Using Outlook AutoArchive (2007, 2010, 2013) Your Microsoft Outlook mailbox grows as items are created in the same way that papers pile up on your desk. In the paper-based world, you can occasionally shuffle through your documents and store those that are important but that are rarely used. You can discard documents that are less important, such as newspapers and magazines, based on their age. You can quickly complete the same process in Outlook. You can have old items automatically transferred by using the AutoArchive feature. Items are considered old when they reach the age that you specify. With the AutoArchive feature, you can either delete or move old items. Outlook can archive all kinds of items, but it can only locate files that are stored in an e-mail folder, such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet or a Microsoft Word document, that is attached to an e-mail message. A file that is not stored in an e-mail folder cannot be archived. Setting up the AutoArchive feature is a two-step process. 1. Turn on AutoArchive. 2. Set the AutoArchive properties for each folder that you want archived. At the folder level you can: Determine the items that are to be archived and how frequently they are archived. Automatically archive individual folders Configure a default AutoArchive setting for all folders and then configure AutoArchive settings for individual folders that you don t want to use the default AutoArchive settings. You determine how often AutoArchive runs and then it runs automatically. Outlook checks the AutoArchive properties of each folder by date and moves old items to your archive file. Items that are set to delete instead of archived are moved to the Deleted Items folder are deleted. Outlook 2007 By default, several Outlook folders are set up with the AutoArchive feature turned on. The following is a list of the folders that have the AutoArchive feature turned on and of each folder's default aging period: The Calendar folder (6 months) The Tasks folder (6 months) The Journal folder (6 months) The Sent Items folder (2 months) The Deleted Items folder (2 months) The Inbox, Notes, Contacts, and Drafts folders do not have the AutoArchive feature turned on by default. You cannot use the AutoArchive feature with the Contacts folder, as the Contacts folder does not have an archive property. Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 By default, the AutoArchive feature is turned off in Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013. However, by default, the AutoArchive feature is enabled in Outlook 2007. Therefore, if you do not disable the AutoArchive feature in Outlook 2007 and upgrade to Outlook 2010 or Outlook 2013, the AutoArchive feature remains enabled. When you turn on AutoArchive it creates the archive folders for you Your existing folder structure in your mailbox is copied into maintained in your new archive folder. If there is a parent folder above the folder that you archived, the parent folder is created in the archive file, but the items that are in the parent folder are not archived. In this way, the same folder structure exists between the archive file and your mailbox. Folders are left in place after being archived, even if they are empty.
How to Turn On the AutoArchive Feature Outlook 2007 By default, AutoArchive is turned on in Outlook 2007. That can be verified by the message that appears letting you know AutoArchive is about to run. To turn it off or back on, here s how: 1. On the Tools menu, click Options. This opens the Options dialog box. 2. Click the tab labeled Other and in the AutoArchive section click on the AutoArchive button. This opens the AutoArchive dialog box.
The Outlook 2007 AutoArchive dialog box 1 2 Run AutoArchive every: Choose how often AutoArchive runs. Prompt before AutoArchive runs: Choose this option for Outlook to display a reminder message before AutoArchive runs. When the message pops up at an inconvenient time, click No to cancel that AutoArchive session. Delete expired items (e-mail folders only): This option is not selected by default. If chosen, e-mail messages are deleted when their aging period has expired and not archived. The default period for Inbox and Draft folder items is six months and three months for the Sent Items folder. These periods can be changed using the Clean out items older than option (#5). Note: Checking this box means you want to delete old emails and not archive them. 3 Archive or delete old items: Choose this option if Outlook is to archive items or delete them when they expire. Choose additional settings to apply to both archiving and deletion. 4 5 Show archive folder in folder list: Choose to have the Archive folder listed with other folders in the Navigation Pane. In the main Archive folder, subfolders can be opened and archived items viewed. This provides verification that the correct items were archived, and needed items can be dragged back to a working folder. Clean out items older than: Choose if items are archived, in a certain number of days, weeks, or months. Periods of one day up to 60 months can be configured. "Clean" means to archive or store items. It does not mean "deleted" unless that setting has been selected elsewhere.
