Outlook: Archiving Email and Compacting PST Files

 

Why Archive Email

Archiving email  and compacting your Personal Folder (pst) file can greatly reduce the size of your personal folder.  As a result,  the efficiency of searching for email is increased and valuable server space is freed.

 

To Archive Outlook email:

Select any Outlook folder, and select File, Archive from the menu.  The following dialog box displays. 

 

Text Box: Select the folder you wish to archive.Text Box: NOTE: If you want to archive all the mail in the folder, change the date to a date in the future.

 

Text Box: Determine a location for the archive file. The default location varies according to operating system and Outlook version, but is usually: C:\Documents and Settings\xxzzzzzz\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\archive.pst where xxzzzzzz is your Novell login. However, you may wish to place the archive folder on the H drive so that it is located in the same folder as your personal folders.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


When you click OK, the mail is archived and removed from the original Personal folder or Inbox.

 

To View the Archived Items

 

Select File, Open, Outlook Data File from the Outlook menu.

Select the name of the folder you want to open, then click OK. 

 

 

 

The folder displays in your Outlook folder list.  The folder will remain visible unless and until you close it.  To close the folder, right click the folder name and select Close.

 

Text Box: Note: The Name “Archive Folders” can be changed by right clicking, selecting Properties, Advanced.

 

 

§         Microsoft indicates that message modification date determines the archive date of the email.  The latest date, whether it be the sent date, received date or modified date is the date that is used to determine if the message is archived.  The knowledge base article is somewhat vague about whether or not copying or moving email from one folder to another affects the modification date. 

 

§         In terms of the Archive folder itself, the folder and subfolder structure of the original pst file was maintained. 

 

Reducing the Size of the PST File

After archiving mail, the size of your pst file is not automatically reduced..  In order to reduce the size of the pst file, you must compact the file.  NOTE:  Depending on the size of your pst file, this process can be lengthy and can slow down the computer considerably.

 

To Compact Your PST File

 

From the Outlook menu, select File, Data File Management.

 

 

Select the pst file that you wish to compact and click the Settings button.    When the Settings dialog box displays, click Compact Now. 

 

 

 

A “Compacting Now” box will display while the pst file is being compacted.  Please keep in mind that this can be a lengthy process and your computer’s resources may be limited while the file is being compacted.

 

Auto Archive Option

You can configure Outlook so that your email is automatically archived.  To do this, select Tools, Options from the Outlook menu, then click the Other tab.  Click the Auto Archive button to display Auto Archive options.  Configure Auto Archive as you desired, then click OK