A number of our users have asked for additional information on the "behind the scenes" functionality of ClearContext. This is the final installment in a series of posts summarizing ClearContext design concepts. For more detailed information, see our whitepaper Designing a More Effective Inbox.
In addition to message prioritization, ClearContext provides the ability to group and label email conversations within the inbox and an automated filing system that takes into account threads rather than individual messages.
Thread Organization
For the purposes of the ClearContext Inbox Manager, we define an email thread as an initial email and all related responses. This is also referred to as an email conversation. Within the user’s prioritized inbox, all of the responses in a thread of emails with the same subject are grouped next to each other. This is done automatically within ClearContext default views, giving the user a quick view of all related inbox messages.
Automated Filing
ClearContext supports topic assignment to email. Responses to that email (both sent and received) are automatically marked with the same topic. Buttons are provided on the Outlook menu bar to automatically file entire topics and/or individual messages within the ClearContext Filing system. In addition, ClearContext can be configured to save sent messages into the appropriate topic folder. This saves the user the hassle of trying to locate information in the Sent Mail folder.
For further automation over received messages, the AutoAssign feature in ClearContext allows the user to set up rules for incoming messages. Based on factors such as sender, title, and/or keywords, incoming email can be automatically assigned a Topic Name and/or a Priority. In addition, a rule can be set to automatically file messages meeting these user-configurable criteria.