Creating a Single Pattern Filter
A single pattern filter contains one rule that is matched against your incoming email.
You can also create a multi pattern filter, which allows you to combine pattern filters you have already created. See Creating a Multi Pattern Filter.
Go to 'Filtering' > 'Pattern Filtering' and follow the steps below to create a single pattern filter.
- Select 'Add' > 'Single Pattern' and the Create a Single Pattern Filter window displays.
- Complete the fields as follows:
- Pattern Name: Assign a name to this pattern filter. This is useful when searching for patterns in the Pattern Filtering table.
- Pattern Description: Provide an (optional) description of this pattern filter. This is useful for searching patterns in the Pattern Filtering table.
- Pattern Expression: Select how this pattern filter is evaluated. Select one of the following:
Option Description Starts with The body or header must start with this value.
Note: If Starts with is selected and Apply to body is selected, the subject line is seen as the start of the body. In this case, the subject line is filtered and not the body."Ends with The body or header must end with this value. Matches regular expression Enter a regular expression to match against the body or header.
See https://www.regular-expressions.info/ for information on using regular expression.Matches any word in Enter a list of words separated by a comma. If any word on the list is in the body or header, the pattern filter will trigger. Contains The body or header must contain this value. Equals The body or header must be exactly equal to this value. - Value: Enter an expression value. Expression values are case-insensitive.
- Rule Type: Select an option to determine how this pattern filter is scored and treated.
Option Description Hard Block Adds a score of 100 to the email, causing it to be blocked. Hard Allow Subtracts a score of 100 from an email, causing it to be allowed. Soft Block Adds a configurable positive score, between 0.01 and 99.99 (default:5) Soft Allow Subtracts a configurable negative score, between -0.01 and -99.99 (default: -5) Test Mode Use Test Mode to create a pattern filter that triggers when a match is found, but does not affect the score of the mail (score adjustment: 0)
Note: Test mode can be selected when creating a single or a multi pattern filter. However, this mode only executes when rules are combined as part of a multi pattern filter. - Score: This field can be edited to a custom value if Soft Block or Soft Allow is selected in the Rule Type field.
- Apply to Headers: By default, a pattern filter triggers on any header. Therefore, if this field is selected and left empty, the pattern filter is triggered on all headers.
However, you can chose to enter only certain email headers. In this case, the pattern is triggered on only the headers you enter. For example, you can enter To, From, Cc, Subject, ALL, X-Header-From-Another-Box, Received. - Enter one header per line.
- Syntax is either From or From:
- The following special header rules can also be entered:
Header Rule Description EnvelopeFrom Triggers on the Envelope MAIL FROM instead of the From header. ToCc Triggers on both the To and Cc headers. ALL The rule will trigger on any header.
- The following three options are also available to append to a header. For example, From:addr.
Option Description :raw Append to the end of a header to prevent decoding of quoted-printable or base64 encoded headers. :addr Append to the end of a From or To header to make the rule only trigger on the address in the header. :name Append to the end of a From or To header to make the rule only trigger on the name in the header. - Apply to Body: Select to trigger this pattern filter on the body of an email (default: ON).
- Use Rawbody: Select to allow your body rules to trigger on the HTML of an email.
Note: Rawbody tests can cause excessive CPU usage and cause mail queues, so use with caution.
- Select 'Create' to create this single pattern filter or 'Cancel' to discard.