Q: Can I still access information in Outlook while I’m creating rules?

A: In all versions of Microsoft Outlook, up to and including Outlook 2010, Microsoft limits what users can do while the rules dialog boxes are open. This has long been a source of frustration. For example, if you start to create a new rule using the Outlook New Rule wizard, but you forget one of the parameters you want to use in the rule, such as an email address, a header property, or some subject text that you want to base the rule on, you have to back out of the New Rule dialog box, or finish the new rule and return to edit it later, in order to regain access to Outlook again. The best way to avoid this frustration is to make sure you have all the logic properties you need to create a new rule before you start.