Sidebar Sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Weird problem with Outlook 2011

M

McSh5

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 13, 2011
28
0
I have Outlook set up with my Exchange server and a local PST file for off-server storage of all my mail. When I click and drag an email from my Inbox to a folder in my PST file, it should move the email. That's what it does for Windows and that's what it was doing when I first installed Outlook for Mac, at least I think.

Now, instead of moving it, it copies it, leaving one file in my PST and another in my Inbox. So I need to either hold down a button on the keyboard whilst clicking and dragging on my MBA, which is annoying, or I need to click, drag and then delete the file from my Inbox.

There must be a way to fix this. I've looked in settings everywhere and no luck. Any advice??? Thanks-
 
Shane112358 said:
Anyone? :cool:
Click to expand...
OK. You have engaged in a very bad practice. PST files are Outlook archives. You should not be routinely changing these files. Several years ago, I learned the hard way that that a PST file once munged may be munged forever.

There is no need to use PST files for your purpose. The Outlook sidebar has a folder named Folders on My Computer. You may drag everything that you want to remove from the server to that folder. This is not a move; it is a copy. Think of the potential problems if you have a network glitch during a move. You may remove messages from the server after you have ensured that they are properly copied to your local computer.
 
Yeah I don't think I have an option. Unless there is another way of doing it, I need to upload emails from my inbox to my PST file ASAP and I think that IT directed me to do it this way. But if there is another way I'm open to it.

Even though I back up my 5GB PST file regularly, I'm still a little scared of damaging it at some point.
 
miles01110 said:
It's worth noting that the OP might not have a choice. For cases in which mailboxes have size limitations, PST files are pretty much your only option.
Click to expand...
As an employee whose firm uses an Exchange server, I am acutely aware of the capacity limits imposed on Exchange accounts. I will repeat what I thought I made clear in my post above. You may copy your messages on the Exchange server to your local computer. You may also archive your messages and related data to PST or RGE files. After copying and/or archiving to PST, you may then delete the messages from your Exchange server.

In my own case, I have years of messages copied in the clear on my computer. I have most of these same messages stored in quarterly archives.
 
MisterMe said:
As an employee whose firm uses an Exchange server, I am acutely aware of the capacity limits imposed on Exchange accounts. I will repeat what I thought I made clear in my post above. You may copy your messages on the Exchange server to your local computer. You may also archive your messages and related data to PST or RGE files. After copying and/or archiving to PST, you may then delete the messages from your Exchange server.

In my own case, I have years of messages copied in the clear on my computer. I have most of these same messages stored in quarterly archives.
Click to expand...
Well I'm sorry, but I'm still confused.

First - Outlook for Mac only has the "On my computer" location if you have a local account *and* an Exchange account. So the use of "On my computer" is not an option for all. But, I do have that folder, so I digress.

Second - Outlook on PC doesn't have an "On my computer" location. In fact, short of saving each individual email as an HTML or MSG file, your only real recourse is to save it to the PST file locally.

Third - Technically speaking, since the PST file I have is on my computer locally, it is located in an account under the heading "ON MY COMPUTER". So, I have my Inbox, and then my Inbox "On my computer" up top. Then I have my WORK account, and then under my "ON MY COMPUTER" account, I have the folder "Storage" which is there because I imported my Storage.pst file into Outlook for Mac (from Outlook for PC).

So I still don't see what you're suggesting. Are you suggesting that I'm supposed to make folders under my Inbox "On my computer" and put stuff there? I don't want to move it from my Work inbox to another inbox.
 
Any help? It especially sucks because it doesn't seem to remember that I've replied to an email once I copy it into my PST file...
 
Shane112358 said:
My local folders aren't hidden. There is "on my computer" as an Inbox and "ON MY COMPUTER" heading where my storage PST file is.
Click to expand...
So make a new folder and move it to the "on my computer" section. If you move messages there rather than the PST you won't lose your reply history.
Edit: the folders you make there don't need to be in "on my computer/inbox".
 
chrfr said:
So make a new folder and move it to the "on my computer" section. If you move messages there rather than the PST you won't lose your reply history.
Edit: the folders you make there don't need to be in "on my computer/inbox".
Click to expand...
So, make a new folder in my local inbox. Is it not possible to make a local folder that isn't actually in my Outlook Inbox? Once I archive something it shouldn't be in my Inbox anymore, even if it's under a subfolder. It should be completely separate.
 
Shane112358 said:
So, make a new folder in my local inbox. Is it not possible to make a local folder that isn't actually in my Outlook Inbox? Once I archive something it shouldn't be in my Inbox anymore, even if it's under a subfolder. It should be completely separate.
Click to expand...
It is totally separate, just drag that folder to the "on my computer" header.
 
chrfr said:
It is totally separate, just drag that folder to the "on my computer" header.
Click to expand...
That's the problem. It doesn't matter if move it to a new folder under Inbox/My Computer, or under MY COMPUTER, or to the place I have been currently using under MY COMPUTER. Either way when I click and drag, it copies instead of moves.
 
