Outlook email folders and be organized 6

[COEngineeer]

Hey, I started to put all of my work emails to different folders by job name. My question is, once the project is finish is there a way I can save the folder into a zip file or something where I can save it somewhere on my puter just in case I need to retrieve an email in the future? I can only find a way to safe each email. How do you guys get organized?

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

 

[jistre]

Look into the 'archive' feature. This will allow you to archive things you wish into an archive folder you can name whatever you wish. Archive everything related to that project into that folder, then at the end, everything you've archived into that folder is contained in one .pst file that you can store away. You can even open it like a regular folder and use it from the outlook toolbar over on the left.

Better yet, you can set folders to autoarchive files based on their age. Check into it. I have all my work emails set to archive automatically when they reach 3 weeks old because our email server only has 30 days retention. Then, at the end of the project, I archive all of the folders and have my record.

 

[COEngineeer]

Sweet, thanks jistre. I do a lot of rules so each project email will usually go to the correct folder automatically. But some projects take longer than the other so I can only archieve it when it is finish. I will look into it. Thanks!

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

 

[KENAT]

You don't have to use archive for this to work.

We have limited file space on our email server but can create folders elsewhere and put emails into it.

I can't recal the details of how I originally did it. On ours it's under 'personal' but I'm not sure if this is just our set up or outlook default.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[COEngineeer]

jistre, so I right click the foler and there is an option for archive. So when it archieves your folder (lets say 3 months or older), it will automatically delete all email on that folder that are 3 months or older right? So if I ever need to retrieve the email I can just open up the arhieve file saved?

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

 

[Ussuri]

I create an outlook data file for each project ( .pst file). I can then file all the project related emails in the .pst file. Once the project is finished I jut close the data file. If I need it again all the emails are there when i open it up again.

 

[ykee]

Make sure that archiving saves to the network! If you archive to your hardrive, there is may be no backup.

 

[kat6787]

I do the same thing and create a .pst folder for each project. But I've noticed that if I flag an email and then file into a .pst folder the email is no longer visible in 'For Follow Up' folder. Is there a way to archive the email but still have it show in the follow-up folder?

Cheers,
Kat

 

[IRstuff]

Just be aware that Outlook has a 2 GB limit on .pst file size. The closer you get to that limit, the squirrelier Outlook behaves. Natch, there's no warning from Outlook.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[cvg]

another method I use is just drag the messages to my project directory and they are saved as individual message files. somewhat simpler than working with .pst files IMO

 

[jistre]

Sorry for the late reply, but yes, that's generally how archiving works, COEngineer. As others have pointed out, there are a lot of ways to accomplish the same end results, though. I prefer the archive option because of the automation. I don't have to worry about forgetting to move an important email off of the server to keep from losing it. It just automatically happens.

 

[TomBarsh]

Outlook 2003 and later no longer has the 2 GB limitation on pst file size. I'm at around 8 GB now.

 

[dbengtson]

Hi:

Let my plug a pretty useful site for hints like this

http://www.lifehacker.com.

Dedicated to little things that make your life better. They've got a whole section on outlook tips and tricks, at

http://lifehacker.com/search/outlook/

It's pretty handy stuff.

Dave

 

[gouveia]

If you have Adobe 7 or newer it adds a PDF button in Outlook that will convert a folder to a single PDF file. The PDF file creates bookmarks that automatically sort by date/subject/sender. All attachements to the emails are also stored in the PDF.

I have done several folders with 2,000 emails and large attachements without issue.

This is what we have gone to and it has worked out very well. It is my understanding that this electronic format is slightly more efforable in legal proceedings.

 

[cvg]

gouveia
I have Adobe 7 - but no pdf button in Outlook (ver 2003) What version of outlook is that?

 

[TDAA]

Create a normal windows folder under your project and call it Email.

Drag and drop the email into that folder. It will show up as a little envelope. Double clicking on it will open the email. Any attachments will still be included in the email.

 

[COEngineeer]

tdda.. that wont work. That will only create a shortcut.

Never, but never question engineer's judgement

 

[cvg]

draggging the messages into a regular windows folder does work and that was my original suggestion. no .pst files to mess with and can be backed up with the rest of your project files. I do it all the time.

 

[MikeHalloran]

Yeah, it does work, sort of. The messages end up in little envelope icons labeled with the subject name. Outlook even handles name collisions, sort of. It appends (1),(2),(3) etc to the basic filename for all but one file. Except when you drag two sets of messages with the same subject into the same folder, it doesn't resolve collisions between the zeroth messages, i.e. you get asked if you want to over-write the old file or not, but you don't get the opportunity to rename either of the same- named files. The icons also get tagged with the date and time you moved them out of Outlook, not the date they were sent/received. So it can be laborious to make sense of a conversation archived this way.

Computers are supposed to make life easier. In this case, ... not so much.



Mike Halloran
Pembroke Pines, FL, USA

 

[TDAA]

Mike,

Computers DO make life easier. Microsoft does not!