Create a custom arrangement to sort by conversation in Microsoft Entourage
To create a custom arrangement that groups messages by conversation (based on the "Subject" field of e-mail messages) and then sorts each conversation by date received, with the newest messages at the top of the group:
- Open the mail folder, such as your inbox, that you would like to arrange. The message list for that folder should appear in your current Entourage window.
- Select View menu > Arrange By > Edit Custom Arrangements. The "Custom Arrangements: Mail" window appears.
- Click the "New" button to create a new custom arrangement. The "Edit Custom Arrangements" dialog box appears.
- Enter "Conversation and date" as the name of the custom arrangement.
- Click the pop-up menu next to "Group items by" and select "Conversation." This will use the Conversation header in e-mail messages to collect messages into groups by subject. Under most circumstances, the Conversation header is similar to the subject line of the message.
- Select "Received" from the first "Sort groups by" pop-up menu, and then choose "Newest on top" from the second pop-up menu. This will sort the groups so that the one with the newest message will be at the top of your message list.
- Choose "Conversation Index" from the "Sort items within groups by" pop-up menu, following that choice with the "Newest on top" selection in the second pop-up menu. This will sort the messages underneath each group heading so that they are listed newest-to-oldest.
- Set the "Default display for groups" pop-up menu to "Expanded." This ensures that all groups displayed by this custom arrangement will be expanded, so you will see all of the messages in each group in your message list. You can use the disclosure triangles in the shaded heading for each group to collapse or expand the group.
- Click the "OK" button to save the new custom arrangement.
- Click the close box in the title bar of the "Custom Arrangements: Mail" window.
To use the new arrangement, select View menu > Arrange By > Conversation and date. The message list will re-sort to the new criteria, grouping messages as needed.
Section: Use a Macintosh
Keywords: applications, e-mail, internet, mac os x, microsoft exchange
Question: How do I create a custom arrangement to sort by conversation threads in Microsoft Entourage?
FAQ item: true
Score: 500
