Configuring categorization policies

Categorization policies enable you to categorize emails at the organization level, by labeling emails based on content before they are stored in the archive stores. For example, you can configure a categorization policy that labels emails with the label ‘Sales’ if they contain the keyword ‘advert’ in the body or subject, and are sent or received by the following address, ‘sales@master-domain.com’.

Categorization policies are useful when you want to limit your search to emails with a specific label. The fact that GFI MailArchiver labels the email at the organization level before archiving, guarantees that all emails that fit the conditions specified in the categorization policy have the correct label. Although GFI MailArchiver supports user level labeling of emails, relying on end users to label emails correctly is not reliable since a user might forget to label an email. In addition, if a categorization policy labels an email, all the users who have access to that particular email will be able to see the label and they can search for all the emails categorized with that label.

How are categorization policies applied to emails?

GFI MailArchiver will check the content of an email against any categorization policies configured at the time of archiving. If one or more categorization policies match the email content, GFI MailArchiver will label the email with the labels configured in the matching categorization policies.

NOTE: Categorization policies created or modified after GFI MailArchiver has already stored an email in an archive store will not affect that email. This is because GFI MailArchiver checks emails against categorization policies only at the time of archiving.

Creating a categorization policy

To create a categorization policy, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the ‘Introduction to the Configuration’ section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver > Configuration > Categorization Policies node, in the left navigation pane.

3. Click Add Categorization Policy to display the Categorization Policy Wizard.

4. On the first page, type a descriptive name for the categorization policy in the Categorization Policy Name box. The Categorization policy in effect check box should be selected if you want GFI MailArchiver to check emails against this categorization policy. Click Next to continue.

Screenshot 99 - Categorization Policy Wizard

5. In the Subject Keywords page, you can specify a list of keywords. If the email subject contains any of the keywords specified and the email satisfied the other conditions configured in the wizard, the categorization policy would apply to that email. To add a keyword or phrase, type it in the box to the left of the Add button, and then click Add.

Screenshot 100 - Subject keywords

6. Repeat step 5 to add more keywords. The wizard displays the conditions that must be satisfied by the email in order for the categorization policy to apply in the Apply categorization policy if box.

7. If you want to match whole words only, select the Match whole words check box. Click Next to continue.

8. In the Body Keywords page, you can specify a list of keywords. If the email body contains any of the keywords specified and the email satisfied the other conditions configured in the wizard, the categorization policy would apply to that email. To add a keyword or phrase, type it in the box to the left of the Add button, and then click Add.

9. Repeat step 8 to add more keywords. The wizard displays the conditions that must be satisfied by the email in order for the categorization policy to apply in the Apply categorization policy if box.

10. If you want to match whole words only, select the Match whole words check box. Click Next to continue.

 

Screenshot 101 - Body keywords

11. In the Email Sender page, you can specify a list of Active Directory (AD) users and email addresses. If the email sender matches any of the AD users / email addresses specified and the email satisfied the other conditions configured in the wizard, the categorization policy would apply to that email. To add a specific email address, select Email from the list that is inline with the Add button.

12. In the box next to the list, type the email address. The wildcard characters ‘?’ and ‘*’ can be used to match more than one email address. Note that the ‘@’ sign must always be present in the email address specified. You can use question marks to match any letter. For example, ???n@?aster-domain.com will match both john@master-domain.com and joan@faster-domain.com. To match a whole domain, use the asterisk wildcard instead of the account name, for example *@master-domain.com. Click Add.

NOTE: You can specify both local email addresses as well as external email addresses.

13. To add more email addresses, repeat step 12.

14. To add an AD user, select User from the list that is inline with the Add button.

15. The list next to the Add button, lists all email enabled AD users. Select the one you want to add and click Add.

16. To add more AD users, repeat step 15.

 

Screenshot 102 - Email Sender

17. Click Next to continue.

18. In the Email Recipient page, you can specify a list of Active Directory (AD) users and email addresses. If one or more of the email recipients match any of the AD users / email addresses specified and the email satisfied the other conditions configured in the wizard, the categorization policy would apply to that email. To add a specific email address, select Email from the list that is inline with the Add button.

19. In the box next to the list, type the email address. The wildcard characters ‘?’ and ‘*’ can be used to match more than one email address. Note that the ‘@’ sign must always be present in the email address specified. You can use question marks to match any letter. For example, ???n@?aster-domain.com will match both john@master-domain.com and joan@faster-domain.com. To match a whole domain, use the asterisk wildcard instead of the account name, for example *@master-domain.com. Click Add.

NOTE: You can specify both local email addresses as well as external email addresses.

20. To add more email addresses, repeat step 19.

21. To add an AD user, select User from the list that is inline with the Add button.

22. The list next to the Add button, lists all email enabled AD users. Select the one you want to add and click Add.

23. To add more AD users, repeat step 22.

Screenshot 103 - Email recipient

24. Click Next to continue.

Screenshot 104 - Categorization policy action

25. In this page, you must specify the label you want GFI MailArchiver to assign to the emails that match this categorization policy. You can either select an existing categorization label from the list or else type a new label. Click Next to continue.

Screenshot 105 - Categorization policy settings summary

26. On the last page of the wizard, you can review the settings and conditions configured in the previous pages. To finish and close the wizard, click Finish.

Screenshot 106 - Saved categorization policy

27. GFI MailArchiver will list the new categorization policy in the table.

Screenshot 107 - An email categorized at the organization level

Re-configuring a categorization policy

NOTE: If you re-configure the conditions of a categorization policy, emails present in an archive store are not affected.

If you want to modify a categorization policy, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the ‘Introduction to the Configuration’ section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver > Configuration > Categorization Policies node, in the left navigation pane.

3. From the table, click the button to the right of the categorization policy you want to modify, to display the Categorization Policy Wizard. Use the wizard as outlined in the ‘Creating a categorization policy’ section earlier in this chapter.

NOTE: To remove keywords, AD users or email addresses from any of the lists in the Categorization Policy Wizard, click the button to the right of the corresponding entry you want to remove.

4. When you finish and close the wizard, click Save Settings.

Removing a categorization policy

NOTE: If you remove a categorization policy, GFI MailArchiver will not modify the emails already stored in the archive stores. For example, if an email was labeled ‘Sales’ through a categorization policy, GFI MailArchiver will not remove the ‘Sales’ label if you delete the corresponding categorization policy.

If you want to remove a categorization policy, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the ‘Introduction to the Configuration’ section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver > Configuration > Categorization Policies node, in the left navigation pane.

3. Click the button to the right of the categorization policy you want to remove.

4. Click Save Settings.

Enable / disable a categorization policy

If you want to enable / disable a categorization policy, follow these steps:

1. Load the GFI MailArchiver configuration as shown in the ‘Introduction to the Configuration’ section earlier in this chapter.

2. Click on the GFI MailArchiver > Configuration > Categorization Policies node, in the left navigation pane.

3. From the table, click the button to the right of the categorization policy you want to modify, to display the Categorization Policy Wizard.

4. On the first page of the wizard select or clear the Categorization policy in effect check box, to enable / disable the categorization policy respectively.

5. Click Finish to close the wizard.

6. Click Save Settings.