The most recent versions of Outlook for Mac now feature Universal Folders for multiple e-mail account aggregation. A feature that many users were expecting for a long-time now, present in other e-mail clients, but not Outlook.
It’s not perfect, as it is not customisable: you only get universal folders for all the Inboxes, Sent Items, Deleted Items and Drafts, all of which should be enough for many users.
In this article you’ll learn about Smart Folders and using RAW Query for creating them, and at the bottom you’ll also find a full list of the available parameters available to be used.
What are Smart Folders?
If you have a lot of e-mails or rely on having e-mail subfolders for organisation, you might want to delve into Smart Folders. These folders are essentially saved Searches – in fact, that’s one way you can create one: just start a search and on the far right part of the ribbon you’ll find an option to save the Search.
For basic searches, the options presented in the Ribbon are mostly straightforward, but you’ll soon figure out that it’s missing very important features: one being the ability to select a “OR” statement between the selected filters. Here’s an example of using these search filters
But we digress – here’s where how to start using RAW Queries. It is available in the “Search” ribbon > “Advanced” > filter dropdown > “RAW Query“, the last option (it’s selected in the image below and although it’s not in English, it is in the same position):
Inconveniences of Smart Folders
At the time of writing this, there are some inconveniences with these Smart Folders:
- The Smart Folders group is the last on the left hand side folder list, and it cannot be placed manually on the list.
- You won’t see any badges for unread e-mails
- The latest (June 2017) Outlook for Mac release now supports adding folders to a Favorite list, which is at the top, but Smart Folders cannot be added as a Favorite.
If you want these features please visit Microsoft’s site at uservoice, it’s where they are actively looking for features requested by everyday users: https://outlook.uservoice.com/forums/293343-outlook-for-mac
Raw Queries
These queries are based on a very long list of parameters that you can use to filter out any items, all based on macOS‘s Spotlight search syntax. You can do a lot with these but I will leave you with very practical examples to use. You can even use them outside Outlook, but I’ve yet tried to do so.
Like any basic programming language, you have to use operators and group expressions in order to get what you want. The most common operators are:
||(OR)&&(AND)==(equals to)!=(different from)
You’ll use parenthesis ( ) to separate and group statements. Here are some examples:
- Example 1 – All Messages containing “this” OR “that”:
`(kMDItemTextContent == “this”) || (kMDItemTextContent == “that”)`
- Example 2 – All Messages which contain “this” AND that do not contain “those”:
`(kMDItemTextContent == “this”) && (kMDItemTextContent != “those”)`
- Example 3 – All Messages which contain “this” AND which were created by “*@email1.com” or “*email2.com”:
`(kMDItemTextContent == “this”) || ( (com_microsoft_outlook_author_email_addresses == “*email1.com”) || (com_microsoft_outlook_author_email_addresses == “*email2.com”) )`
- Example 4 – All Messages NOT inside a specific Folder AND which were created by “*@email1.com” or “*email2.com”:
`(com_microsoft_outlook_folderID != 411) || ( (com_microsoft_outlook_author_email_addresses == “*email1.com”) || (com_microsoft_outlook_author_email_addresses == “*email2.com”) )`
In the case of the last example, how do you determine the integer (411) that defines the folder? Well, for this, you have to use the AppleScript Editor. Follow these steps:
- Within Outlook, select the Folder for which you want to get the ID;
- Open the AppleScript Editor (you can just look it up using Spotlight, CMD+Spacebar)
- Create a New Document
- Paste the following code and press the play icon. The utility will output the integer ID in the box below:
tell application "Microsoft Outlook"
get selected folder
end tell
What parameters can I use with RAW Queries?
