How to Setup Online Archive in Outlook

How to Setup Online Archive in Outlook

This is instructional on how to setup online archive in Outlook. There is a more in-depth blog with more details here https://callthatgirl.biz/how-to-setup-in-place-archive-in-outlook

How to set it up

• Verify your license in your 365 admin panel. I have Business Premium with Exchange Plan 1 and my archiving is setup and working. Some research pages mention you need Exchange Plan 2. EP2 gives you 100 gigs of storage.
• Click here to get into the Exchange admin center https://admin.exchange.microsoft.com/#/mailboxes or Exchange admin center (microsoft.com)
• Click on the user name and the side window will open, click on “others”
• Click on “Manage mailbox archive”
• This will now start the setup for the Online Archive.
• It will take some time for the online archive to show up in your Outlook folders.

If you need my help, please use the scheduler below or to contact me, thanks!

How to Setup In-Place Archive in Outlook

How to Setup In-Place Archive in Outlook

This will be an in-depth blog explaining everything I know about Online Archive for 365. It’s also called “In-Place Archive”, I will use “Online Archive” for the rest of this blog.

I highly recommend that you read the notes below first, then engage with your setup, the instructions are the bottom.

If you need my help setting this up, please schedule time on my calendar here Schedule an Appointment

First learn about Archiving: 

There are 3 different types of archiving for Outlook.

1. Outlook’s built in Archive Most folks who have used Outlook since time began, they most likely used the Outlook’s built-in Archive feature. This tool allowed Outlook to run automatic backups to a PST called “Archive” and it has scheduled options. This “PST” is a local file that can be backed up in the cloud or external hard drives. It’s stored in the Documents/Outlook Files folder.
2. The Archive Button at the top of Outlook, next to the Delete button This is just a shortcut for moving emails to the Archive folder.  It is not archiving anything just making it easier to put emails in one place. If you look down your folder list in Outlook, you will see the Archive folder. That’s where those emails will go. As well, some Gmail users have found their deleted items in that folder. Sometimes you will see [ARCHIVE]. Some what confusing I know.
3. Online Archiving, “In-Place Archive” This needs to be setup in your 365 admin center and once configured, it will show up in your Outlook as a 2nd mailbox but it does not store emails locally in Outlook. You can move folders and emails there and they will be stored in the cloud but show up in Outlook. Tips below on this.

Benefits of Online Archive

• For those who want to try to stop using Outlook desktop and use online only, this is a great choice to move all your old PST to the cloud.
• Upload all of your PST files to Online Archive and not have to deal with them anymore.
• You basically get an unlimited only archive but keep in mind that moving the data to the Online Archive will take a very long time to upload.

Issues you might have

• Outlook Slowdown
• Outlook crashing while copying data to and from Online Archive
• Outlook freezing up, white screening, blue circle spinning
• Doesn’t work great with Google Workspace connector GSSMO
• When doing an export of your Exchange mailbox, it will not export Online Archive as it’s not stored on the computer
• Search seems to work but is very slow
• Uploading is very slow compared to a new exchange mailbox
  • This option does take more hard drive space but something has to give

What gets moved automatically to Online Archive

Before you setup Online Archive, understand how it works. Everything 2 years and beyond will be moved off automatically from your Exchange mailbox to Online Archive, unless changed in the admin control center.

• Folders with emails
• Contacts
• Calendar
• Notes

If you need help with configuring, transferring data or troubleshooting, contact me or schedule a 1-hour consultation