Perfect, I have been struggling for a while switching between my task view and my email view. This is exactly what I have been looking for. Thanks

i prefer search tools like lookeen, isn´t it a bit too complicated and time-wasting to set up search folders? -dan-

Hi Simon, Thanks so much for this. I also make a shortcut to all my search folders because 1.) you can group shortcuts and 2.) you don't have to view the default folders. Any chance you could help me with a macro that would do what you have done but also create the corresponding shortcut with the same name as the category? Would much appreciate this. Regards, Ben benjamin.kadlecik@ricardo.com

Hi Ben,

Yes, this is pretty easy to do.  Create a new function that adds shortcuts:

Sub AddShortcut(target As String, name As String)

   Dim myOlBar As Outlook.OutlookBarPane

   Dim myolGroup As Outlook.OutlookBarGroup

   Dim myOlShortcuts As Outlook.OutlookBarShortcuts

   Set myOlBar = Application.ActiveExplorer.Panes.item("OutlookBar")

   Set myolGroup = myOlBar.Contents.Groups.item(1)

   Set myOlShortcuts = myolGroup.shortcuts

   myOlShortcuts.Add target, name

End Sub

Then, add the following line after the objSch.Save lines:

AddShortcut "outlook:search folders\" + folderName, folderName

This will add a new shortcut item pointing to the search folder.  Hope this helps.  -Simon

Hi Simon, Thanks a lot for this! I think that I can use it for finally getting all my sent/incoming mails and tasks into a single view. I've used your script for creating a search folder including the inbox and the to-do list folder but it doesn't work. I'm not an expert so may be you can give me some clues... This is what I have so far: Sub CreateNewSearchFolder() Dim objSch As Search Dim strS As String Dim strTag As String strS = "'Bandeja de entrada' , 'To-Do List'" strTag = "InboxTasks" strF = "urn:schemas:httpmail:importance = 2" Set objSch = Application.AdvancedSearch(strS, strF, False, strTag) If objSch Is Nothing Then MsgBox "Sorry, the search folder could not be created." End If objSch.Save ("2DoList") End Sub

Suciocerdo:

What error are you seeing?  You need to keep strTag = "RecurSearch".  This is specific to SearchFolders, and not a name that can be changed.

Thanks.

-Simon

Simon, Thanks for the tip. The syntax seems to be ok now. However, it still doesn't work. I get a "Can't find library or project" error that I haven't been able to correct. After trying to use your code directly, I get the same error. Do you know if I have to activate a specific library for this? Thanks again,

hey there, apparantly no one's replied to Bigdan's comment. I was asking myself the same question: Why create search folders when I could just as well use a search tool which is way less time-consuming? (@bigdan: I also use lookeen and I think it's great.it has made working with outlook much easier) -jason

@Suciocerdo:  What version of Office are you using?  Do you get an error on a specific line?

@Jason:  I find the folder approach more convenient than having to re-search every time, but I guess it's a question of habit.  Also, doing a search containing both mail and tasks in Outlook requires Advanced find, which is definitely more than one click.

Hi Simon, It stops at: Set MyOutlookApplication = Outlook.Application My office version is 2007

Hi Simon, I hope this isn't to remedeal but...when I copy and paste the macro formula where do I paste it? PS I really love all of the helpful tips you have for outlook and GTD!

Jill - in Outlook, press ALT-F11 to bring up the macro editor.  Paste the code into ThisOutlookSession and you should be set.  You may need to configure the Macro security to get the macros to run correctly on your machine.  Hope this helps. -Simon

Hi Simon, This is amazing. Thanks. I was curious how to exclude particular subfolders in your macro, like the Deleted Items and a few others. Thanks again. Greg

Is there a way to leave the Search Folder "open", so you can edit it from the Outlook UI? Now I use a search folder that displays all my unread or flagged mail (with due dates) and this macro is just what I need to add the tasks to that list as well. But I need to edit the Search Folder after it's created to edit these filters - can that be done?

Jakob - are you looking to edit the title of items in the search folder?  What are you looking to change? Thanks.

Hi Simon, What I'm looking for, is being able to edit the criteria of the search folder. (right click on search folder and select "Customize this Search Folder..." and then click the button "Criteria...". On Search folders you've created yourself this "Criteria" button is enabled... but it's not in the folders created by your macro or on the standard Outlook folders "For Follow up" and "Unread Mail" (but is is on the folder "Large Mail" funnily enough). Thanks!

