What is the difference between opening a pst and importing a pst?

[Guest]

TASK: I'm working on a project where I need to combine several pst files
(Outlook 2003). These pst files only contain emails, no other data. Once
all of the email messages are combined, I need to save/export the combined
group as a new pst file.

QUESTION: When accessing the original pst files, is there an advantage to
importing them vs. opening them?

 

[Guest]

Importing them will import all email from the .pst file into your inbox, but
I believe you have an option as to which folder you would like to import them
to. You may want to check and see what options come up.

Opening the .pst file will open it and place outside of your mailbox. In
other words, it won't import them into your inbox, but it will open the file
as if it were a seperate mailbox. I hope that makes sense and helps answer
your question.

 

[Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]]

Importing them will combine the items in the .pst file into your current
..pst file but will lose:

received dates
custom forms
activities
connections between contacts and calendar
etc.

Importing = BAD!

Opening them and using drag/drop will preserve all of the above and is the
much preferred method.


--
Milly Staples [MVP - Outlook]

Post all replies to the group to keep the discussion intact. All
unsolicited mail sent to my personal account will be deleted without
reading.

After furious head scratching, Catherine asked:

| TASK: I'm working on a project where I need to combine several pst
| files (Outlook 2003). These pst files only contain emails, no other
| data. Once all of the email messages are combined, I need to
| save/export the combined group as a new pst file.
|
| QUESTION: When accessing the original pst files, is there an
| advantage to importing them vs. opening them?

 

[Brian Tillman]

TASK: I'm working on a project where I need to combine several pst
files (Outlook 2003). These pst files only contain emails, no other
data. Once all of the email messages are combined, I need to
save/export the combined group as a new pst file.

QUESTION: When accessing the original pst files, is there an
advantage to importing them vs. opening them?

It is never a good idea to use import or export when transferring PSTs from
one Outlook instance to another. You can lose data and you run a risk of
disturbing your mail profile so that steps need to be taked to clear the
problems. Open the other PSTs and use copy.