How to set Filters for CC to a specific address (not me)

Question

As per the title, I would like to set a filter for the following combination:

1. cc is set a specific address (not to myself)
2. any subject The second condition appears redundant but I've placed it there because several fake "solutions" posted are using this as a workaround instead of addressing the original ask from other posters.
   In my case, the subject is ever changing and is not feasible

Answer 1

Hi @Fyora

Thank you for posting your question in the Q&A Forum.

To address filtering for a specific address appearing in the Cc field independent of the subject line or your own address, one available approach in a Microsoft 365 Business environment is to evaluate the message header.

Using Outlook on the Web (OWA) may provide access to rule conditions that are not always exposed in the New Outlook for Mac interface. To try this:

1. Sign in to outlook.office.com
2. Go to Settings (gear icon) > Mail > Rules > Add new rule.
3. Under Add a condition, look for Message header includes.

(Note: The availability of this condition can vary depending on your specific tenant configuration).

4. If available, configure as follows:

• In the box labeled "Enter words to look for", type the header name followed by the SMTP address exactly like this: Cc: ******@domain.com.
• Press Enter to add the tag. Using the full SMTP address rather than a display name helps improve matching consistency within the raw metadata.

5. Choose your preferred action, such as Move to folder or Categorize.
6. Optional Exception: You may add an exception such as "I am on the To line" if you want to exclude cases where you are the primary recipient.

Important Considerations:

• Header Logic: Header-based rules evaluate the raw message metadata. By including the Cc: prefix in the search string, the rule specifically looks for that address within the CC portion of the header.
• Server-Side Alternative: If the "Message header includes" condition is not available in your OWA view, or if this requirement needs to be enforced consistently across your organization, your IT administrator can configure a Mail Flow Rule (Transport Rule) in the Exchange Admin Center.

Mail Flow Rules operate at the server level and can inspect message headers before delivery to any Outlook client. You can refer your IT team to the official documentation here: Mail flow rules (transport rules) in Exchange Online | Microsoft Learn

This approach avoids subject-based workarounds and aligns more closely with your CC-specific filtering requirement.

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