You can find all (I think) the Spotlight syntax parameters available by issuing the following command in macOS’s Terminal:
<span class="s1">mdimport -A|sed $'s/\t\t/;/g;s/(null)//g'|tr -d \'</span>
The ones that are specific for Outlook for Mac are the following:
[code]com_microsoft_outlook_accountID;
com_microsoft_outlook_allDay;
com_microsoft_outlook_anniversary;
com_microsoft_outlook_attachments;
com_microsoft_outlook_attendee_emails;
com_microsoft_outlook_attendees;
com_microsoft_outlook_author_email_addresses;
com_microsoft_outlook_bccEmailAddresses;
com_microsoft_outlook_bccRecipients;
com_microsoft_outlook_birthday;
com_microsoft_outlook_bloodType;
com_microsoft_outlook_categories;
com_microsoft_outlook_ccEmailAddresses;
com_microsoft_outlook_ccRecipients;
com_microsoft_outlook_children;
com_microsoft_outlook_childrenFurigana;
com_microsoft_outlook_company;
com_microsoft_outlook_companyFurigana;
com_microsoft_outlook_completed;
com_microsoft_outlook_completedDate;
com_microsoft_outlook_customDate1;
com_microsoft_outlook_customDate2;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld1;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld2;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld3;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld4;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld5;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld6;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld7;
com_microsoft_outlook_customFld8;
com_microsoft_outlook_department;
com_microsoft_outlook_endDate;
com_microsoft_outlook_firstName;
com_microsoft_outlook_firstNameFurigana;
com_microsoft_outlook_flag;
com_microsoft_outlook_flagged;
com_microsoft_outlook_folderID;
com_microsoft_outlook_forwarded;
com_microsoft_outlook_freeBusy;
com_microsoft_outlook_free_busy_value;
com_microsoft_outlook_furigana_full_name;
com_microsoft_outlook_hasDueDate;
com_microsoft_outlook_hasStartDate;
com_microsoft_outlook_has_attachments;
com_microsoft_outlook_has_mentioned_me;
com_microsoft_outlook_has_reminder;
com_microsoft_outlook_has_text_content;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeCity;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeCountry;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeState;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeStreet;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeURL;
com_microsoft_outlook_homeZip;
com_microsoft_outlook_interests;
com_microsoft_outlook_isFromMailingList;
com_microsoft_outlook_isgroup;
com_microsoft_outlook_japanese;
com_microsoft_outlook_jobTitle;
com_microsoft_outlook_junkLikelihood;
com_microsoft_outlook_lastName;
com_microsoft_outlook_lastNameFurigana;
com_microsoft_outlook_messageReceived;
com_microsoft_outlook_messageSent;
com_microsoft_outlook_newsAccountID;
com_microsoft_outlook_nickname;
com_microsoft_outlook_notes;
com_microsoft_outlook_otherCity;
com_microsoft_outlook_otherCountry;
com_microsoft_outlook_otherState;
com_microsoft_outlook_otherStreet;
com_microsoft_outlook_otherZip;
com_microsoft_outlook_parentRecordID;
com_microsoft_outlook_primaryCategory;
com_microsoft_outlook_priority;
com_microsoft_outlook_projects;
com_microsoft_outlook_recordID;
com_microsoft_outlook_recpient_email_addresses;
com_microsoft_outlook_recurrence;
com_microsoft_outlook_recurrence_type;
com_microsoft_outlook_recurring;
com_microsoft_outlook_redirected;
com_microsoft_outlook_repliedTo;
com_microsoft_outlook_size;
com_microsoft_outlook_spouse;
com_microsoft_outlook_spouseFurigana;
com_microsoft_outlook_startDate;
com_microsoft_outlook_suffix;
com_microsoft_outlook_timeZone;
com_microsoft_outlook_title;
com_microsoft_outlook_toEmailAddresses;
com_microsoft_outlook_toRecipients;
com_microsoft_outlook_unread;
com_microsoft_outlook_workCity;
com_microsoft_outlook_workCountry;
com_microsoft_outlook_workState;
com_microsoft_outlook_workStreet;
com_microsoft_outlook_workURL;
com_microsoft_outlook_workZip;[/code]
Here’s the rest of available parameters, that are not Outlook specific but that can also be handy (notice that we’ve used these as well in examples above!):
[code]_kMDItemUserTags;
com_apple_ats_font_invalid;Invalid Font;Invalid Font;
com_apple_ats_name_family;Family name;Font Family name;
com_apple_ats_name_fond;FOND name;FOND name;
com_apple_ats_name_full;Full name;Font Full name;
com_apple_ats_name_postscript;PostScript name;PostScript name;
com_apple_ats_name_style;Style name;Font Style name;
com_apple_ats_names;;;
com_apple_mail_attachmentKinds;;;
com_apple_mail_attachmentNames;Attachment Names;A list of the names of attachments associated with a message;
com_apple_mail_attachmentSpecificTypes;;;
