How do I create a saved search in Mimecast?

To create a saved search in Mimecast, you will navigate through the Administration Console, define your specific search criteria, and then save them for future use, allowing you to quickly retrieve frequently needed email archives.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up a saved search in Mimecast:

Step-by-Step: Creating a Mimecast Saved Search

Follow these instructions to define and save your custom search queries within the Mimecast Administration Console:

Log on to the Mimecast Administration Console: Access the administrative interface using your credentials.
Navigate to Saved Searches: From the main menu, go to Administration | Archive | Saved Searches.
Select a Folder: Choose an existing folder from the list or create a new one to organize your saved searches effectively. This helps in managing multiple search configurations.
Initiate a New Search: Click on the New Search button to open the search configuration dialog.
Complete the Search Dialog: This is where you define the specific parameters for your search. Carefully input the criteria that will filter your archived emails.
View Results and Save: After defining your criteria, click on the Search button to view the initial results. This allows you to verify that your search parameters are yielding the expected emails. Once satisfied, you will typically find an option to "Save" your search for future use.

Defining Your Search Criteria

When completing the search dialog, you'll specify the parameters that Mimecast will use to locate the desired emails. A well-defined search ensures accurate and efficient results. Key criteria typically include:

Search Name: Assign a clear, descriptive name to easily identify your saved search later (e.g., "Monthly HR Policy Communications," "Client XYZ Project Emails").
Message Attributes:
- Sender Address: Specify full email addresses, domains (e.g., *@example.com), or partial addresses.
- Recipient Address: Similar to the sender, include specific recipients (To, Cc, Bcc).
- Subject: Keywords or phrases found in the email subject line. Use quotation marks for exact phrases.
- Keywords/Content: Search for specific words or phrases within the email body or attachments.
Date Range: Define the period during which the emails were sent or received. You can select predefined ranges or custom dates.
Message Direction: Filter by inbound, outbound, or internal messages.
Attachments: Specify if messages should have attachments, or search for specific attachment names or types.
Message Status: Filter by delivered, rejected, held, or other statuses.

Practical Tips for Effective Saved Searches

Be Specific: The more precise your criteria, the more accurate and faster your search results will be.
Use Wildcards: Employ * as a wildcard for partial matches in fields like sender, recipient, or subject.
Boolean Operators: Utilize AND, OR, and NOT operators to combine multiple search terms for complex queries. For instance, (Sender: "[email protected]" AND Subject: "Invoice") OR (Recipient: "[email protected]" AND Date: last month).
Regular Review: Periodically review your saved searches to ensure their criteria remain relevant to your needs. You can easily modify or delete them as required.
Folder Organization: Leverage folders to keep your saved searches categorized, especially if you have many for different projects or compliance requirements.

Creating saved searches is a powerful feature within Mimecast, streamlining the process of e-discovery, compliance checks, and general email management. For more details and advanced search capabilities, refer to the Mimecast official website.