Determine exact location of Outlook 2010 emails found in search
I am consulting for a company where users have many Outlook subfolders that have the exact same name as other Outlook subfolders (for example home, credit, rent, etc.)
The problem is that when an Outlook search is done the Outlook search by default will list the name of the Outlook folder where these emails are found but doesn't provide a complete path as to exactly where these emails are located.
Therefore users have to manually look around throughout many Outlook folders to locate the exact subfolder where the particular email(s) are located.
This is quite cumbersome since the Outlook folders and subfolders contain the exact same folder names (in completely different locations) and it is difficult to determine exactly where the particular subfolder is where these emails are located. When a particular email is found the users need to be able to quickly open this particular subfolder location to view the other emails located within this same folder (and without having to do additional Outlook searches).
We would like to be able to obtain a complete folder path as to where these emails are found so that it will then be easy to navigate to these particular Outlook subfolders without having to guess or look through several different folder locations.
Is there any way of enabling this within Outlook 2010 or if this can't be done within Outlook what optional utilities or tools can be installed that will allow this to be done?
The problem is that when an Outlook search is done the Outlook search by default will list the name of the Outlook folder where these emails are found but doesn't provide a complete path as to exactly where these emails are located.
Therefore users have to manually look around throughout many Outlook folders to locate the exact subfolder where the particular email(s) are located.
This is quite cumbersome since the Outlook folders and subfolders contain the exact same folder names (in completely different locations) and it is difficult to determine exactly where the particular subfolder is where these emails are located. When a particular email is found the users need to be able to quickly open this particular subfolder location to view the other emails located within this same folder (and without having to do additional Outlook searches).
We would like to be able to obtain a complete folder path as to where these emails are found so that it will then be easy to navigate to these particular Outlook subfolders without having to guess or look through several different folder locations.
Is there any way of enabling this within Outlook 2010 or if this can't be done within Outlook what optional utilities or tools can be installed that will allow this to be done?
John
When I search in Outlook 2010, I select the appropriate selection of All Items, Current Folder, etc. and then put the query in the search bar. The results that come up show the folder of the found email in the folder column. You may have to bring this into view by changing column widths, but it is there, does show, and does provide the correct folder information. This works for me.
ASKER
As I have stated the searches are always able to determine the name of the folder where the emails are located.
The problem is that many of the Outlook subfolders have the exact same name as other Outlook subfolders (for example home, credit, rent, etc.) In other words these exact same folder names appear under several different Outlook folders.
I need to be able to determine the exact folder path of where these emails are found so that we can quickly navigate to the exact folder location without having to browse to several different folder and subfolder locations just to determine exactly where a particular email (that has been found in the Outlook search) is located.
The problem is that many of the Outlook subfolders have the exact same name as other Outlook subfolders (for example home, credit, rent, etc.) In other words these exact same folder names appear under several different Outlook folders.
I need to be able to determine the exact folder path of where these emails are found so that we can quickly navigate to the exact folder location without having to browse to several different folder and subfolder locations just to determine exactly where a particular email (that has been found in the Outlook search) is located.
SOLUTION
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The only way I found to know the complete path (versus the leaf folder name as displayed as search result) is by using VBA. Since I usually have the issue with searches only, and then want to see the folder anyway, I created code to open a new view of that folder.
A workaround that I use is to create folders like Company 1 - Bids, Company 1 - Quotes, Company 2 - Bids, Company 2 - Quotes.
Now the folder names are all unique. My (many) Outlook Folders are all unique. So when I search, In Folder is the exact answer. Works well for me.
Now the folder names are all unique. My (many) Outlook Folders are all unique. So when I search, In Folder is the exact answer. Works well for me.
ASKER
OK I will try these two macros.
Are there any other macros or utilities available that can do this?
I would like to be able to try them all to determine which one works the best before I show other IT techs within this organization how to do this.
Are there any other macros or utilities available that can do this?
I would like to be able to try them all to determine which one works the best before I show other IT techs within this organization how to do this.
SOLUTION
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ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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@Knowledgeable - Thanks and I was happy to help you with this.
ASKER
Best solution for not having to use macros
From the https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/6726edee-51ca-455e-9537-a0f30746400b/suggestion-full-path-inside-the-in-folder-field-in-search-result?forum=outlook website:
More exactly, it's in one of the comments:
For both Outlook 2010 and 2013:
1. Run a search to identify an e-mail in the "target" folder.
2. Select and open (double-click) the e-mail.
3. Click on the opened e-mail to make sure that is your active window.
3. Press Ctrl-Shift-F (Advanced Find).
4. Click the Browse button to reveal the full path to the e-mail.
No need to use any macro. But a macro solution also exists:
http://www.vboffice.net/sample.html?lang=en&mnu=2&smp=65&cmd=showitem
From the https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/office/en-US/6726edee-51ca-455e-9537-a0f30746400b/suggestion-full-path-inside-the-in-folder-field-in-search-result?forum=outlook website:
More exactly, it's in one of the comments:
For both Outlook 2010 and 2013:
1. Run a search to identify an e-mail in the "target" folder.
2. Select and open (double-click) the e-mail.
3. Click on the opened e-mail to make sure that is your active window.
3. Press Ctrl-Shift-F (Advanced Find).
4. Click the Browse button to reveal the full path to the e-mail.
No need to use any macro. But a macro solution also exists:
http://www.vboffice.net/sample.html?lang=en&mnu=2&smp=65&cmd=showitem
ASKER
Also look at the steps on this site:
http://www.outlook-tips.net/how-to/find-folder-path-in-mailbox/
http://www.outlook-tips.net/how-to/find-folder-path-in-mailbox/