com_apple_mail_attachmentTypes;Attachment Types;A list of the types for attachments associated with a message;
com_apple_mail_dateLastViewed;Date Last Viewed;The date a message was last viewed;
com_apple_mail_dateReceived;Date Received;The date a message was received;
com_apple_mail_flagColor;Flag Color;The color of the flag associated with a message;
com_apple_mail_flagged;Flagged;Whether or not a message is flagged;
com_apple_mail_messageID;Message ID;The message ID from the message header;
com_apple_mail_priority;Priority;The numbered priority of a message;
com_apple_mail_read;Read Status;Whether or not a message has been read;
com_apple_mail_repliedTo;Replied To;Whether or not a message has been replied to;
kMDItemAcquisitionMake;Device make;Make of the device used to acquire this document;make
kMDItemAcquisitionModel;Device model;Model of the device used to acquire this document;model
kMDItemAlbum;Album;Title for a collection of media, such as a record album;album, title
kMDItemAlternateNames;Alternate display names;Alternate names of the file;
kMDItemAltitude;Altitude;The altitude of the item in meters above sea level, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie below sea level.;altitude
kMDItemAperture;Aperture value;Size of the lens aperture as a log-scale APEX value;aperture, fstop
kMDItemAppStoreCategory;Category;App Store Category item is a member of;category
kMDItemAppStoreCategoryType;;;
kMDItemAppleLoopDescriptors;Loop descriptors;Keywords describing the mood and other aspects of the loop;
kMDItemAppleLoopsKeyFilterType;Loop scale type;Whether the loop uses the major or minor scale, neither scale, or can be used with both;
kMDItemAppleLoopsLoopMode;Loop file type;Whether the file is a looping or non-looping file. Looping files adjust their tempo to the song tempo, while non-looping files keep their recorded tempo;
kMDItemAppleLoopsRootKey;Loop original key;Shows the loops original key. The key is the root note or tonic for the loop, and does not include the scale type;
kMDItemApplicationCategories;Application Categories;Categories application is a member of;categories
kMDItemAttributeChangeDate;;;
kMDItemAudiences;Audiences;Who the document is intended for;to, audience
kMDItemAudioBitRate;Audio bit rate;Bit rate of the audio in the media;audiobitrate, bitrate
kMDItemAudioChannelCount;Audio channels;Number of channels in the files audio data;channels
kMDItemAudioEncodingApplication;Audio encoding application;Name of the application that encoded the data in the audio file;encoder, encodedby, audioencodingapplication
kMDItemAudioSampleRate;Sample rate;Sample rate of the files audio data;audiosamplerate, samplerate
kMDItemAudioTrackNumber;Track number;Track number of the song that is part of an album;tracknumber
kMDItemAuthorAddresses;Author addresses;Addresses for authors of this item;from
kMDItemAuthorEmailAddresses;Author Email addresses;Email addresses for authors of this item;from, email, mail
kMDItemAuthors;Authors;Authors of this item;from, author, with, by
kMDItemBitsPerSample;Bits per sample;Number of bits per sample;bitspersample, bps
kMDItemCFBundleIdentifier;;;
kMDItemCity;City;City of the item;city
kMDItemCodecs;Codecs;Codecs used to encode and decode the media;codec
kMDItemColorSpace;Color space;Color space model of this image;colorspace
kMDItemComment;Comment;Comments about this item;comment
kMDItemComposer;Composer;Composer of the song in the audio file;by, composer, author
kMDItemContactKeywords;Contact keywords;Contacts associated with this item;contact, contactkeyword, keyword
kMDItemContentCreationDate;Content created;Date when the content of this item was created;contentcreated, created, date
kMDItemContentModificationDate;Content modified;Date when the content of this item was modified;contentmodified, modified, date
kMDItemContentType;;;
kMDItemContentTypeTree;;;
kMDItemContributors;Contributors;People or organizations contributing to the content of the document;by, contributor, author, with
kMDItemCopyright;Copyright;Copyright information about this item;copyright
kMDItemCountry;Country;Country or location where the item was created according to the provider;country
kMDItemCoverage;Coverage;Extent or scope of the content of the document;coverage
kMDItemCreator;Content Creator;Application used to create the document;creator
kMDItemDateAdded;Date added;Date when this item was last moved;dateadded, added, date
kMDItemDeliveryType;Delivery type;Method used to deliver the media (Fast Start or RTSP);delivery
kMDItemDescription;Description;Description of the content of the document;description, comment
kMDItemDestinationRecipients;;;
