Patent ID: 6957248

Claim:
A method to forward messages in an organization having an e-mail system wherein messages that are sent to a departed member's e-mail address are forwarded to a successor member's e-mail address, the method comprising the steps of: associating the departed member's disfavored e-mail address with the successor member's e-mail address as a corresponding forwarding address in an e-mail forwarding computer; providing an electronic address for receiving messages at the e-mail forwarding computer, said messages relating to any of the plurality of disfavored e-mail addresses; receiving said messages at the electronic address; identifying, with the e-mail forwarding computer, a disfavored e-mail address in a received message, the disfavored e-mail address being other than the electronic address for the e-mail forwarding computer; determining, with the e-mail forwarding computer, a forwarding e-mail address associated with the disfavored e-mail address; sending a forward confirmation request, indicating that the message will be forwarded, to a message originator; and waiting until a forwarding confirmation authorization is received from the message originator before initiating the forwarding step and forwarding at least a portion of the received message from the e-mail forwarding computer to the associated forwarding e-mail address.