With this message classification in place, let's create a transport rule for illustration purposes. The goal of this rule will be to assign the classification Articles to messages sent to our internal editor address unless they're sent with low importance. In EMC, navigate to the Organization Configuration container and select Hub Transport. Recall that transport rules are stored in AD and apply to all Hub Transport servers in the organization. Select the Transport Rules tab, then click New Transport Rule in the Action pane to open the New Transport Rule wizard.
Transport rules must be assigned a name, but the description is optional. Click Next to go to the Conditions screen, select the check box for sent to people, and edit the description so the rule is applied to messages sent to Editor, as Figure 4 shows. Next, the wizard displays the Action screen where you can assign the message classification Articles, selected by its display name of Windows IT Pro, to messages meeting the conditions of the rule, as Figure 5 shows. Now, this rule needs an exception for messages sent with Low Importance, which you can set on the Exceptions screen. Click Next to complete the new transport rule, and the final window shows the PowerShell command you could use to create this same rule through EMS.
To test this transport rule, you can send an email message without any message classifications assigned to it to the Editor mailbox and verify that the message is assigned the message classification when it arrives. Figure 6 shows the Recipient Description text applied by the message classification Articles, which was assigned to the test email by the transport rule.
The full set of Hub Transport rule conditions and exceptions shown in Web Table 1 is available for transport rules based on message classification. Transport rule actions can be applied based on the presence of a specific message classification, and a message classification can be applied to a message based on certain transport rule conditions. Messages to or from specific people or groups, messages with specific words or text patterns in addresses, message bodies, or header content, and even attachment name or size can all be used by companies to regulate message flow.
As an example, a small law firm in Vancouver uses message classifications and transport rules to separate important client communication into a resource mailbox. Their goal is to use the resource mailbox as a mini–client archive for important communication only, regardless of sender. Users assign message classifications before sending critical email messages to clients, and a transport rule copies the message to the resource mailbox based on the presence of the message classification and the recipient address.
Some companies might use message classification to emphasize the importance or confidentiality of an email message. The HR department could send out a message advising staff about changes in the health plan and select a message classification designed to display specific recipient text at the top of messages read in Outlook 2007 and OWA 2007.
Rules and Classifications: Better Together
When you use message classification in the formation of Hub Transport rules, either as a condition, an exception, or an action, you get greater administrative control over message flow. Classifications can help you use transport rules to enforce corporate policy, adhere to compliance initiatives, and generally prevent email content from being distributed to recipients that shouldn't have access to it. The system of transport rules is far from perfect, and the challenges of message classification distribution might prevent some companies from deploying the feature. Still, the full versatility of transport rules from enforcing ethical walls to appending disclaimers is enhanced by the message labeling system called message classification.