Xiant Filer

Description

Looking on in despair as a mishmash of e-mails piles up in Outlook? Xiant Filer may be able to help. It silently analyzes the way you file your e-mail, and based on what it finds, it recommends the proper folders for you to put all your incoming messages. Then, with a single click, you can send your e-mail to the most logical folders, and you'll be able to find it more easily in the future. No need to teach Xiant Filer; the program figures out where to file based on your preferences, and learns over time.

So if you find yourself wishing your e-mail were more organized, and you can't get Outlook's rules to help you, it's well worth a try.

Xiant Filer works slightly differently depending on your version of Outlook. In Outlook 2003 and 2007 it installs as a toolbar with its own menu. In Outlook 2010 it creates its own new tab on the Ribbon, and puts all of its features there. Either way, though, it's a great way to automate routing messages to the right folders and making your e-mail life more productive.

Given that Outlook has the built-in ability to create rules that can perform a similar task, not everyone will need to pony up the $20 for Xiant Filer. It depends on how badly you need to cut through your e-mail clutter. It's far easier to route e-mail properly with Xiant Filer than it is to use Outlook's rules, which can be nearly incomprehensible. So if you find yourself wishing your e-mail were more organized, and you can't get Outlook's rules to help you, it's well worth a try.