Many people with two (or more) computers have to manage multiple sets of email, contacts, tasks, etc. which are all stored and maintained separately on each computer. Keeping these Microsoft Outlook items synchronized can be a time consuming task which is prone to error.
Understanding the options available to synchronize Microsoft Outlook can save time and improve efficiency – particularly for small business owners working from home or a small office, with both a desktop and a laptop computer.
How Microsoft Outlook Stores Items Such as Tasks
Microsoft Outlook stores email, tasks, contacts, notes, calendars, appointments - all the information needed - in a file on the computer’s hard disk. That means the file can be copied between computers. It is also possible for software other than Outlook to read, delete and update the information held in the file.
The file is known as the Personal Storage Folder and is a .pst file. Different installations of Microsoft Outlook will place the file in different locations. It can be found by searching the hard disk.
Synchronize by Copying the .pst File
It is possible to copy the .pst file from one computer and overwrite the .pst file on another computer. All the information will then be the same. The Microsoft Help and Support website gives details on how to manage the .pst file.
The main advantages of this method are:
- It is a cheap and simple exercise to complete.
- Once the file is copied, the computers can never be out of synch.
The main disadvantages of this method are:
- It is possible to make mistakes and delete the wrong files (losing everything).
- If changes have been made on two computers, only one set of changes will be saved.
This is a good option if only one computer is used at a time, for example, in a situation where a desktop computer is used in the office and a laptop outside the office. In this case, if the desktop .pst is copied to the laptop before leaving the office and then the laptop .pst is copied back to the desktop on return, then the two computers will remain in synch.
Use Software to Manage the Synchronisation Automatically
Software such as OsaSync exists to manage the synchronisation of Microsoft Outlook between two (or more) computers automatically. The principle is that once both computers are on the same network (and can access each other) then the .pst files on each computer will automatically synchronize by merging together, so no data is lost.
For example, if a business owner works out of the office for a day, sending and receiving emails, then returns in the evening and works on a desktop computer, also sending and receiving emails, then the two computers (desktop and laptop) now have different emails. Once both computers are switched on in the office and are connected to the network, the re-synchronization software will automatically merge together the emails from both machines. Both computers will have all the emails from the desktop and laptop.
Most software will warn of any potential conflicts. For example, if a contact’s details have been changed on both machines, then the software cannot know which is correct, so will ask the user to choose one to resolve the conflict.
The main advantages of this method are:
- It is an automatic process so less prone to error than manual synchronization.
- It takes little effort from the user, improving efficiency.
The main disadvantages of using software to synchronize Outlook are:
- Cost – this software is not usually available for free.
- Some effort is needed initially to install the software and set up the computers.
This is a good option if cost is not an issue and when computers are used at the same time.
An understanding of how Microsoft Outlook stores email, contacts, calendar, tasks and other items in a .pst file will allow anyone to make an informed decision on the best way to synchronize between two (or more) computers and manage email more efficiently.
Dawn Brewer - I have a portfolio career - as a writer, management consultant, instructor and coach - after twenty years in the corporate world. My ...
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