The import and export features can be used for several very important and/or useful tasks. The following are a few of the more important uses of import and export.

Backing up your Outlook data: This may include data such as contacts, calendars, mail, etc…
Transfering Outlook data from one computer to another.

Getting Started: Export

1. Open Outlook 2007

2. Locate File in the File Menu at the top left-hand corner of the window. Left-click on: File as shown below.

3. From the File Menu, you should see Import and Export… listed in the menu. Typically it will be close to the middle of the menu options window. Left-click on: Import and Export…

4. This should start the Import and Export Wizard. You’ll notice many other options here that may be of use to you and/or your company. However for the this tutorial, we are going to select the Export to a file option by left-clicking Export to a file as shown here.

5. Once you have selected the desired option, left-click Next to continue.

6. The next menu option will allow you to Export Outlook data to a specific file format. There are several file formats available here, and they have have particular uses and/or advantages typically involving restoration of data into other email applications or similar activities. Since the purpose to is to input the data back into Outlook at some point, we will choose Personal Folder File (.pst) by left-clicking the option as shown.

7. Once you have selected your desired file format, left-click Next to continue.

8. The next window will allow you to select the folders you would like to Export. For this tutorial, I am going to select my Mailbox as shown here. However you may want to select another folder and/or different data. For example, you might only want to export you contacts, calendar, or perhaps a specific folder.

9. Since my purpose for this export is to provide a backup file of all my Outlook data, I am going to include all the sub folders of my Mailbox. By default this should also get my personal contacts, personal calendar, messages, etc… because I previously selected Mailbox – Eric Armstrong. You may include this option by left-clicking the check box labeled: Include subfolders as shown here.

10. After you have selected all the data you would like to export, left-click Next to continue.

Optional: Export Location Method

The following method describes how to export the file to a specific folder that is created under the root of the “C Drive”. If you are already familiar with how to create folders and select a specific save location, you might want to skip ahead to step 11.

It is now time to choose where the file will be exported to. The default location is the directory containing your current Outlook data, or your user folder on the workstation. By default, these folders are hidden in Windows.

For ease of locating and transporting the exported file, I would suggest exporting to a location that is not hidden and more accessible. You can do this by typing the address in manually where the text is highlighted blue, or by left-clicking the Browse button as shown.

You may select the Down Arrow as shown here to select another folder and/or location to export the file.

For this tutorial, I’m going to left-click: Computer as shown here to access the drives available on my workstation.

I plan to save the exported file in a folder under my “C drive”, so from this point I will select the Local Disk (C:), by left-clicking it.

Left-click the New Folder button as shown below to create a new folder.

You may then type in the desired name for the folder as shown below. For this example, I have chosen the name: MyEmail.

At the next window, type the desired name for the file you are exporting. The default name is backup.

Once you have typed the desired name and/or you are ready to continue: left-click Ok to continue.

11. After choosing your export location, you may now select whether or not you would like to export duplicate items. Typically on an export this would not be a very important matter. I shouldn’t have any duplicate items to export, however for the sake of the tutorial, I select the option Do no export duplicate items.

12. After you have selected the desired option for duplicate items, left-click Finish to proceed.

13. You may now place a password on the data exported to the file if you so desire. The recommendations here will vary from technician to technician. If you have any fear of the data ever being accessed by anyone other than the required personnel, then you might want to consider a password. However if you plan to destroy the data and/or move it to a location that can not be accessed by outside sources, then the password protection would not really be necessary. Once you have decided and/or typed the desired password, left-click Ok to begin the export process.

*Please note: In some cases password recovery can be performed, however certain encryption and/or security options make this process: time consuming, difficult, and in some cases impossible. Please write your password down and store it in a safe location for future reference.*

The export process should now be on its way. The amount of time will vary depending on the size of your Outlook data, workstation hardware specifications, the export location, and etc… The window below shows the amount of time to export a single folder in the list I chose. Please be patient and do not cancel the process.

For information concerning importing in Outlook, please refer to: Outlook 2007: Import and Export (Part 2: Import)