In the school of e-mail organization there are frequently two functions that individuals fall under: pilers or filers. The filers might create folders where tag them prioritize or to categorize them, to file their e-mails, or have some process of organization. The pilers will not file, but instead leave all their e-mails (read or unread) in their inbox.


For pilers, it appears that a simple filtering of e-mails should help them locate e-mails. A piler could filter by email sender or issue and even time frame. When it doesn't uncover an email, a simple search function might do the trick. For instance, there's the Immediate Search function that allows users to help locate e-mails. That is helpful but sometimes does not readily locate e-mails that users seek. This occurs especially if the keywords are general enough. Outlook farther enables users to use operators in the Immediate Search function. The email could be found by an internet search for attachments: XXX, in case a user recalls the name of an attachment.


For filers, a tool obtainable in the search tools ribbon will be to select all subfolders or specific folders. Alternatives include using additional standards such as searching within a certain date range or from a specific sender or even for those e-mails with attachments only. That is especially helpful if those special details can be recalled by users in the e-mails they have been seeking.


Creating a search folder is still another process to look for e-mails. The search folder enables users to use exactly the same standards repeatedly to look for items. For instance, if certain e-mails are marked as Significant, a search folder can be created to identify these special e-mails each time. Alternatives include mail unread or flagged for follow up, email from and to special individuals, big email, old email, email sent directly to me, email sent to public groups, as well as post with special words. Custom search folders can also be created with standards such as by time received or created, and have filters such as only pieces flagged by someone else. There are also more particular fields like relevance, prognosis variant, date/time, and standing that is remote, to name a few.


In conclusion, whether an user is a filer or piler there is a search function that will help at least narrow down the search for an email or to find.