kMDItemDirector;Director;Director;
kMDItemDisplayName;Display name;Localized name of the file;name, displayname
kMDItemDocumentContainer;Document Container;Containing folder of item;container
kMDItemDocumentLineage;;;
kMDItemDueDate;Due date;Date this item is due;duedate, date
kMDItemDurationSeconds;Duration;Duration of this item in seconds;duration, time
kMDItemEXIFGPSVersion;EXIF GPS version;The version of GPSInfoIFD in EXIF used to generate the metadata;
kMDItemEXIFVersion;EXIF version;Version of EXIF used to generate the metadata;exifversion
kMDItemEditors;Editors;Editors of this item;editor
kMDItemEmailAddresses;Email addresses;Email addresses associated with this item;email, mail
kMDItemEncodingApplications;Encoding software;Software used to convert the original content;encoder, encodedby, encodingapplication
kMDItemExecutableArchitectures;Executable Architectures;Architectures the item requires to execute;architectures
kMDItemExecutablePlatform;Executable Platform;Platform the item requires to execute;platform
kMDItemExposureMode;Exposure mode;Mode used for the exposure;exposuremode
kMDItemExposureProgram;Exposure program;Type of program used by the camera to set the exposure: Manual, Normal, Aperture priority, …;exposure, exposureprogram
kMDItemExposureTimeSeconds;Exposure time;Time the lens was open during exposure;exposuretime, time
kMDItemFNumber;F number;Focal length of the lens divided by the diameter of the aperture;fnumber, fstop
kMDItemFSContentChangeDate;Modified;Date the file content was last changed;modified
kMDItemFSCreationDate;Created;Date the file was created;created
kMDItemFSExists;;;
kMDItemFSHasCustomIcon;Custom Icon;Whether the file has a custom icon;
kMDItemFSInvisible;File invisible;Whether the file is visible;invisible
kMDItemFSIsExtensionHidden;File extension hidden;Whether the file extension is hidden;
kMDItemFSIsReadable;;;
kMDItemFSIsStationery;Stationery;Whether the file is stationery;stationery
kMDItemFSIsWriteable;;;
kMDItemFSLabel;File label;Finder label assigned to the file;
kMDItemFSName;Filename;Name of the file;filename
kMDItemFSNodeCount;Number of items;Number of files and folders in the folder;
kMDItemFSOwnerGroupID;Group;Group ID of owner of the file;group
kMDItemFSOwnerUserID;Owner;User ID of the owner of the file;owner
kMDItemFSSize;File size;Logical size of the file on disk in bytes;size
kMDItemFinderComment;Spotlight comment;Spotlight comment for this item;comment, spotlightcomment
kMDItemFinderOpenDate;;;
kMDItemFlashOnOff;Flash;Whether the picture was taken using a flash;flash
kMDItemFocalLength;Focal length;Focal length of the lens in millimeters (mm);focallength
kMDItemFonts;Fonts;Fonts used in this item;font
kMDItemGenre;Genre;Genre;
kMDItemHasAlphaChannel;Alpha channel;Whether the image has an Alpha channel;alpha
kMDItemHeadline;Headline;Publishable summary of the contents of the item;headline, title
kMDItemISOSpeed;ISO speed;ISO speed of the camera when the picture was taken;iso
kMDItemIdentifier;Identifier;Reference to a resource within a given context;id
kMDItemInformation;Movie information;Movie information;
kMDItemInstantMessageAddresses;Instant message addresses;Instant message addresses associated with this item;chat, imname
kMDItemInstructions;Instructions;Other information concerning the item, such as handling instructions;instructions
kMDItemIsApplicationManaged;Is Application Managed;The file is owned and managed by an application;appmanaged
kMDItemIsGeneralMIDISequence;General MIDI sequence;Whether the MIDI sequence contained in the file is setup for use with a General MIDI device;ismidi
kMDItemIsLikelyJunk;Is Junk;Whether the file is likely to be considered a junk file;isjunk
kMDItemIsQuarantined;;;
kMDItemIsScreenCapture;;;
kMDItemKeySignature;Key signature;Musical key of the song in the audio file;key, keysignature
kMDItemKeywords;Keywords;Keywords associated with this item;keyword
kMDItemKind;Kind;Kind of this item;kind
kMDItemLanguages;Languages;Languages of the content of the document;language
kMDItemLastUsedDate;Last opened;Date when this item was last used;lastused, date
kMDItemLatitude;Latitude;The latitude of the item in degrees north of the equator, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie south of the equator.;latitude
kMDItemLayerNames;Layers;Names of the layers in the file;layer
kMDItemLogicalSize;Logical size;Logical size of the item in bytes;
kMDItemLongitude;Longitude;The longitude of the item in degrees east of the prime meridian, expressed using the WGS84 datum. Negative values lie west of the prime meridian.;longitude
kMDItemLyricist;Lyricist;Lyricist of the song in the audio file;by, lyricist, author
