If you use Outlook 2003 or Outlook 2007 for company or personal email, it is usually a good idea to back up your email or portions of your email from time to time. Microsoft's email program offers a fast and fairly straightfoward method for backing all of your information up to a number of different formats and types. The easiest for me is the .PST file type, also known as the Personal Folder File format.

This guide shows you how to create a PST file in Outlook:

1. In Outlook, go to the File menu and select Import and Export
2. In the Import and Export Wizard, choose Export to a file



 

3. Next, choose Personal Folder File (.pst) as your file type



 

4. In the Export Personal Folders window you have two options:
   •  If you only want to backup your Inbox and nothing else simply highlight Inbox, and at the bottom select 'Include subfolders'. The same method applies if you want to back up any other single portion of your mailbox.

   

    

   •  If you want to backup everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, highlight Mailbox - Username at the top, and select 'Include Subfolders'.

   

    

5. Once you hit Next you will be able to choose where to store the file. My suggestion is to either place the file on your desktop or in a folder on your desktop for easy accessibility. If you are making a backup for personal protection rather than disaster management, I suggest hiding it somewhere else. Click 'Browse' to choose the destination, and click 'Finish' to start the process.



 

6. There will be another screen that will ask you to password protect the file, but that is a personal decision and is not required. Simply hit OK if you don't wish to password protect it.
7. And you are done! Now you can either migrate email between Outlook profiles, transfer it between computers, or store it offsite for disaster situations!

Have you ever used a PST before? If so, did you follow this method or another one? Let me know in the comments section!