Hi Jakob, unfortunately this isn't possible - as I mention in the introduction of this post, the functionality in the script is not provided by the UI, hence the UI is disabled on folders that the script creates.  If you can explain more about what you are trying to do however, we might be able to do it in the code.  Thanks.

Can we make a search folder which have global scope .. I mean , Search folder which can have mails from root and archive folders at the same time .. so we can customize view on all mails .. plz advice .. Bregds/Sunil

Thanks Simon. As I said earlier, I use my "Unread Mail" to get an overview on all outstanding mails (and include the column "Due By" if there is a specific deadline on the mail - I set this myself if the sender has not marked it for follow up). On this view I would like to include the tasks as well, as in your script. But I only want task that has not been completed. So no searching for category names on either mail or tasks - just unread mails and not completed tasks. So basically I will get an overview of all outstanding work in Outlook in one view. Again, thanks for your help Simon!

Jakob, try removing the category filter from the line that creates the search folder.  Something like this:

  Set objSch = Application.AdvancedSearch(Scope:=strS, Filter:="(" + taskFilter + ")", _

     SearchSubFolders:=True, Tag:=strTag)

  objSch.Save (folderName)

This will remove the category filter, and display all tasks that need to be completed.  For your unread mail you could either create another search folder manually - or it would be a case of working out the filter programmatically (unfortunately the documentation to do this is a little limited).  Hope this helps.

Sunil, these two lines control the scope:

  Set TasksFolder = MapiNamespace.GetDefaultFolder(Outlook.OlDefaultFolders.olFolderTasks).Parent

  strS = "'" & TasksFolder.FolderPath & "'"

I don't use archive folders, so I can't test, but you should be able to work out how to point this to an archive / PST folder.  I'm not sure whether you can create a single search folder that can have scope across the mailbox and archive PST folders however.  Can you do this manually?  Thanks.

I find this a great help in managing day to day. I use the flags in 2003 heavily and it would be great if the active search folder also included mail that had a flag set against it. This would give me all the active tasks and emails in one place. Anyone out there can help me?

Hi Simon, I 've tried your macro with success to create a task search folder. The problem is that I am not using the native "IPM.Task" form but instead of it I have created a custom one into personal forms library and a lot of custom fields associated with it. I 've also changed the form associated with Outlook's native task folder with my "IPM.Task.UNISYSTEMS" so when I post to it Outlook uses my custom task form. Now, even we have managed to create a task search folder my custom form's fields are not available there. Can you please advice on this? B.R.

Jill, right click on the tool bar and select customize.  Select the macro from the categories list and drag/drop the macro to the toolbar.  Hope this helps.  -Simon

Hi Simon, Can you be of any help with my initial request? B.R.

BR - Sorry, thought I had already answered. My recommendation would be to pickup a copy of Outlook Spy in order to get the MAPI IDs for the objects/forms you are working with. Once you have this, you'll need to change the task filter to filter on your forms instead of regular tasks. i.e. replace the IDs in the following code with the ones that Outlook Spy reports. Dim taskFilter As String taskFilter = "(""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x0e05001f""= 'Tasks' AND ""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/id/{00062003-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}/81010003"" <> 2) OR (NOT(""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/proptag/0x10900003"" IS NULL) AND ""http://schemas.microsoft.com/mapi/id/{00062003-0000-0000-C000-000000000046}/81010003"" <> 2)" Dim strTag As String strTag = "RecurSearch" Hope this helps. Thanks. -Simon

Very nice macro, however I want to do a very easy thing. Is there a way to MERGE all my search folders into ONE ? I have a lot of PSTs and consequently one FOLLOW UP for each, but I'd like to merge all of them into one. Do I need macro for this ? could you please help me ? Thank you !!

Hi Simon, Very nice macro. I'm using it already. Now I have a tricky one (for me). I would like to create a Search Folder (anywhere) with the content of other Search Folders in different PST files. Is it possible? Please help me.

Great post. Thank you Simon. A couple of follow-up questions: 1) What would the macro look like for the following criteria: Search all email (including dozens of .pst files) based on the following critieria... From: Wes To: Rich Subject includes: 'forecast' Has Attachments: Yes 2) Where does this macro go in 2007? :)

I like this script! I can see lots of uses for it as a recruiter scanning contacts in my Outlook database with multiple criteria. How easily would it be to include search criteria to find candidates with two categories (ie, regulatory AND quality control)? And to also narrow the results to only include contacts with IL (Illinois) in either their Home Address State or Business Address State? I've learned how to modify your script to search for contacts containing one category. Can I easily add additional criteria in the programming section that requires all to be present?