rules not running

godjackson 0 Reputation points
2025-08-29T16:02:05.86+00:00

I need some help with a rule Ive just created not too long ago. I have a single rule set up to do two things: first, forward an email to another address, and second, move that same email into a specific folder in my old .pst archive file. But it's just not working right. The rule is totally unreliable. Sometimes it forwards the email but doesn't move it. Other times, it just completely fails and does nothing. I've remade the rule so many times, but the behavior is just random. I've made some searching and saw alot abt the server-side vs. client-side rules—could the fact that my rule is doing both at the same time be causing a conflict? How do I suppose to get this rule to work consistently??

Outlook | Web | Outlook.com | Settings
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  1. Mario Bressan 2,645 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-08-29T16:49:19.9166667+00:00

    Hello, my name is Mario, and I would be happy to assist you with your issue.

    I’m sorry for what happened!

    Since you are trying to forward (server-side action) + move to a .pst (client-side action) within the same rule, it only works when Outlook is open, and even then it can cause conflicts because the server tries to act first.

    Outlook processes rules in the order they are listed. If there are many rules, or if your rule requires two different steps, sometimes one of the actions may not trigger correctly.

    Separate into two rules:

    Rule 1 (server-side): When receiving from X, forward to Y.

    Rule 2 (client-side): When receiving from X, move to the .pst folder.

    Enable “Stop processing more rules” At the end of Rule 1, enable this option. This ensures that one rule does not interfere with the other.

    Go to File > Manage Rules & Alerts > Run Rules Now and apply it to your Inbox to verify that both rules work together.

    Run the tests and let me know if you were successful.

    Best regards,

    Mario B.

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