How to Automate Outlook Filing With FileChimp Keeping your Microsoft Outlook inbox organized can feel like a full-time job. If you constantly manually drag emails into network folders, your productivity takes a hit. FileChimp solves this problem by automatically moving emails and attachments out of Outlook and into your local or network file structure based on simple rules.
Here is how you can set up and use FileChimp to automate your email filing and reclaim your workday. What is FileChimp?
FileChimp is a lightweight Windows application that monitors your Outlook inbox and sent items. It looks for specific keywords, project numbers, or email addresses, and then copies or moves those messages directly to corresponding folders on your computer or server. Unlike native Outlook rules, FileChimp bridges the gap between your email client and your actual Windows file systems. Step 1: Install and Connect FileChimp First, download and install FileChimp on your Windows PC. Open FileChimp while Outlook is running.
The software will automatically detect your Outlook profile.
You will see a clean dashboard where you can manage your “Chimps” (the software’s term for filing rules). Step 2: Establish Your Destination Folder Structure
Before creating rules, ensure your network or local folders are organized logically. FileChimp works best when your folder names match the identifiers in your emails. For example, if you manage projects, create a master folder called “Projects” with subfolders named after specific project codes (e.g., PRJ-101, PRJ-102). Step 3: Create Your First Filing Rule (A “Chimp”)
To start automating, you need to tell FileChimp what to look for and where to put it. Click Add New in the FileChimp dashboard to create a rule.
Define the Source: Choose whether you want to monitor your Inbox, Sent Items, or a specific Outlook folder.
Set the Criteria: Choose how FileChimp identifies the email. You can filter by subject line keywords, sender address, or recipient address.
Select the Destination: Point FileChimp to your master network folder. Step 4: Utilize Advanced Pattern Matching
One of FileChimp’s most powerful features is its ability to dynamically match folders. Instead of creating a separate rule for every single client or project, you can use wildcards or tags.
If you configure FileChimp to look for a project number in brackets like [PRJ-101], it can scan your master folder, find the folder named PRJ-101, and drop the email there automatically. If the folder does not exist yet, FileChimp can even create it for you on the fly. Step 5: Save Emails, Attachments, or Both
You can customize exactly what gets saved to your hard drive:
Email Only: Saves the entire email as an .msg or .eml file, preserving formatting and metadata.
Attachments Only: Strips the PDF, Excel, or Word documents out of the email and saves them into the folder, keeping your network clean.
Both: Saves the email and extracts the attachments into the same folder. Step 6: Set It and Forget It
Once your rules are active, FileChimp runs quietly in the background. As new emails arrive or as you send messages to clients, FileChimp processes them instantly. Your Outlook storage footprint stays small, and your team gains immediate access to critical project emails directly from the shared network drive.
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