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Rules

Rules decide what happens to every message passing through your Zimbra server. There are four rule types, and they all work the same way: you give the rule a name, describe which messages it should match, and say what should happen to them.

Rule types​

  • Policy rules - filter, block, modify, or route messages. This is the most general rule type, with the widest set of actions.
  • Signature rules - append user signatures to outgoing mail.
  • Disclaimer rules - add legal disclaimers or informational text.
  • Autoresponder rules - send predefined replies automatically.

Settings shared by every rule type​

The following settings behave identically no matter which rule type you are editing, so they are documented once:

  • Conditions & exceptions - which messages the rule matches, and which it skips.
  • Scheduler - restrict the rule to specific time windows.
  • Name - how the rule is identified in lists, search, and logs.

Content used by rules​

  • Templates - the signature and disclaimer bodies that signature and disclaimer rules insert.
  • Attachments - the files that policy and autoresponder rules can attach to a message.

Checking your rules​

  • Rules tester - simulate a message and see which rules would match, without sending real mail.
  • Events history - review what actually happened to messages that were processed.

What's next​

If you have not written a rule before, start with Create your first rule.