How to Manually Merge Outlook .pst Files..
When utilizing the Microsoft Outlook mail client, personal folders are created to store information on your hard drive or server. Grouped into .pst files, they typically contain items like messages, calendar information and any folders that you may have created. Think of a .pst file as your virtual file cabinet, and just like physical filing cabinets, these virtual counterparts require maintenance and thorough organization.
If Outlook personal folders are not properly managed, then the .pst file size may grow too big that errors occur. Further, you could end up with numerous ‘message cabinets’ in various locations that contain outdated and insufficient data. This could lead to the consumption of precious space and other problems if you are not careful.
Merge Outlook .pst Files for Easier Management
As you probably know, managing your Outlook .pst files can be a difficult task, especially when multiple files are involved. The best way to tackle this issue is to merge Outlook .pst files into a single folder. The tricky part is that without special software tools, you cannot combine .pst files together. Instead, you must import and export the data from one folder to another.
Firstly, backup Outlook pst files before you start combining them, just in case something goes wrong.
Now, to merge your Outlook .pst files, you must first locate them. In MS Outlook 2002 or 2003, go to File, then Data File Management to view all the Personal Folders currently being used by the mail client. Even though you should see a path, you can also click Open to go directly to a location where a specific .pst file is stored.
If you are certain that all of your folders are gathered in the same location, you should be all set. Even so, it is still recommended to perform a full search on your hard drive for other .pst files that are not actually being displayed in Outlook.
How to Combine .pst Files
Following the above steps will help you get your .pst files in one location. Although you may still have multiple folders, that is acceptable for now. It is a good rule of thumb to specify the Personal Folder you want to designate as the main delivery location and save it to a file name of your choosing.
To combine .pst files, you must work within the MS Outlook program and utilize the Import/Export function.
From the Tools menu, select Email Accounts. Next, move or Import/Export all the items from other Personal Folders into the main delivery location .pst file. For any sub-folders you may have created, you can set up another folder and move those items into it. Once all the data has been moved, close the original Personal Folder in Microsoft Outlook and then delete the original .pst file.
Conclusion
The end results of these steps will ensure that all of your .pst files are merged into a centralized location. There will be a standard Personal Folder for the delivery of your Outlook items and possibly more for sub-folders you have created. If you choose to, you can add files to these folders at your leisure. When you merge Outlook .pst files, organizing and managing the data they contain becomes much easier.
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