Another option for organizing email messages and Outlook items is to create an Outlook Data File. These files can be used for archiving items. They have a.pst filename extension and can be stored on our computer's hard drive or a departmental server.
We can explore how to create folders on the hard drive in the following video.
Description of the video:
Let's say that we want to clean out our Outlook account, there are several options available: we can go through and delete messages that we deem unimportant or we can archive entire outlook folders.
Another option is to create personal folders which are stored on our computer's hard drive instead of on the Exchange server.
And Outlook data file is a file with the .PST file name extension, it may contain messages or other Outlook items such as calendar events or forms; this file is saved directly on our computer.
We can work with a personal folder file just as we would with any other file: we can save, copy, and move a .PST file to another location on our computer or on to a different computer or server.
We begin creating a .PST file in the backstage area.
To return to the backstage view click the File tab.
To set up a personal folder, in the middle of the screen click the Account Settings button and then click Account Settings.
In the Account Setting dialog box we want to move to the Data Files tab.
To begin adding a data file, just under the tabs, click the Add button.
To create or open Outlook Data File window appears.
Now we must select the location where we want to save the personal folder on our computer.
To select the save in location click Desktop.
To give the folder name, in the file name field, click the default name and type Archived Email.
We also have the option to password protect this folder, we won't do that today.
To continue click the OK button.
The .PST file is now listed.
To close the Account Settings dialog box, in the bottom right corner click Close.
Now we see the new personal folder listed at the bottom of the folders list in the navigation pane.
We can press and drag messages and other items into the folder, or we can right click on an item and then choose Move and click on the name of the personal folder from the menu.
Any messages moved to a personal folder will be removed from the Exchange server and will be available only on the computer or disk in which we created the .PST file.
