Tip 1028: Copying Outlook data to another user

A manager wanted to know how to transfer all Outlook data to a new assistant.

I have a new assistant. I want to duplicate all of my old assistant's info in Outlook into the new assistant's Outlook. What is the best way to do this. I want Contacts, Email, Calendar and To-Do list. I also want to copy the way her Inbox looks.

This is actually really easy to do when you use a POP3 account: copy the pst file and use it as a the default data file in the new assistant's Outlook profile. This will copy all custom views, rules, and search folders to the new user's profile.

Delete any of the old messages or folders from the old pst file that the new assistant doesn't need.

To do this, copy the pst file then create the new profile using Control panel, Mail. You can let Outlook setup the account, but when it's finished, click the checkbox to Manually configure server settings (in Outlook 2013, it's called Change account settings) so you can select the pst file as the default pst.

If you use Exchange server, you can export the calendar, contacts, and tasks (and email, if desired) then import them into the new user's mailbox. However, this doesn't copy views (or rules and search folders). If the old assistant left the company, the administrator can rename the Exchange account and use it for the new assistant.

If the old assistant moved to a new department and is keeping the same Exchange mailbox mailbox it's possible to copy the views, but the method varies with the version of Outlook you use.

Published October 3, 2012. Last updated on October 3, 2012.