PURPOSE Folders and rules help organize repeat messages without losing important work. WHEN TO USE FOLDERS Use folders for reference material, completed work, recurring reports, or projects with long history. WHEN TO USE RULES Use rules for predictable messages such as notifications, newsletters, reports, or system alerts. Avoid rules that hide messages needing human action. BEST PRACTICES Keep rule names clear, test new rules, and review them regularly. Too many rules can make messages disappear into digital witness protection. TROUBLESHOOTING If mail seems missing, check rules, junk mail, archive folders, deleted items, and search filters.