This document covers how to create and use folders for organizing your e-mail using the web mail at web.mail.umich.edu. Because the folders you create in web mail are stored on an ITCS e-mail server, they are also available to you if you use Pine, Mulberry, or any other IMAP e-mail program. This document also includes instruction for downloading folders of mail to your computer in mbox format.

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Why Use Folders?

To Organize Your Mail

• Folders for mail related to each of your courses.
• Folders for each of your work projects.
• Folders for each of your regular correspondents.
• If you subscribe to e-mail newsletters or listservs, you might create a folder to keep those messages in—either so you can read them later or save some issues for reference.
• Keep your personal e-mail separate from your work e-mail by storing personal messages in a personal folder. This can be useful for employees, all of whom are subject to FOIA requests. Every effort is made to respect the privacy of your personal mail if your e-mail is requested through FOIA, and keeping it in a separate folder makes this easier.

Automated Organizing with Filters

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Creating a New Folder

1. Click the Folders icon in the icon bar at the top of the window.

   

2. From the Choose Action drop-down menu, select Create Folder.

   

3. In the dialog box, type a name for your folder, then click OK.
4. You will see a confirmation message indicating that the folder has been created, and the new folder will be added to your list of folders.

   

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Deleting a Folder

1. Click the Folders icon in the icon bar at the top of the window.
2. Check the checkbox next to the name of the folder(s) you want to delete. You can select more than one folder.

   

3. From the Choose Action drop-down menu, select Delete Folder(s).

   

4. In the dialog box asking if you want to delete that folder, click OK.
5. In the dialog box telling you that all messages in that folder will be deleted and asking if you are completely sure you want to delete the folder, click OK.
6. The folder, and everything inside it, will be deleted.

   

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Moving a Message to a Folder

From Your INBOX (or Any Other Folder)

1. Check the checkbox next to the message that you want to move.

   

2. From the Move|Copy drop-down menu, select the folder to which you want to move the message.

   

3. Click either Move or Copy (to the left of that menu).
   • Move. Moves a copy of the message to the folder you selected and marks the copy in the current folder for deletion.
   • Copy. Copies the message to the folder you selected, leaving a copy in the current folder.

   

From Within the Message

1. From the Messages to drop-down menu, select the folder to which you want to move the message.

   

2. Click either Move or Copy (to the left of that menu).

   

CAUTION! All your mailboxes are stored on the e-mail servers. Moving a message from one mailbox to another will not reduce the amount of space you are using or keep you from going over quota if your mailbox is full.

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Opening a Folder

From Your INBOX

From Your Folders List

1. Click the Folders icon in the icon bar at the top of the window.
2. Click the name of the folder you want to open.

   

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Downloading a Folder

IMPORTANT! You should make sure your program can import mbox files before you delete the mail from your ITCS mailbox.

Downloading a Folder as an mbox File

1. Click the Folders icon in the icon bar at the top of the window.
2. Check the checkbox next to the folder you want to download.

   

3. From the Choose Action pull-down menu, select Download Folder(s).

   

4. You'll be asked to confirm that you want to download all the messages from that folder into one mbox file. Click OK.

Importing an mbox File

IMPORTANT! You should make sure your program can import mbox files before you delete the mail from your ITCS mailbox.

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Additional Resources

Using web.mail.umich.edu: Getting Started (S4297)

Using web.mail.umich.edu: Attachments (S4331)

Using web.mail.umich.edu: Address Book (S4330)

Using web.mail.umich.edu: Mail Folders (S4332)

Customizing web.mail.umich.edu: Setting Preferences with the Options Feature (S4333)

Using Server-Side Filters to Manage/Organize Your E-Mail (Including Accept and Block Lists) (S4325)

Using SpamBox for E-Mail Spam Filtering (S4314)

Using the Do Not Spam List to Reduce Spam (S4323)

We welcome your comments; please send e-mail.

ITCS's Online Help Desk provides a variety of computing help resources.

For further help with web mail, send e-mail or phone (734) 764-HELP.

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