Outlook 365 and Rules

[britechguy]

I am using Outlook 2016, and virtually all keyboard commands have remained unchanged since then for all subsequent versions for pre-existing functionality, but, there is the very rare exception.

Would someone who uses Outlook 365 please do a quick check for me? If you have focus on a message in your inbox (or any mailbox, really) and hit the following keyboard command sequence:

ALT + H, RR, U [Home Ribbon, Rules, Create rule] does the dialog entitled Create rule appear?

The above keyboard sequence has bought up this dialog for as long as I can remember, and I have to believe it still does, but I'm seeking verification.

Thanks in advance.

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Latest version of Office here......
Alt H still takes her home, and highlights the choices across the ribbon menu. However, so far...RR...nada....nuttin.....

So I stare at it for a bit. The Rules...are well under the elipses on the right side of the ribbon menu.
And Alt H...to open the elipses 00 which spills open the long vertical menu, rules is S create rule is U

So for me, Alt H, 00, S, U brings up my Create Rule dialog box.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Yes, but it may not look like what you're used to. There's an "Advanced Options" button at the bottom that gets you to the rules wizard.

This is on Outlook Version 2108 (Build 14326.20738 Click-to-Run), as published in the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel.

Which is old and broken, because I should be on Version 2111 in the Monthly Enterprise Channel. So I'll be back after I fix that.

*Edit* Now on Version 2111 (Build 14701.20290 Click-to-Run), Monthly Enterprise Channel and the same behavior is observed from the previous release.

Update history for Microsoft 365 Apps (listed by date) - Office release notes

Provides IT Pros with a complete list of Microsoft 365 Apps releases, organized by date, with links to release notes.

docs.microsoft.com

Version 2111 was released January 11th 2022, Version 2108 was released Sept 14, 2021.

Current Channel (default installations for crazy people), is on Version 2201 which was released January 26th, 2022. Which is VERY recent. But I wouldn't expect UI changes in Outlook given the release notes: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/current-channel

 

[britechguy]

Yes, but it may not look like what you're used to. There's an "Advanced Options" button at the bottom that gets you to the rules wizard.

What you posted the image of is precisely what I was alluding to. I consider this "step one" of the Rules Wizard that allows for the full creation of some very basic rules.

I'm writing a tutorial about using the actual advanced options of the Rules Wizard based on one I wrote for a private client where we automated actions via VBA scripts when certain messages arrived. He is a translator, who happens to be blind, and works for several freelance translation agencies. They send email messages soliciting work and if you are not one of the folks who activates the, "I'll take it!!," link within mere seconds of the message landing in your mailbox you never get a job. Being blind, the kind of speed needed to do this is just not possible with a screen reader, so those certain messages trigger a rule that triggers a VBA script that examines message contents and activates the link when specific criteria are met so that he has a chance of getting the work.

Now someone needs to create a rule that is, effectively, an ignore function for specific users on mailing lists, where those users' email addresses are not in the "From:" field in the message header. I'm going through analyzing what we can filter on, but part of this is actually creating the rule, and except for @YeOldeStonecat's report, any time I've had focus on a single message in a mailbox and hit ALT + H, RR, U, I get the dialog box you showed.

Some screen shots, and I'll use the keyboard shortcuts so that the built-in "show what's next key-wise" shows:





Then hitting U brings up the dialog box that @Sky-Knight has already posted.

To my knowledge I have never done a single customization on my Outlook Home Ribbon. I'm using Dark Mode, but that is neither here nor there and changes the layout of the Home Ribbon not one bit.

This is where a picture is worth a thousand words. I do have a message selected in my Inbox, but that's not shown.

 

[Sky-Knight]

@britechguy Your UI matches mine, I'm not seeing a difference other than color.

 

[britechguy]

As an aside, one of the posters on the JAWS for Windows List noted, correctly, that instead of ALT + H, RR, U, you can use either the Context Menu Key or SHIFT + F10, S, U, to get to that Create Rule dialog.

I've added that to my tutorial since it's clear there will be some contingent for whom the Home Ribbon method will not work. There is no "best way" other than the one that any given user prefers. If the result is the same, then take your pick!