Export Multi-Mailbox Search Results to an Outlook Data File (.pst)

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Applies to: Office 365 for enterprises, Live@edu

You can use Microsoft Office Outlook to export the results of a multi-mailbox search to an Outlook Data File (.pst). This lets you distribute the results to other people within your organization, such as a human resources manager or records manager, or to opposing counsel in a legal case. After search results are exported, other users can open them in Outlook to review or print messages returned in the search results.

This topic explains how to do the following:

  • Open a discovery mailbox in Outlook
  • Export search results in Outlook 2010
  • Open search results in Outlook 2010
  • Export and open .pst files in Outlook 2007

Open a discovery mailbox in Outlook

Before you can export search results to a .pst file, you have to configure Outlook to open a discovery mailbox. For more information, see Use Outlook to Open a Discovery Mailbox.

Export search results in Outlook 2010

  1. In Outlook 2010, click the File tab, click Open, and then click Import.
  2. Click Export to a file, and then click Next.
  3. Click Outlook Data File (.pst), and then click Next.
  4. Select the folder that contains the search results that you want to export.
    Note   You can also export the entire discovery mailbox. However, default folders in the discovery mailbox, such as Deleted Items, Drafts, Inbox, Junk E-Mail, and Sent Items will be exported to the .pst file. Additionally, the search results for different multi-mailbox searches will be exported.
  5. Make sure that the Include subfolders check box is selected, and then click Next.
  6. Click Browse to select where you want to save the Outlook Data File (.pst), enter a file name that helps identify the search results, and then click OK.
    Note   The option buttons under Options specify what to do when exporting items to an existing .pst file.
  7. Click Finish.

When you create a new.pst file, you can create an optional password to help protect the file. If you choose to create a password, the password will be required to open the .pst file. If you don’t want to password-protect the .pst file, leave the password fields blank, and then click OK.

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Open search results in Outlook 2010

You can open a .pst file in your Outlook mailbox to view the multi-mailbox search results. The .pst file will have to be copied to the local computer or to a USB flash drive that’s connected to the local computer.

  1. Click the File tab, click Open, and then click Open Outlook Data File.
  2. Browse to the .pst file that contains the multi-mailbox search results, and then click it.
    The name of the folder that’s associated with the .pst file appears in the folder list.

To close the .pst file, right-click the folder, and then click Close <folder name>.

Export and open .pst files in Outlook 2007

You can also use Outlook 2007 to export and open multi-mailbox search results. For more information, see: