will recognize an email as part of a conversation and automatically move it to the folder where the rest of the conversation is located (i.e. @Action or @Waiting)?

I realize I could create Outlook “rules” to do this, but then I would have to create a rule for every conversation I receive, or at least want to move and I get several hundred emails each day.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.
 
Inbox vs. Reference Folder

This treats your inbox like a reference folder (for email threads/conversations). A reference folder for email is great to have, but it shouldn't be kept in your inbox.

I recommend one of the following:

Create one rule that copies every incoming email into an off-line PST on your hard drive. This is an email reference folder. Group it by conversation and sort by date recieved. This will put the most recent email/conversations at the top of the folder. I find that when I know I have a copy of every incoming (and outgoing) email in another location, I'm much lest resistant to hitting "DELETE".

If you are using an add-in (such as the GTD add-in for outlook) when you file by project put everything in one reference folder. Then group by project and then by conversation.

I actually do both.

Clear Context is fairly good at recognizing and linking conversations, but iirc it forces you to use a file hierarchy which I find unnecessary and complicating.

Hope this helps.
 
I have Outlook 2003. I have been using the free add-in Xobni. It threads conversations and has the best search I've seen for Outlook e-mail.
 
ClearContext

This depends on the individual's preference.

I have seen those that prefer a single pile as you describe that can be sorted or searched, and others that prefer a folder for each project.

I lean toward the folder per project method and for that ClearContext is the way to go if you use Outlook.
 
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