6 7 8 9 Move old items to: Archived e-mails are stored by default in the archive.pst file. The default location for this file is different for computers running Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems. Another destination for the archive.pst file can be set by browsing to and setting a different location. E-mails are moved to this location once they reach the set parameters. Default Destinations: Microsoft Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(Your User Name)\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Archive.pst Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your User Name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Archive.pst Permanently delete items: This option immediately deletes the expired items instead of moving them to the default location, such as the archive location or the Deleted Items folder. Caution: Only use this if no e-mails are to be stored anywhere. Apply these settings to all folders now: This option applies the AutoArchive settings to all folders. To specify different settings for one or more folders, do not choose this option. Instead, use the instructions shown below the button that explain how to specify settings for individual folders (see also the Changing AutoArchive Settings for Individual Folders section). Changes made to specific folders apply only to those folders. Retention Policy Information: At SLCC the system administrator has not set retention policies that determine when and how mailbox items are AutoArchived.
Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013 In Outlook 2010 and 2013, AutoArchive is turned off by default and must be turned on by the user. Here s how: 1. On the ribbon, click the File tab, and then click the Options button on the File menu. 2. The Outlook Options window opens. Click the Advanced button. This will open the 3. In the AutoArchive section, click the AutoArchive Settings button. This opens the AutoArchive dialog box.
The Outlook 2010 and 2013 AutoArchive Dialog Box 1 2 Run AutoArchive every: Choose how often AutoArchive runs. Prompt before AutoArchive runs: Choose this option for Outlook to display a reminder message before AutoArchive runs. When the message pops up at an inconvenient time, click No to cancel that AutoArchive session. Delete expired items (e-mail folders only): This option is not selected by default. If chosen, e-mail messages are deleted when their aging period has expired and not archived. The default period for Inbox and Draft folder items is six months and three months for the Sent Items folder. These periods can be changed using the Clean out items older than option (#5). Note: Checking this box means you want to delete old emails and not archive them. 3 Archive or delete old items: Choose this option if Outlook is to archive items or delete them when they expire. Choose additional settings to apply to both archiving and deletion. 4 5 Show archive folder in folder list: Choose to have the Archive folder listed with other folders in the Navigation Pane. In the main Archive folder, subfolders can be opened and archived items viewed. This provides verification that the correct items were archived, and needed items can be dragged back to a working folder. Clean out items older than: Choose if items are archived, in a certain number of days, weeks, or months. Periods of one day up to 60 months can be configured. "Clean" means to archive or store items. It does not mean "deleted" unless that setting has been selected elsewhere. 6 7 Move old items to: Archived e-mails are stored by default in the archive.pst file. The default location for this file is different for computers running Windows Vista and Windows XP operating systems. Another destination for the archive.pst file can be set by browsing to and setting a different location. E-mails are moved to this location once they reach the set parameters. Default Destinations: Microsoft Windows XP: C:\Documents and Settings\(Your User Name)\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook\Archive.pst Windows 7: C:\Users\(Your User Name)\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\Archive.pst Permanently delete items: This option immediately deletes the expired items instead of moving them to the default location, such as the archive location or the Deleted Items folder. Caution: Only use this if no e-mails are to be stored anywhere.
8 Apply these settings to all folders now: This option applies the AutoArchive settings to all folders. To specify different settings for one or more folders, do not choose this option. Instead, use the instructions shown below the button that explain how to specify settings for individual folders (see also the Changing AutoArchive Settings for Individual Folders section). Changes made to specific folders apply only to those folders. 9 OK button: Click to save changes. Important: The Outlook Data (.pst) file that you choose as the default archive file must be located on the local computer. The use of networked.pst files is only supported with Outlook 2010 and under very specific conditions. For more information about the limits to using.pst files over the network, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base. How to Set the AutoArchive Properties for a Folder Now that you have turned on the AutoArchive feature, you must set the AutoArchive properties for each folder. Outlook 2007: 1. In the Folder List, right-click the folder that you want to AutoArchive, and then click Properties. 2. Click the AutoArchive tab. 3. To set the AutoArchive properties for this folder, click to select Clean out items older than. 4. To specify when the items must be automatically transferred to your archive file, type a number in the Months box. 5. To specify a file for the archived items to be transferred to, click Move old items to. 6. In the Move old items to box, type a file name for the archived items, or click Browse to select from a list, and then click OK. Outlook 2010 and Outlook 2013: Method 1: 1. Select the folder that you want to AutoArchive. 2. Click the Folder tab, and then click AutoArchive Settings. Method 2: 1. Right-click the folder that you want to AutoArchive, and then click Properties. 2. Click the AutoArchive tab. 3. To set the AutoArchive properties for this folder, click to select the Clean out items older than check box. 4. To specify when the items must be automatically transferred to your archive file, type a number in the Months box. 5. To specify a location for the archived items to be transferred to, click Move old items to. 6. In the Move old items to box, type a file name for the archived items, or click Browse to select from a list, and then click OK.