kMDItemMaxAperture;Max aperture;Smallest F number of the lens in APEX value units, usually in the range of 00.00 to 99.99;maxaperture
kMDItemMediaTypes;Media types;Media types present in the content;media, contains, mediatype
kMDItemMeteringMode;Metering mode;The metering mode (Unknown, Average, CenterWeightedAverage, Spot, MultiSpot, Pattern, Partial);metering, meteringmode
kMDItemMusicalGenre;Musical genre;Musical genre of the song in the audio file;genre, musicalgenre
kMDItemMusicalInstrumentCategory;Instrument category;Instrument category to which the file belongs;instrument, instrumentcategory
kMDItemMusicalInstrumentName;Instrument name;Name of instrument relative to the instrument category;instrument, instrumentname
kMDItemNamedLocation;Location;Name of the location or point of interest;location
kMDItemNumberOfPages;Pages;Number of pages in the document;pages
kMDItemOrganizations;Organizations;Organizations that created the document;organization
kMDItemOrientation;Orientation;Orientation of the picture (landscape or portrait);orientation
kMDItemOriginApplicationIdentifier;;;
kMDItemOriginMessageIDkMDItemOriginMessageID;;;
kMDItemOriginSenderDisplayName;;;
kMDItemOriginSenderHandle;;;
kMDItemOriginSubject;;;
kMDItemOriginalFormat;Original Format;Original Format;
kMDItemOriginalSource;Original Source;Original Source;
kMDItemPageHeight;Page height;Height of the document page in points;pageheight, height
kMDItemPageWidth;Page width;Width of the document page in points;pagewidth, width
kMDItemParticipants;Participants;Participants in this item;
kMDItemPath;File pathname;Complete pathname of this file;path
kMDItemPerformers;Performers;Performers;
kMDItemPhoneNumbers;Phone number;Phone numbers associated with this item;phone, phonenumber
kMDItemPhysicalSize;Physical size;Physical size of the item in bytes;
kMDItemPixelCount;Pixel count;Total number of pixels in the document;pixelcount
kMDItemPixelHeight;Pixel height;Height of the document in pixels;pixelheight, height
kMDItemPixelWidth;Pixel width;Width of the document in pixels;pixelwidth, width
kMDItemProducer;Producer;Producer of this item;producer
kMDItemProfileName;Color profile;Name of the color profile used for the image;profile
kMDItemProjects;Projects;Projects this item is part of;
kMDItemPublishers;Publishers;Publisher of the document;publisher
kMDItemPurchaseDate;Purchase Date;Date this item was purchased;purchasedate
kMDItemRecipientAddresses;Recipient addresses;Addresses for recipients of this item;to
kMDItemRecipientEmailAddresses;Recipient Email addresses;Email addresses for recipients of this item;to, email, mail
kMDItemRecipients;Recipients;Recipients of this item;to, recipient, with
kMDItemRecordingDate;Recording date;Date the song was recorded;recordingdate, date
kMDItemRecordingYear;Year recorded;Year the item was recorded;yearrecorded, year
kMDItemRedEyeOnOff;Red eye;Whether red eye correction was on or off;redeye
kMDItemResolutionHeightDPI;Resolution height;Resolution height of this image in DPI;heightdpi, dpi
kMDItemResolutionWidthDPI;Resolution width;Resolution width of this image in DPI;widthdpi, dpi
kMDItemRights;Rights;Link to information about the rights held on the document;rights
kMDItemScreenCaptureType;;;
kMDItemSecurityMethod;Security;Encryption method used to make the document secure;security, securitymethod
kMDItemStarRating;Rating;User Rating;starrating
kMDItemStateOrProvince;State or Province;State or province of the item according to the provider;state, province
kMDItemStreamable;Streamable;Whether the content is prepared for streaming;streamable
kMDItemSubject;Subject;Subject of this item;subject, title
kMDItemSupportFileType;;;
kMDItemTempo;Tempo;Tempo of the music in the audio file in Beats Per Minute;tempo
kMDItemTextContent;Text content;Text content of this item;content, contains, intext
kMDItemTheme;Theme;Theme of this item;theme
kMDItemTimeSignature;Time signature;Time signature of the song in the audio or MIDI file;timesignature
kMDItemTitle;Title;Title of this item;title
kMDItemTotalBitRate;Total bit rate;Combined bit rate of the audio and video in the media;totalbitrate, bitrate
kMDItemURL;URL;URL of this item;url
kMDItemUsedDates;Used dates;Dates when this item was used;used, date
kMDItemUserTags;Tags;Tags associated with this item;tag
kMDItemVersion;Version;Version number of this item;version
kMDItemVideoBitRate;Video bit rate;Bit rate of the video in the media;videobitrate, bitrate
kMDItemWhereFroms;Where from;Where the item came from;from, source, wherefrom
kMDItemWhiteBalance;White balance;White balance setting of the camera when the picture was taken;whitebalance[/code]
Hope this helps!