Organize Outlook email (delete messages that have been replied to)

Question

Imagine the scenario where you and I converse on a subject via email. Each time we reply to the other's email, we include all the message along with our response. If we strictly alternate our replies, then clearly I can delete all but the last message and retain the entire conversation.

Now add several more people to this scenario and remove the strict alternation of replies such that the latest message no longer contains the entire conversation.

Is there a tool that can delete messages in the thread such that the entire thread can be reviewed with a minimum number of messages?

Or, take it to the next level and merge all responses in such a way as to preserve the entire conversation in a single message.

Answer 1

What you're asking for seems to play right into what Google was thinking for "Google Wave." Since 99% of us don't have that, you're looking at a 3rd party add-on for Outlook. I did a search and a few options came up.

This was at the top and seemed to be exactly what you're looking for: http://www.easylinkmail.com/

They appear to have a demo. Maybe you want to give it a shot and see how it works for you.

Answer 2

...or just use this VBA code for free and don't pay $80 for something so simple:

Public Sub DeleteMessagesWithRepliesWithoutAttachments()

Dim myOutlook As Outlook.Application

Dim myNameSpace As Outlook.NameSpace

Dim myMailItem1 As MailItem

Dim myMailItem2 As MailItem

Dim lMailItem As Long

Dim deleteThisOne(10000) As Boolean

Dim cID(10000) As String

Dim atts(10000) As Integer

Dim numItems As Long

Dim ci1 As String, ci2 As String

Dim nd As Integer

On Error GoTo Err1:

Set myOutlook = Outlook.Application

Set myNameSpace = myOutlook.GetNamespace("MAPI")

numItems = myOutlook.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder.Items.Count

If Outlook.ActiveExplorer.Selection.Count > 0 Then

For m = 1 To numItems
    Set myMailItem1 = myOutlook.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder.Items(m)
    cID(m) = myMailItem1.ConversationIndex
    atts(m) = myMailItem1.Attachments.Count
Next

For m = 1 To numItems - 1
    For n = m + 1 To numItems
        If Len(cID(n)) > Len(cID(m)) Then
            If Left(cID(n), Len(cID(m))) = cID(m) And atts(m) = 0 Then
                deleteThisOne(m) = True
            End If
        ElseIf Len(cID(m)) > Len(cID(n)) Then
            If Left(cID(m), Len(cID(n))) = cID(n) And atts(n) = 0 Then
                deleteThisOne(n) = True
            End If
        End If
    Next n
Next

End If

For m = numItems To 1 Step -1

If deleteThisOne(m) = True Then
    Set myMailItem1 = myOutlook.ActiveExplorer.CurrentFolder.Items(m)
    myMailItem1.Delete
    nd = nd + 1
End If

Next m

MsgBox (Str(nd) + "items were deleted.")

Exit Sub

Err1: MsgBox ("There was an error - sorry! Try deleting non-messages from the folder first.")

End Sub