Member Avatar for stoutlager

How can an Exchange 2000/Outlook user receive emails into different folders/inboxes for each alias. For example, wish mail to wajohnson, walt.johnson, and walterj to all be received into separate inboxes or folders.
The outlook email rules (and functions within) do not recognize any difference between an received email to 2 different aliases. There seems to be no differentiation in the header.


People tell me this is impossible.

(why needed - so we can finally remove the spoiled/spammed aliases and addresses AND know that they have not received anything business related to it lately)

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Short summary and why the problem happens (for , and anyone arriving later): Exchange looks up the recipient address and rewrites alias addresses to the mailbox’s final address before Inbox rules run, so a rule that tests “sent to X” often never sees the original alias. This is why many people find plain Outlook/Exchange rules don’t separate alias deliveries. (learn.microsoft.com)

Quick (least-admin) option — client-side header rules: create an Outlook rule that matches the alias string in the message’s Internet headers (condition: “with specific words in the message header”). To find the right text, open the message’s Internet headers and copy the exact alias substring to use in the rule. Note this is typically a client-only rule (it needs Outlook running to fire), and Outlook will mark rules that only run on the client. (support.microsoft.com)

More robust, server-side options for Exchange 2000: because Exchange 2000 predates Exchange 2007 transport/mail‑flow rules, the practical server-side ways are to give the alias its own mail-enabled object — a separate mailbox, distribution group, or a mail-enabled public folder — and then forward or copy mail to the primary mailbox. That preserves the “delivered-to” identity so you can keep per-alias folders or audit them, then retire aliases safely when you’re ready. (Before transport rules existed you would have used transport/event sinks; transport rules arrived in Exchange 2007.) Use message-tracking to confirm deliveries by recipient while testing. (learn.microsoft.com)

Practical tips: test from an external account (so headers show the real delivered-to value), copy the exact header substring into the rule, verify whether Outlook marks the rule as client-only, and if you need always-on separation pick a server-side mailbox/public-folder approach. As showed, Outlook tricks can work in some setups, but for reliable, auditable results on Exchange 2000 create distinct mail-enabled recipients on the server and forward copies to your working mailbox.

Member Avatar for asanchez

I'm having the same problem. Did you find a fix to this?

Member Avatar for throbbie

YOU CAN DO THIS.

It's a little bit fiddly but here's how:

Create all of your different mail accounts (Tools\E-mail Accounts) and then create a new Inbox for each account. Mail me if you need help with this too.

You'll need to do the following for each account that you want to use as an alias.

Then........Click on Tools\Rules and Alerts
Click on New Rule then check "Start from a new rule"

Highlight "Check messages when they arrive" and click Next
At step 1 - tick "Through the specified account" and "On this machine only"
At step 2 - click on the word "specified" and select the email account to apply this to & click OK then click on the word "specified" again and select the folder/inbox to apply this to and click OK
Click Next and Next again without making any further changes

Give it a name (just for your own reference) and ensure that "Turn on this rule" is checked. You can also tidy up your inbox straight away by ticking "Run this rule on messages already in "Inbox""
Click FINISH

Repeat it for each email address you want to apply this to and click OK

Rob Dore

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