Tip 142: Importing and Exporting

Importing and Exporting has a time and place–and that time and place is not when you are setting up a new computer and need to move your Outlook data from the old computer. Locate the *.pst on the old computer, move it to the new computer and connect Outlook to it.

When you use import and export, you reset the Modified date. Since AutoArchive looks at the modified date, it won't work on the imported messages until you are past the AutoArchive date. Views and other hidden information are ignored by Import and Export, meaning you'll need to recreate custom views. Journal links to Contacts are broken. Contact's birthdays and anniversaries may not import.

When is Import and Export good? When you need to move just Calendar or Contact items to another computer. Most pst are too large to move on a floppy disk, some are too large for smaller USB keys, but a pst with only calendar or contacts will often fit on a floppy and unless you have a large number of appointments or contacts, or they have large attachments, a pst containing only these items will fit on a small USB key. You'll still lose custom views, have a new modified date and break links, but these issues are less important when you are sharing items.

*This works for Notes, Tasks, and Journal items too.

Published June 9, 2004. Last updated on August 20, 2013.