Thread by @dvir_segal

It all started when I decide to apply Inbox Zero in my @Outlook work account. Why? I've heard it might help me be more productive, but I actually did it to have a cleaner mailbox = less noise. Little did I know...

A thread 🧵

According to @howtogeek

It's a staple of digital productivity advice. “Achieving Inbox Zero” is the knowledge worker’s equivalent of “reaching enlightenment.” But Inbox Zero doesn’t mean having an empty inbox—it’s all about reducing email stress.

howtogeek.com/413507/what-is…

My setup was based on 8 folders and, in each, several subfolders. Total of 35 folder incl. Inbox. The incoming messages were automatically distributed using @Outlook rules. So, I had to flatten my mailbox somehow -> all messages back to the inbox (why? answered on the last tweet)

I started to manually move messages to inbox, then I realized I can try to automate this exhausting process.
I just right-click and moved all the folder's items into the inbox. It took some time and several clicks, and all messages moved there.

But then a hyperlink at the bottom of each one of the folders started to show up. Apparently, there are more items on the server-side. Outlook display only a partial view of your mailbox. I rushed into the outlook web mailbox, and there I saw the leftovers. ~17000 leftovers🤦🏻‍♂️

No way, I'll move them manually - it will take ages. I decided to do what every #Developer does. Write #code that would do it instead. I wondered what would be the quickest way. 🤔

I decided to use iMacros for Chrome, progress.com/imacros, but after some trial and error, it only helped me click and archive several items at a time since webmail limits the number of visible items. More are fetched when clicking "END" or scrolling down.

So I tried to simulate a click or a scroll, but for some reason, all my tries resulted in a failure. It might be related to my lack of knowledge or a limitation by the chrome extension. What's now?

I opened @VisualStudio and started writing a UI automation using @SeleniumHQ. After a couple of minutes, I've encountered the first (and the last) setback - entering login details using 2FA. Though I can bypass it working on an open webmail instance, I decided to neglect this way

I wondered, is there any chrome extension that already implements it? Yes. I've found katalton recorder, and after a quick setup - I reach the same setback - I can't fetch the whole items at once.

katalon.com/katalon-record…

Well, I need all those leftovers in my @Outlook client; how can it fetch all of them? @DuckDuckGo to the rescue! Searching for making the "view more on @Microsoft Exchange" hyperlink to disappear (meaning all items are local). And... I've found:

docs.microsoft.com/en-us/outlook/…

On the Send/Receive tab, I made sure "Download Full Items" is set. And that "Mail to keep offline" is set to full. That way, I had the whole mailbox instance on my local (as the above link suggests). From there, it was easy.

I right-clicked each folder and moved to the inbox

The final step is crucial. On @Outlook, all older items are under the "date:older" section (and this why I insisted on moving all items to one folder). Then, I folded it, right-clicked, and moved all items to the archive folder.

Profit!

(Hoping someone would find it helpful)