What?

Microsoft Outlook in all it's recent versions 2000, 2002 and 2003 has an Archive procedure that is turned on by default and typically set to run every 14 days.  If you use Outlook's archive feature by default what happens is that you gradually accumulate the files before the archive date into a secondary  Outlook message file named Archive.Pst' (actually this '.Pst' file works very much like a primary Outlook '.Pst ' file).  This default approach typically does not make much sense for established Outlook users and our first guideline below is to turn it off!

Why?

The Purpose of Outlook's Archive procedure and the file it crates or updates is to move older and presumably less-needed messages into a secondary file tha tcan be accessed as needed.  This makes it possible to keep the primary file smaller and more able to respond to the variety of activities that are typical of an Outlook users who tracks schedules, uses contacts, and monitors tasks in the midst of sending and receiving E-mail.  It's quite common ot find Outlook files that are 1GB, 2Gb and with the release of Outlook 2003 even larger.  (In earlier versions there was a 2GB limit fo ran outlook'.Pst' file that makes it very important to manage the file's size.)

Based on years of using Outlook with large message files we've found for ourselves and many of our clients, that there is no good reason to archive message files more than annually, and we've had virtually no problems keeping the most recent 2 years of message, schedule and contact data on-hand at all times.  So our recommendation is to 'keep it simple' by archiving by archiving an entire year 18 to 24 months after that year is over. (As I write in July 2010 our current outlook '.Pst' file has just over a year of content and one of our clients even has 23 GB of messages available to reference.)  And, as you may have guessed, we have annual Archive files for previous years which we choose to name: 'Archive thru 2004', 'Archive thru 2005', 'Archive thru 2006', 'Archive thru 2007' and 'Archive thru 2008'.  Using custom names and annual archives makes looking for an old message as easy as guessing the year and beginning to search the hierarchy.

How?

The process for creating Outlook Archive files is simple but can be a bit time consuming.  Here is the step-by-step including the set-up and clean-up action's you'll need to take to get all the benefits of the process.

1. Turn off Outlook's automated Archive tool by selecting inside Outlook [Tools]-->[Options]--> then select the 'Other' tab and the [AutoArchive] button.  In the AutoArchive window remove the check from the entry labeled 'Run AutoArchive every'.  (This stops the every 14 days prompts to start the archive process.)
   
2. Review the content of any current Archive file by adding it as an additional set of personal folders.  To do this inside Outlook select [Tools]-->[E-mail Accounts]-->then select the radio button labeled 'View or change existing e-mail accounts' and press [Next].  On the resulting screen press [New Outlook file data], and in the 2003 version only specify the type of the file 'Outlook 97-2002' or 'Office Outlook' (e.g. the newer and unlimited size file type) then click [OK] to arrive at a navigation window where you can navigate to the current Archive file location (Typically archive files are placed automatically at: C: \\ Documents and Settings\(UserName)\Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook). The final step presents a screen titled 'Personal Folders' where the default name for the file is 'Personal Folders'.  This is your one and only chance to type in the desired display name for Outlook (e.g. 'Archive thru 2007', or 'Old Archive', etc.) then press [OK].
   
   NOTE: Outlook does not automatically use the file name as the archive file display name in Outlook, so it will be helpful later to pay close attention to revising the display name as noted above.
   
3. Drag-and-Drop (only if desired and only if file sizes permit) the archive files back into your main folders to permit archiving them again according to your new scheme.  (Remember that in outlook 2000, 2002 the '.Pst' file size can not become greater than 2 GB.)
   
4. Begin creating archives inside Outlook starting from oldest to newest and by selecting [File]-->[Archive] and then selecting the folders to be archived (We usually just select the 'Archive all folders according to their AutoArchive settings' option.)  Next enter your desired 'older than' date (we like to use 12-31-?? for each new year-end process) and finally specify the new Archive file's name, (You can actually type in the desired name here by revising the default name at the end of the file path!)  When compacting completes click [OK] and [OK] to return to Outlook.
   
5. Remove each new Archive file from Outlook's display in order to assign it again with the desired display name.  Click once on the Archive file entry and then right-click on it again.  Choose the 'Close...' option from the properties list and the file is immediately removed from the display.
   
6. Repeat steps #4 ann #5 for each group of messages (In our case each year) to be archived.
   
7. Compact the primary Outlook file (and the Archives too if needed) by right-clickng Outlook's entry titled 'Personal Folders' and choosing Properties from the 'Properties' menu.  Next click on the [Advanced] button and then [Compact Now].  (When large message files have significant archiving completed this compacting process can take quite a while.  What's actually happening is the reorganization of Outlook's database to remove the deleted messages downsizing the primary '.Pst' file.  You can if desired actually open a 'My Computer' window to display details and watch the file size decrease when you refresh.)

Outlook users may also be interested in our other 'Outlook-oriented' guides titled:

• OE to Outlook-The What, Why & How? ( Oversized files)
• Outlook Archive Files-The What, Why & How
• Outlook (E-Mail) Small Network BackUp

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