Some Conversations Not Grouping in Outlook 2010

jetablack4 · 13 Jun 2011

I have just purchased outlook 2010 about a month ago and have already noticed that it is very quirky, and I am kind of disappointed in the performance of the program. I am a home user, and I like the functionality of Outlook as I am used to it from work and the ability it has to hold my contacts, calendars and emails all in one place.

Anyway, the problem I am having at this current time with Outlook is that the conversation function is not working properly. For a majority of my group emails (about 70%), the conversation feature works great and groups all of my "chain" emails between friends or family together (based on topic). However, I have been noticing a few email chains are not grouping properly. Sometimes outlook will leave one message out of the group or it just wont group the emails at all, and I am left with a cluttered and unorganized inbox.

I have done a lot of research on this already and have found nothing. I am aware of the fact that the conversation feature works off of the email subject line, and for the emails that do not get grouped in the conversation have nothing changed at all in regards to the subject line. All these emails are grouping properly on my iPhone as well, so Apple's software seems to be working with no problems.

Does anyone have any clue what else could be affecting some of my emails and emails chains from grouping with the conversation setting? Thanks in advance!

Irene · 15 Jun 2011

I don't have a clear answer, but I wondered if when you right-click the 'Arrange By' bar, there is a 'View Settings' link.

There are a variety of options there to sort your mail. Maybe one of those will help. :)

jetablack4 · 15 Jun 2011

Where do you see the "arrange by" bar? Are you using outlook 2010?

Irene · 15 Jun 2011

Outlook 2010 - here it is:
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jetablack4 · 15 Jun 2011

Thanks for pointing that out - I now have more options with the conversation view, however, it does not solve the problem of some conversations not grouping. Very weird and annoying. Funny how my iPhone email software is more capable of handling conversations then Microsoft Outlook 2010!!!

Irene · 15 Jun 2011

If I find anything else relevant, I will post again.

pparks1 · 15 Jun 2011

I use Outlook 2010 at work and cannot use the Conversation view at all, as I miss lots of emails. People often send messages with no subject line, thus these get clumped together, even if days, weeks and months apart.

The other thing that I don't like is that I cannot put into conversation mode and then sort by SIZE. With my mailbox hitting capacity limits quickly, I'd love to sort my inbox for the largest conversations, but when you sort by size, it drops out of conversation view. The only way I can delete large conversations is to eyeball the column and scroll down and delete the big ones with an M, rather than a KB. Frustrating to say the least.

jetablack4 · 06 Jul 2011

Update:

I have noticed that the conversations that are not grouping properly are mostly due to responses by blackberry phones. When these people respond from their phone to a group email their message will show up separate from the conversation. If the next person replies to that email a new conversation group is started. Once that person with the blackberry responds back, again, their email is separated.

Anyone have any idea on why responses from blackberrys may be doing this?