Description of the behavior of the now() function when you use it to create a filter and customize the current view of a folder in Outlook 2003 and Outlook 2002 (817961)

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The behavior of the now() function is different in Outlook 2003 and in Outlook 2002 when you use it to customize and apply a filter to the current view of a folder by using custom criteria on the Advanced tab of the Filter dialog box.

Outlook 2003

When you use the now() function to apply a filter to the current view by using custom criteria in the Advanced tab of the Filter dialog box (on the View menu, point to Arrange By, point to Current View, click Customize Current View, and then click Filter) in Outlook 2003, the now() function in the Find items that match this criteria box of the SQL tab is resolved to the current date and time. That is, the date and time that is represented by the now() function on the SQL tab changes to whatever the current date and time is at the time that you apply the filter.

For example, when you create a filter to display all the items that are sent on or after a specified date and time, and you set the value to now(), only the items that are sent on or after the current date and time appear. When you click the SQL tab, the date and time that appears in the Find items that match this criteria box is the current date and time.

Outlook 2002

When you use the now() function to apply a filter to the current view by using custom criteria in the Advanced tab of the Filter dialog box (on the View menu, point to Current View, click Customize Current View, and then click Filter) in Outlook 2002, the now() function in the Find items that match this criteria box of the SQL tab is resolved to the date and time that you applied the filter. That is, the date and time that is represented by the now() function on the SQL tab is resolved to an absolute time and does not change to reflect the current date and time.

For example, when you create a filter to display all the items that are sent on or after a specified date and time, and you set the value to now(), only the items that are sent on or after the time and date that you applied the filter appear. When you click the SQL tab, the date and time that appears in the Find items that match this criteria box is the date and time that you originally created the filter.

For more information about about how to filter a view in Microsoft Outlook, click Microsoft Outlook Help on the Help menu, type view filters in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topic.