Using filters in Gmail

What we're going to do is to set up folders then create what are called filters to move emails right from our inbox directly into the folders we create! This way we can reduce the clutter in our inbox and have things organized even before we open our browsers! Good news!

Creating a new folder/label

The first thing you want to do is to create a folder where you'll sort different emails

1. Select an email you want to organize (a good start would be one that comes from the movementbuildingny@gmail.com address)
2. Above the main list of emails, a menu will show up. Choose either the folder or label icon.
3. From the bottom of the drop down menu select create new
4. In the popup window that appears enter the name of the new folder/label you want to store this and similar emails in (in our example, 'movement building')
5. Click create

You've just created a folder you can store emails related to Movement Building. The next step is to set up a process that will send new email directly to that folder so you will not see it in your inbox.

Creating a new email filter

1. Select the email you will be sorting
2. Click on the last menu option 'more'
3. From the drop down menu, click 'filter messages like these'
4. A popup window will show up. If the email is from one of our lists (movement building, interocc, etc…) Google will assume you want to filter it by the group. At the top of the popup window you should see something like this: "list:(<movementbuildingny.googlegroups.com>)" and you will have a number of options to choose from.
5. Since we want our emails to go to the new folder we just made we will select the following check boxes next to:
   1. Skip the Inbox (Archive it),
   2. Apply the label, and
   3. Also apply filter to xxx matching conversations.
6. Next to the 'Apply the label' checkbox, choose the folder you want future emails like this one to be sent (In our case the movement building folder we just made)
7. When you hit the 'create filter' button, all the emails that match this one will be moved from your inbox to this folder.

From now on, every email that comes to you that matches the filter you just created will NOT show up in your inbox. Instead it will go right to the folder for Movement building. This is important to remember. In the left column of gmail under the compose button you should see the new folder you created and in parenthesis the number of unread emails.

Videos

Inbox Zero: http://inboxzero.com/video/ (Only watch the first 30 minutes)