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Outlook for MAC Client - Alternative to Simplyfile?

C

cmhsam

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 14, 2008
448
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Hey everyone! I am a newer MAC user who switched from Windows recently. For the Windows version of Outlook there was a 3rd party app called SimplyFile which allowed easy filing for email into mail folders.

Simplyfile is not available for the MAC version of Outlook or for the Outlook Web Client. Does anyone know of an alternative solution for the Outlook Client on MAC that allows for one touch filing of emails into folders?

Simplyfile link https://www.techhit.com/SimplyFile/
 
1. it's Mac, not MAC. MAC is short for Media Access Control, not Macintosh

2 I believe the codebase for Office for Mac and Office for Windows is completely different, and add ons like Simplyfile won't work.

3. I'm not sure how Simplyfile works or what it would do, but it does appear to use some type of AI. I can't think of anything similar off the top of my head.
 
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The Mail app in macOS learns/remembers folders like that for me. For instance, after filing a few Bank of America emails to my "Bank of America" folder, when I right-click an email from them now one of the items in the menu that pops up is "Move to 'Bank of America'". Not sure if Outlook for Mac does that or not.
 
Has anyone tried Email Filing Assistant Pro? It seems to support Outlook for Mac and support intelligent filing like Simplyfile.
 
Kroberts said:
Has anyone tried Email Filing Assistant Pro? It seems to support Outlook for Mac and support intelligent filing like Simplyfile.
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I looked at the website. For $5 i downloaded it this morning and went through the indexing. So far it only seems like its suggesting folders labeled "archive" or "clutter". Nothing else since I use a filing strategy for emails that files by sender name. Emailed the developer of the app and will see what they say.
 
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Crazy, came here searching wondering if this has been asked and see that only yesterday here it is.

Apple developers are usually way ahead of the Windows curve on niche productivity software so I'd be surprised if there isn't a good option - Outlook or otherwise. Please let us know what you find. Thanks!
 
So far my experience has been negative with the plugin. I have indexed my emails several times and the only two folders its suggesting is "archive" or "clutter" no matter which filing method I choose in the app. I emailed the developer and still no response.

If I dont hear back by end of day i will send a note to apple requesting a refund.
 
I have the same challenge. Using SimplyFile on my PC and now transitioned to Mac. My biggest issue is not having SimplyFile or similar to help me handle my inbox, and filing mail to folders. I have been looking but came up with nothing so far
 
So i was finally able to dedicate a few minutes and got this configured. It actually works very well and the only two complaints that I have are minor for the functionality

1. It doesnt integrate into the Outlook Ribbon which i assume is limited by Microsoft

2. Havent figured out how to manually move the email(s) into the folder once I click the corresponding folder in the Email Filing Assistant Pro App.
 
If what you are after is to filter less important mail into various folders the SaneBox is an excellent, and platform independent software. Can highly recommend, even if it is costly.

I use that and then simplyfile to sort mail I want to save into different folders based on content. Parhaps I am old fashioned and should just save everything and rely on search to find mail I want to find?
 
seclo said:
If what you are after is to filter less important mail into various folders the SaneBox is an excellent, and platform independent software. Can highly recommend, even if it is costly.

I use that and then simplyfile to sort mail I want to save into different folders based on content. Parhaps I am old fashioned and should just save everything and rely on search to find mail I want to find?
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I am old fashioned as well and prefer to archive everything into folders for better organization. Dont like having all my emails in by inbox.

Also - search is excellent but still not where it needs to be for Outlook on MAC. The new UI for Outlook on the MAC (which is being released in parallel with Big Sur, IMHO, is absolutely horrible. The messages that are filed/sent show up in the message thread (if you select conversation view) and it makes it very tough to determine if your emails are in your inbox or filed into folders. Maybe this comes back to the "old school mentality" of filing away emails but when I was forced to use a Windows PC for work, SimplyFile, was my godsend.
 
cmhsam said:
I am old fashioned as well and prefer to archive everything into folders for better organization. Don't like having all my emails in by inbox.
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Me too! I get uncomfortable just leaving everything in Archive; how do you know if your search criteria actually found everything relevant? I do need to learn more about MailMate smart folders and how to use them correctly, though.
 
Hi cmhsam, so did you find a alternatieve for SimplyFile? I hope you will read this message. I'm switched to the Mac and I'm trying to get things working. SimplyFile rocks :)
 
jva1983 said:
Hi cmhsam, so did you find a alternatieve for SimplyFile? I hope you will read this message. I'm switched to the Mac and I'm trying to get things working. SimplyFile rocks :)
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I have not found an alternative that works as well. I tried email filing assistant pro and never could get the index to build right so finally gave up.
I ended up buying parallels, installing windows, and use outlook on windows just for simply file. This is how much I relied on the tool.

still searching.
 
Outlook for Mac is a dumpster fire in the middle of a 10-car pileup on the freeway in the middle of a lightning storm. Don't bother trying to get anything about the app to work the way it does on windows, let alone the way it should.
 
Thank you for you quick reply cmhsam. if i find a solution :rolleyes: I will post it here.

MacGizmo: hilarious described 🤣. But oh dear,o_O can you recommend a good email program to me?
 
The filing feature you're looking for is more or less built-in to the Apple Mail app, which is what I use. I've tried using just about every e-mail app I come across and find them all to be severely lacking in one area or another. I keep coming back to Apple's Mail app because of the interoperability with other Mac apps and iOS platform.
 
Several evenings I searched for a good mail client with the filling feature. I had quick look at the Apple mail client. I thought it won't have the function so i didn't look closely 🤯. But there it is, filling feature in apple mail client, and it works quite well. Thanks for the tip MacGizmo. 👏🏻😁
 
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jva1983 said:
Several evenings I searched for a good mail client with the filling feature. I had quick look at the Apple mail client. I thought it won't have the function so i didn't look closely 🤯. But there it is, filling feature in apple mail client, and it works quite well. Thanks for the tip MacGizmo. 👏🏻😁
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Apple's mail app has a surprising amount of functionality... about as much as the features it is missing. There's so much Apple could do to make it better, but it's pretty darn good the way it is now.
 
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