Outlook Filter

Outlook Filter combo boxes are used to filter Outlook items by adding user defined filter criteria to the currently applied Outlook filter. Outlook Filter combo boxes are one of four types of Filter Combo Boxes available in Categorize Plus and are added to the Categorize Plus Toolbar by selecting Filter Menu Items from the Categorize Plus Filter Menu. The example at the end of this help topic illustrates how to add an Outlook Filter combo box to the toolbar. For more information on how to create Outlook Filter Menu Items and add them to the Filter Menu, then please refer to the Building Menus help topic.

Applying an Outlook Filter

The text stored in the criteria field of Outlook Filter Menu Items represent a user defined Outlook SQL query string that can be applied directly as an Outlook filter. When an Outlook Filter Menu Item is selected from the Categorize Plus Filter Menu, then Categorize Plus reads the SQL query string that is stored in the menu item's criteria field. Categorize Plus then appends this query string directly to the currently applied filter and an Outlook Filter combo box is added to the toolbar. To learn how to assign an Outlook SQL query string to the criteria field of an Outlook Filter Menu Item, then please refer to the Outlook Filter Criteria help topic.

Additional information that applies to this Help Topic

Learn more regarding the use of filters in Outlook
If you are connected to the internet and wish to learn more regarding how filters are used in Outlook, then click here to open a Microsoft Outlook help topic that explains how to filter items and files in Outlook views.
Learn how to identify Filter Combo Boxes
Filter Combo Boxes that are displayed in the Categorize Plus Toolbar are identified by the Remove Filter Combo Boxes command button. Combo boxes just to the right of this command button are Filter Combo Boxes. Please refer to the Filter Combo Boxes help topic for more detailed information on identifying Filter Combo Boxes.
Learn more regarding Menu Item Criteria Fields
Outlook Filter combo boxes use the filter criteria string stored in the criteria field of Outlook Filter Menu Items. To learn more regarding Outlook Filter Menu Items and how they are used in Categorize Plus, then please refer to the Menu Items help topic. To learn how to use the Outlook filter dialog to assign a filter string to the criteria field of Outlook Filter Menu Items, then please refer to the Outlook Filter Criteria help topic.
Learn how Standard and Group Menu Hierarchies behave when adding Filter Combo Boxes to the toolbar
Whenever a child Menu Item is selected from within a Standard Menu Hierarchy, then both the child Menu Item and the parent Menu Item are simultaneously added as combo boxes to the Categorize Plus Toolbar. Conversely, when a child Menu Item is selected from within a Group Menu Hierarchy, then the parent group Menu Item is not added to the toolbar. To learn more regarding the behavior of Standard and Group Menu Hierarchies, then please refer to the Standard Menu Hierarchy and Group Menu Hierarchy help topics.
Learn how Group Menu Hierarchies behave with Outlook Filters
Filter Combo Boxes can be added to the toolbar as part of a Group Menu Hierarchy. Please refer to the Group Filters and Searches help topic for to learn how group Filter Combo Boxes behave when filtering Outlook items.

Additional Help Topics Regarding Filter Combo Boxes

Modify Filter and Search Combo Boxes explains the options for modifying a Filter Combo Box after it has been added to the toolbar.
Precedence of Logical Operators explains the precedence of the logical operators that are used for Filter Combo Boxes and how to change the position of a combo box that is displayed in the toolbar.
Duplicate Filter and Search Combo Boxes explains how to allow duplicate Filter Combo Boxes.
Remove Filter Combo Boxes explains how to remove a Filter Combo Box after it has been added to the toolbar.

Example of Adding an Outlook Filter to the Categorize Plus Toolbar: