It’s common for organizations to import PST files to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes for improved email management. However, it’s not as simple to migrate your data to Shared Mailboxes as a simple drag-and-drop process. It involves careful planning to migrate all the data safely and avoid data loss.
This guide talks in detail about what a Shared Mailbox is, reasons to import PST files to Office 365 Shared Mailbox, the preconditions for a successful import process, and the methods for it. Also, we’ve mentioned a trustworthy PST to Office 365 migration tool for a safer and quicker alternative.
What is a Shared Mailbox?
Shared Mailboxes in Office 365 are common mailboxes with a separate email address where multiple users share files in a single place. It helps users to collaborate easily with each other instead of sending individual emails to each user. Using a shared mailbox is also perfect if you want to synchronize the contacts list and calendars with the team.
Reasons to import PST to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes
Ranging from easy accessibility to better collaboration, there are multiple reasons why users import PST data to Microsoft 365. The key reasons for this import are:
- Advanced features: Owing to the multiple advanced features offered by Office 365, it has emerged as a preferred cloud platform for organizations.
- Better security: Office 365 has strict security protocols that guarantee the stored data is safe even during downtime. Administrators can apply retention policies and audit required information to make sure that the organization fulfils all the legal requirements.
- Cost-effective: Shared mailboxes under the 50 GB limit are provisioned without any license cost. It makes them a highly cost-effective solution for archiving data compared to purchasing a dedicated user license simply to host a PST file, allowing organizations to consolidate legacy email data without impacting their software subscription budget.
- Centralized data management: Importing PST files to a Shared Mailbox helps multiple team members send, receive, and manage data at the same time from anywhere, at any time. This creates an uninterrupted workflow and promotes smooth collaboration.
Prerequisites to successfully import PST files
To successfully migrate PST files to Shared Mailboxes of Office 365, it’s essential to know some preconditions that you should keep in mind. The following prerequisites must be verified and fulfilled before the PST import process:
- Have multiple backup copies: Follow the 3-2-1 backup rule and save copies of your data at secure locations to easily recover it if you face data loss.
- Import necessary data: Assess the source environment and import only the required PST files to avoid taking up too much space in the Shared Mailbox.
- Size issues: If any of the PST files are exceeding the size limit, then split oversized PST files into multiple smaller files to avoid corruption issues.
- Permissions and roles: Carefully review the permissions and roles required for migration to specific users to avoid any issues after starting the import process.
- Check for corruption: Check your PST files and make sure they’re not corrupted. Importing a corrupt PST file manually can have disastrous consequences and lead to significant data loss.
Methods to import PST to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes
There are two methods available to import PST to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes manually. However, they require careful execution and proper prior planning. We’ve outlined both of these methods in detail below.
Method 1: Import PST files using Import/Export wizard
Users can import PST files using the Import/Export wizard of Outlook by configuring the Shared Mailbox in Outlook’s desktop application. Follow the steps below to do so:
- Launch Outlook and click on File > Add Account.
- Enter the email address of the Shared Mailbox and click on Connect.
- Now enter the password and click on Sign In.
- Go to Open & Export and click on Import/Export.
- Select the Import from another file option and click Next.
- Select Outlook PST file as the file type to import and click Next.
- Click on Browse to choose the PST file that’s to be imported and choose the Do not import duplicates option. Click on Next to move forward.
- Choose the Import items into the same folder in option and select the Shared Mailbox as the saving location. Click on Finish to start the import process.
- Go to the Send/Receive tab and click on Send/Receive All Folders to synchronize the Shared Mailbox and import PST files to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes.
Method 2: Import PST files via the Network Upload method
Another way to import PST files is through the Network Upload method. For this, we use Microsoft’s native Azure AzCopy tool. Import PST to Office 365 process is divided in two phases. First phase includes exporting PST file data from Outlook. The second phase comprises importing this PST file to Office 365 with the help of Azure AzCopy tool. Follow the given steps to import PST data:
- Sign in to Office 365 Admin account and click on Admin to open the Microsoft Admin Center.
- Under Admin Centers, click on Exchange to open the Exchange Admin Center.
- Click on Roles > Admin Roles.
- Choose Organization Management from the list and click on Permissions tab.
- Tick the Mailbox Import Export checkbox and click on Save.
- Now go to the Assigned tab and click on Add option to add the specific users.
- Go to Microsoft Purview through Microsoft 365 admin center.
- Click on Solutions> Data Lifecycle Management.
- Select Import from the left panel and click on the New Import Job option.
- Name your PST job and click Next.
- Select Upload your data option and click Next.
- Copy the Network SAS URL by clicking on Show network upload SAS URL option, and then download the Azure AzCopy tool.
- Launch the cmdlet prompt and open the location where you’ve the azcopy.exe file.
- Type ‘cd’ in front of the azurecopy.exe file location and run it in the command prompt.
- Now, go to the location where PST files are saved and copy them.
- Paste the copied file location along with the SAS URL in the command given below and run it:
azcopy.exe copy "<Source location of PST files>" "<SAS URL>"
- After the PST file is successfully uploaded to Azure Storage, create a CSV mapping file ot submit in the next step.
- Tick the I’m done uploading my files & I have access to the mapping file options and click on Next.
- Upload the CSV mapping file to the tool and click on Validate.
- Proceed to the next step after the validation is completed.
- Verify the details provided once and hit Submit.
- Keep an eye on the Import page until the status shows completed.
- Check the new import job option and click on Import to Office 365.
- Click on No, I want to import everything option and click Next.
- Check the given details of the import process and click on Submit.
- Choose the No, I want to import everything option in the next step and click Next.
- Review the details and click on Submit.
- Upload to the cloud succeeded message will be displayed on your screen after a successful upload process.
- Once Microsoft processes the import request, the process will finally start.
- Keep an eye on the progress status in the Import section until it is completed.
Best way to Import PST to Office 365 Shared Mailboxes
The manual methods given above get the job done, but they aren’t the most reliable way to migrate PST files to Office 365, especially for novice users. Not only are these methods extremely lengthy, but they also don’t guarantee 100% accurate results.
Experts suggest using a professional PST to Office 365 migration tool to simplify the entire process and minimize downtime.
Kernel Import PST to Office 365 software is an advanced software that allows bulk migration of PST files to Office 365 with zero data loss. This tool automatically maps the source PST file and the destination mailbox without any error.
Also, this tool preserves the original formatting and folder hierarchy of your PST file during conversion.
Conclusion
There are two manual ways through which users can import PST to Office 365. However, due to their multiple steps and the inherent technical nature of the process, these methods carry a high risk of data loss.
A single mistake can lead to lost or corrupted data, making the process effort risky. Using a reliable PST to Office 365 migration tool can be a better alternative for a smoother migration.
Professional tools minimize the chances of errors and perform a risk-free migration, making it the preferred choice for businesses and individuals.
Read more: Here’s How to Convert Eudora MBOX to PST Like a Professional
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