This document focuses on the setup of filters to move and eliminate messages tagged as spam by SpamAssassin. This walk-through will enable you to create such rules to move junk mail to other folders, delete it immediately, or highlight for later viewing. This document will focus on client-only configuration. Please also check the examples page along with the SpamAssassin configuration page.

Open Microsoft Outlook.

First, you will need to change the current view in Outlook XP so that it is a bit easier to see what you are doing during this process. If you like the Outlook Bar, I will tell you how to turn it back on at the end of this manual. To continue, follow the steps below:

1. Remove Outlook Bar: Select the View menu then select Outlook Bar from the menu list.

2. Add Folder List: Select the View menu then select Folder List from the menu list.

Okay, now you can better see what you are about to do and accomplish. As you can see from the image below, I have received a serious of spam messages. These messages are usually annoying but since they have been caught and tagged by SpamAssassin, I can now create a power filter in Outlook to move the tagged spam to a new folder.

Note #1: Also notice that the spam message in the image has not only had its subject line modified from 'About your pay-raise' to 'SOHO.SpamDetect - About your pay-raise', but SpamAssassin has also eliminated the risks involved in opening this spam message from filtering out any viruses to attaching the spam message so that you do not have to view it unless you know its something you want.

Note #2: If you do receive a message you want to keep, simply drag the attached message from the email it is attached to to the Inbox or another folder where you would like it moved to. This will allow you to treat it like any normal message.

Note #3: Notice that the points system used by SpamAssassin is documented in the message. This provides information to you and to your mail administrators if anything goes wrong. You will also be able to send messages to an address that will block a specific user or type of message from from being delivered to your mail box again. Look at the top of this manual for details.

Anyway, lets move. Start by clicking on the File menu. Move your mouse over the Folder menu option. A sub-menu will appear. Select the New Folder option from the sub-menu.

The Create New Folder dialog box appears. Follow the instructions below to complete this task:

1. Enter the Name Junk Mail into the first text box.

2. Ensure that The Folder Contains drop down box is set to Mail and Post Items.

3. Select the Personal Folders item in the bottom box.

When finished, select OK.

As you can see, the folder Junk Mail has been created in the Folder List in the main Outlook window (top to middle left).

Now we will go create the necessary filter. Select the Tools menu. In case the Rules Wizard is not visible, first put your mouse over the two arrows at the bottom of the menu (move your mouse over them; do not click). This will show all options on this menu. Now select the Rules Wizard menu option.

You are now presented with a dialog box entitled the Rules Wizard. This utility helps Outlook users to create powerful mail filters to better handle their messages. The steps you take in this manual can be expanded to allow the sorting of newsletters, customers, your friends or your mom into specific folders which will eliminate the need to move them all around later.

When you are ready, click the New button to continue.

The Rules Wizard provides an easy interface to build filtering rules but we will need to ensure that our rule is properly created so we will manually create our rule. It is not harder, it just requires a few extra steps.

First, select the Start from a blank rule radio box. Next, select the rule in the top box entitled Check messages when they arrive. Once finished, select Next.

On the next screen, you are asked Which condition(s) do you want to check?. Take a look at each one of the conditions in the box. When finished, check the box next to the condition entitled With specific words in the subject. You will see this condition appear at the bottom in the rule description which allows us humans to read what the computer will be doing with our mail.

When finished, click the specific wordslink in the Rule Description box.

As you can see from the image below, the phrase we entered has now replaced the specific words placeholder we saw before. Go ahead and click Next to move to the next screen..

The next screen asks for you to tell Outlook what you would like to do with the messages once it identifies them. Take a look through the different options that are available to give you an idea of what types of messages can be filtered and what can be done to them. When ready, select the Move it to the specified folder checkbox.

Click on the specified link to tell Outlook where you would like to move the messages to.

The rules wizard opens up a dialog box after clicking on the specified link which allows you to select a folder to move the tagged message to. Go ahead and click once on the Junk Mail folder and click OK.

As you can see from the image below, the folder we selected has now replaced the specified placeholder we saw before. Go ahead and click Next to move to the next screen.

You will not need any exceptions in this rule so you can go ahead an click Next when ready.

Looks like you are almost done! Follow the instructions below to turn this rule on and rid your Inbox of that spam:

1. Enter a name for your rule in the Please specify a name for this rule text box.

2. Select the Run this rule now on messages already in 'Inbox' checkbox.

3. Ensure that the Turn on this rule checkbox is checked.

Ok, hit Finish and the program will remove all of the spam from your Inbox and place it in the Junk Mail folder.

This puts you back at the main Rules Wizard window. This window allows you to create additional rules, modify existing rules, move rules around and do various other things. Hit OK to move ahead.

Ahh, just as we thought, the evil spam is no longer in your Inbox.

If you select the Junk Mail folder, I believe you will find the spam we moved. Looks like our filter did its job. If you look below, you will find instructions on how to remove the Folder List and add the Outlook Bar back to Outlook. For those who prefer the Folder List, you are finished. If you have further questions, please feel free to ask them in our support forums.

To change the current view in Outlook XP back to use the Outlook Bar, follow the steps below:

1. Remove Folder List: Select the View menu then select Folder List from the menu list.

2. Add Outlook Bar: Select the View menu then select Outlook Bar from the menu list.

There you go, back to normal. If you have further questions, please feel free to ask them in our support forums.