Outlook save emails

dave22 · 21 May 2009 at 01:23

I use Outlook 2003 to access my email which is run on exchange. I have almost filled up my mailbox and so want to save most of them locally and then remove them from the server to free space.

Is there anyway of doing this whilst keeping them listed in outlook, in the same account?

MagicBoy · 21 May 2009 at 01:30

Auto Archive. Will copy the folder structure and move emails to a separate tree of folders underneath your exchange account.

Job done.

HungryHippos · 21 May 2009 at 09:12

I tend to suggest people archive manually as autoarchive is a bit rubbish

Create a new PST file by going to file > new > outlook data file, give it a name etc

This should show up under your mailbox on the left, expand it, create folders etc then you can just move items from your exchange mailbox into this PST file for storage, you will be able to open the items still within the same profile etc

only word of warning is that these emails are stored locally, so if they're important you should take backups of the pst file you created

blastman · 21 May 2009 at 11:06

As Eulogy stated auto-archive is a bit flaky so I'd go File-Archive and change the archive from date to the beginning of the last financial year and tick the box "Archive items mark as do not archive'. Also make sure you have personal folders selected in the top top window and not just 'inbox'

This will archive everything outlook has that is dated from before the start of the last financial year.

Seems to work well on my sales guys machines.

Hope it helps

dave22 · 21 May 2009 at 13:46

Thanks for the help

VeNT · 21 May 2009 at 14:35

tbh autoarchive works fine, IF you set it up correctly.

MagicBoy · 21 May 2009 at 16:47

VeNT said:
tbh autoarchive works fine, IF you set it up correctly.

Yep. I've been using various versions of Outlook over the years and since Outlook 2000 the autoarchive works fine.

The main problem in a corporate environment is that it stuffs the pst file in the local settings of the user profile by default which is a bad idea. Change the default location to the users personal network drive and it works fine and roams around with the rest of their settings.

HungryHippos · 21 May 2009 at 18:59

one of the biggest problems with auto archive is that it archives items based on modified date rather than actual age of item, has thrown many people off