Quick guide to creating rules

This section shows the example of how to create a signature adding rule along some chosen, additional options.

Once the installation of CodeTwo Exchange Rules Family is completed and you have already configured the access rights to rules, you may move on to create your rule. You can either add a new rule straightaway or start with the optional feature and set up the Sent Items Update service first before creating the rule (it will enable seeing the processed messages including a signature in the Sent Items folder of a particular mailbox). In such case, click the Click to change link in the right upper corner of the Administration Panel (Fig. 1.).

Fig. 1. Opening the Sent Items Update configuration window.

The Sent Items Update configuration window should display. Since the application provides support for certain hybrid environments, the Sent Items Update configuration wizard requires to choose proper environment type. For standard, non-hybrid environment select first option (Fig. 2.).

Fig. 2. Choosing proper environment type.

It is strongly recommended to let the program Autodiscover Exchange Server (Fig. 3.) on Server connection page. Next, simply mark Let the program create account automatically (Fig. 4.) checkbox on the Account credentials step.

Fig. 3. Using the Autodiscover option.

Fig. 4. Selecting the user account.

On the last page, simply hit the Configure button to start the configuration process. The account for the Sent Items Update service will be created and granted with the impersonation rights. Finally, the application will start the service (Fig. 5.).
 

Fig. 5. The Sent Items Update service has been configured.

As from now every email processed by the program will be visible in the Sent Items folder (the update may not be visible straightaway and can take up to couple of minutes), it is time to create a rule that will add a signature.
 

Click the Add button within the List of rules and choose New rule (clean) from the context menu (Fig. 6.).

Fig. 6. Adding a new rule.

A new empty rule will be created. Now choose the name of the rule. Optionally, you can also describe the rule in the Comments field to get the better understanding of its purpose in the future (Fig. 7.).

Fig. 7. Entering the rule's name and description.

Next, move on to the Conditions tab and define the conditions that, if met, will trigger the signature to be added to mail. First choose the type of condition (Field) than define the Operator and finally set the Value (add additional conditions by clicking the + button). To group the conditions, mark them and then hit the  button. In our case the created signature will be added only if both a Sender belongs to the local Built-in Users group and the Recipient is an Internal user or independently if the Recipient is an External User (Fig. 8.).

Fig. 8. Defining conditions that will trigger the rule.

Once the set of conditions is defined, click the Actions tab. Next, hit the Add button and from the context menu choose Insert signature (Fig. 9.).

Fig. 9. Choosing the signature adding action.

A new, empty action inserting signature will appear within the List of actions. To compose the signature click the Edit button (Fig. 10.).

Fig. 10. Opening the template editor.

Once the editor opens, compose your signature using the variety of available options (see editor's manual for more information). In our case we are going to create a simple signature in HTML adding few basic placeholders (filled with AD attributes) and removing one of them along the whole row if its content is not present in the Active Directory. To add an AD attribute placeholder, click the Placeholder button and choose an attribute from the context menu (Fig. 11.).

Fig. 11. Adding AD attribute placeholders.

After setting up the content of your signature, you may want to decide about the place where it will be inserted within mail and what to do if the signature is already found within a particular message (in case of replies and forwards). Open the Signature settings window via the Settings () button, choose your options and click OK (Fig. 12.). In our case, the signature will be added Right under the latest reply/forward message and the signature will be added to every email.

Fig. 12. Opening the Signature settings window.

Now, confirm the chosen options by clicking OK, save your template via the Apply & Close button and close the editor (Fig. 13.).

Fig. 13. Saving a new template in the editor.

Last but not least, click Submit changes in the Administration Panel to let the rule take effect and add the newly created signature to sent mail (Fig. 14.).

Fig. 14. Saving a new rule within the Administration Panel.

Fig. 15. Sending the test message in the Rules Tester.

The outcome will be visible in the previously defined Sender's Sent Items folder and within the Recipient's Inbox (Fig. 16.).

Fig. 16. Message with the added signature visible in the Rules Tester Recipient's Inbox.

See next

How to - this article describes the most common scenarios of the configuration of rules.