Mail filters and Linux email clients

I currently work in an environment where we are simply inundated with emails.  This comes from a desire to be more open and transparent but the vast majority of the emails are notifications from automated jobs, bounced emails, source repository check-ins, ...  Mail filters are essential so that the important emails can stand out.  Features of mail filters differs depending on the client used:

	Filter settings exportable/restorable?	Cross-client tags/labels?	Can create filter from existing message?	Can execute filters immediately on existing email?
Thunderbird	Yes, but Thunderbird profile directory is huge, containing mail for off-line browsing too	Yes (“tags”)	Appears to be No	Yes
Evolution	Yes	Yes (“labels”)	Yes	Yes, but execution is slow
Zimbra (web mail)	Appears to be No	Yes, but weird names (which can be renamed for Zimbra)	Yes	Appears to be No

Other considerations:

• Server-side filters are best (no need to have client program running to process incoming mail) but immediate execution (i.e. to act on an existing folder of email) is necessary
• Filters can move messages into client-side folders if the mail is of little interest, or server-side folders (for cross-client access). Note that it may be necessary to “subscribe” to server-side folders (e.g. in Evolution, Folders > Subscriptions). Using client-side folders will allow you to keep within your mail quota
• In Evolution, for filters to work the way you expect, Edit > Preferences > Receiving Options tab > check "Apply filters to new messages in INBOX on this server"