Shane112358 said:
That's the problem. It doesn't matter if move it to a new folder under Inbox/My Computer, or under MY COMPUTER, or to the place I have been currently using under MY COMPUTER. Either way when I click and drag, it copies instead of moves.
Click to expand...

Yes, then you can just delete the original. Admittedly, it's far more clunky than it should be.
 
chrfr said:
Yes, then you can just delete the original. Admittedly, it's far more clunky than it should be.
Click to expand...
If you read my very first post, this is exactly the issue I was posting about. I don't care about the PST file or no PST file. It's worked for 6 years. I don't want to have to copy and delete every single time I want to archive an email in my storage folder.
 
Outlook 2011 for Mac will only IMPORT from a .pst file. You cannot export to .pst. It's a one way trip. Microsoft has made no announcements if or when this will change. If this is important to you, running Outlook 2010 under Parallels or VMware is your best option.

It's a faulty assumption to assume that Outlook 2011 Mac is a clone of Outlook 2010 for Windows. Outlook 2011 for Mac is v1 software where the Windows version is a mature product. SP2 due out the first part of 2012 should include some improvements and possibly new features.

Over time we'll see more features added but some features might never be able to be added to the Mac version.

Tip: If you import any PST files in Outlook 2011 for Mac, create a new Identity to import the file. Some users have lost all data after importing a PST file. Once you verify the imported file is OK, under File > Export select to export as .olm file. Import this file into your Main Identity.
 
Shane112358 said:
If you read my very first post, this is exactly the issue I was posting about. I don't care about the PST file or no PST file. It's worked for 6 years. I don't want to have to copy and delete every single time I want to archive an email in my storage folder.
Click to expand...

I read your first post. I guess you're asking for something Outlook 2011 doesn't do, if right-clicking and choosing "Move" doesn't work for you.
 
When you say 'my exchange server' is this at work or at home? If you have an exchange server at home, I would hope that you are backing it up regularly, which should negate the need to store messages locally, in a PST file that can become bloated and corrupt over time.

I too have an exchange 2010 server at home and use Outlook 2011 on my Mac. I backup my exchange server every night and know my messages are safe anytime I might need to restore them, should that need arise.
 
dianeoforegon said:
...

It's a faulty assumption to assume that Outlook 2011 Mac is a clone of Outlook 2010 for Windows. Outlook 2011 for Mac is v1 software where the Windows version is a mature product. SP2 due out the first part of 2012 should include some improvements and possibly new features.

....
Click to expand...
You are right, but for the wrong reason. Outlook 2011 is not v1 of anything. Outlook 2011 is v14 of Microsoft's own Entourage communications suite. Entourage is marginally compatible with Exchange Server. It is even less compatible with Outook 2010 and older versions of the Windows communications suite.
 
andy.stowe said:
Did anyone find a solution to the issue Shane is having? I also have the same issue.
Click to expand...

Negative. Because of this issue, but also the fact that Outlook emails didn't work as well in Spotlight, I switched the Mail.app and I'm much happier. There are a few things I miss but for the most part, I prefer Mail.app much more.
 
While it's not ideal...

Drag the email to the folder in your PST file while holding the "command" key. That'll do it. It's not ideal, since you need to hold the command key each time you move the email, but it should work.

FYI: I'm not an expert, so for all I know it's not going to wind up saving correctly to the PST (thoughts? anyone?), but it's moving email out of my Exchange Inbox and into the PST.
 
raniamilo said:
Drag the email to the folder in your PST file while holding the "command" key. That'll do it. It's not ideal, since you need to hold the command key each time you move the email, but it should work.

FYI: I'm not an expert, so for all I know it's not going to wind up saving correctly to the PST (thoughts? anyone?), but it's moving email out of my Exchange Inbox and into the PST.
Click to expand...

It's NOT PST file. It's just a folder with PST in the name.
 
solution!

Howdy,

I was researching this same issue and found a solution:



The drag and drop MOVE, will work, when you select the "Inbox" item on outlook and not the "Account" (ie: "Inbox" vs. "ServerInboxAccountName").

This won't be an option if the Outlook 2011 preferences for 'group folders' option was disabled, and thus no way to select the 'parent' all in one Inbox, as only one items shows with the name "Inbox", but only allows the copy by default, not the desired 'move'.

To enable this to work correctly, easily, change an Outlook preferences setting on your Macintosh computer to properly display the 'parent' Inbox icon, which then has 2 sub-items 'ServerInboxAccountName' and 'On My Computer', (although to keep things simple, this may remain 'collapsed' so there is only one integrated 'Inbox" item to click upon, and thus, will always have the desired behavior and be simple).

To do this, simply change one setting: Outlook preferences -> General -> Folder list -> "Group similar folders, such as Inboxes, from different accounts".

So, the behavior is different if you click upon the 'parent' top level all in one Inbox:
If you select the "Inbox" item, the default drag and drop will be the MOVE.

Vs.

If you click upon the disclosure triangle, then click upon the revealed sub-folder "ServerInboxAccountName", and you drag and drop a message, it will instead do a 'copy.
If you select the "account" mailbox, the drag and drop COPY will work by default.

This would also be the default behavior if the "Group similar folders, such as Inboxes, from different accounts" is disabled in Outlooks preferences.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back