Basic Microsoft Outlook Support Issues

5 Basic Microsoft Outlook Support Issues

Whether you support only yourself or an enterprise full of customers, you will find Outlook confronting but worth it. Most of the time, it’s sufficient to know where Outlook kept its data. However, as you take benefit of Outlook’s various features, you will run into a few usual behaviors. Knowing the beginning of these behaviors will make your job a lot simpler. Here is a look at some of the general issues that Outlook customers are likely to face.

Note: Particular instructions apply to Windows XP Professional machines in Classic view, utilizing Outlook 2003 on non-Exchange systems.

Work with your .pst file
Outlook keeps each customer’s folders, messages, files and forms in a special file known as a Personal Folder file. You can copy, save, and even move a Personal Folder (.pst) file, however you shouldn’t precede it unless you have a particular reason for doing so and know what you are you doing. Use Windows Search to discover the file rapidly using the search string *.pst. Generally, this file is on the local drive. Moreover, if you are on Microsoft Exchange Server, you may not have access to it. In that instance, you will require to have a word with your administrator. Backing up your .pst file sometimes is a good idea. How frequently depends on you. But if you get a number of important mails, every day isn’t too frequent. To back up your Personal Folder file and all its subfolders, directly export it, as follows:

1. Select Import and Export from the File menu to launch the wizard.
2. Select Export To A File from the Choose an Action to Perform list and click Next.
3. Select Personal Folder File (.pst) from the Create A File Of Type list and click Next.
4. Select Personal Folders from the Select The Folder To Export From list.
5. Examine the Include Subfolders option and click Next.
6. Define a folder and filename for the backup file.
7. From Selections, specify how to treat duplicate items.

Back up Outlook’s stuff
Outlook’s views – Contacts, Calendar, Journal, Tasks, and E-mail – aren’t invariably part of the Personal Folders file. You can backup these elements separately, as follows:

1. Repeat steps 1, 2, and 3 from the earlier tip.
2. Select the Outlook item folder you desire to export from the Select The Folder To Export From list and click Next.
3. By piercing or browsing, specify a folder and filename for the backup file
4. From Selections, specify how to treat duplicate items.
5. Click Finish.
6. Repeat as obligatory for each Outlook folder.
7. If you are on a corporate server, do the following:
8. From the Tools menu, select Services and then click the Delivery tab.
9. From Deliver New Mail To The Following Location, select Remote Mail and recognize your Personal Folder file or select your Microsoft Exchange Server mailbox, if you want to use offline folders.
10. Click OK Button.

Export Outlook folders to another format
Moreover the right code can assist Office applications talk to one another; few times it’s rapid to export data. An automated solution is surely worth the effort if customer must often repeat the task. Significantly which format to export to is the real trick? You can export Outlook data to another pattern as follows:

1. Select Import And Export from the File menu.
2. In the resulting panel, choose Export To A File and click Next.
3. From the Create A File of Type list, choose the suitable file type and click Next. One of the seven kinds should be adequate for most purposes.
4. Select the folder you want to export from and click Next.
5. Enter the path and filename for the transmitted file and click Next. Or click Browse to discover the appropriate folder and then enter just a filename.
6. Click Finish. In this final window, Outlook may offer you the opportunity to map fields. Basically, you won’t require changing the wizard’s settings unless you have very genuine reasons for doing so.

Outlook transmitted internal field names. You can alter these names in the transmitted file, but you can’t alter them before the export. You can utilize an export in order to learn the internal names if you choose to code the solution later.

Delete folders
Adding folders is so simple that you might add more folders than you literally need. It’s usual to generate too many and then discover your need to cut back a bit. Luckily, deleting folders is easy:

1. Right-click the folder you want to erase.
2. Select Delete foldername.

That’s all! Outlook will erase the deleted folder to the Deleted Items folder, as a subfolder. If you desire to permanently delete the folder, right-click the deleted folder and select Delete. When Outlook persuades you to permanently delete the folder, click Yes. Otherwise, the data in that folder is still in the Delete Items folder. In addition, if a folder holds sensitive or confidential data, it’s noticeable to anyone who accesses your PC. If Delete isn’t accessible with a right-click, call your controller.

Delete a .pst file from a profile
When a customer moves on, you should delete his or her .pst file from the local system, as follows:

1. Close Outlook if it’s unlocked.
2. From the Windows Start menu, select Control Panel.
3. Double-click Mail.
4. Click Data Files.
5. Choose Personal Folders and click Remove.
6. Click Close and close the Control Panel window.

Outlook requires a personal folder, so after erasing the current .pst file, generate a new one by clicking Add. Be assuring to set the new file as the default. Remove a customer’s .pst file only when you are sure that no one will need to access its contents.