Perceive How To Import Outlook OLM To PST Outlook

It may sound awkward to hear someone migrating from Mac to Windows, as Mac offers a lot more features than Windows OS. But every coin has two sides. It would not be wrong to say that Windows Outlook holds greater acceptability as compared to Mac Outlook.

In this guest post, we have put forth some of the common features that are absent in Mac Outlook. This will be followed by methods which can be adopted so as to import Outlook OLM file to PST file format.

OLM file is the main data repository file of Mac Outlook. They can also be referred as the local copy of data when the Mac Outlook is configured with Exchange Web Service.

The entire mailbox items of Mac Outlook like mails, contacts, calendars, etc. is stored in the OLM file.

PST files are analogous to OLM files. The basic difference between the two lies in their structure. A PST file similar to OLM file is a local replica of Windows Outlook mailbox when it is in sync with Exchange server.

Windows Outlook is more preferred as compared to Mac Outlook, due to a number of reasons. All the major differences are enlisted below in a brief and a concise manner.

• Outlook for Mac does not offer the feature of read and delivery reports whenever a message is sent or delivered. This feature is offered by Win Outlook.
• If we talk about external plug-ins, they are not supported in Mac Outlook but are supported in Win Outlook.
• Creation of different font sizes is not supported in Mac Outlook. The users can only use the predetermined formats available by default. Win Outlook makes it convenient for users to work with the format they are comfortable with.
• Mac Outlook makes it tough for the users to align the tabs according to their wish. On the contrary, Win Outlook makes the alignment of data possible by adjusting the tabs with the help of rulers.
• Grid lines in Mac Outlook are created with the help of external graphics application and are displayed in form of background images. In Win Outlook grid lines can be created without the use of graphics application.
• Managing numbering sequence is a cumbersome task in Mac Outlook as it does not support this feature. Win Outlook makes it possible to manage numbering sequence.
• When we save contacts in Mac Outlook, certain fields of contacts are not available. But in Win Outlook all the fields absent in Mac Outlook are present in it.
• The tasks in calendars cannot be shown in Mac Outlook. The feature of dragging and dropping tasks in calendar is absent from Mac Outlook. But with Win Outlook, you can easily add the tasks in your calendars.
• In Mac Outlook calendars are not displayed side by side. But in Win Outlook, you can easily view your calendars placed side by side.

The above mentioned drawbacks in Mac Outlook play an important role in the migration of users from Mac Outlook to Windows Outlook. Although Mac OS is much more preferred than Windows OS but the slight degradation of Mac Outlook overcome this preference. In order to migrate from Mac Outlook to Win Outlook the first step is to import Outlook OLM to PST file format. The converted PST file can easily be accessed in Win Outlook and the user can continue working with the existing data extracted from Mac Outlook as an OLM file.

1. Migrate OLM Files Using Exchange Online Hybrid Deployments

You can import Outlook OLM to PST file format with the help of Exchange Server Hybrid Deployments. The hybrid deployment creates a single Exchange environment between Exchange Server and Exchange Online in Office 365. This allows migration of mailboxes in batch from Exchange Online to Exchange server on premises. You can efficiently migrate OLM file mailboxes with hybrid deployments.

• Configure your Mac Outlook account with Exchange Online.
• Migrate the OLM mailbox to Exchange Server.
  
• The OLM file can easily be extracted as PST file from Exchange server.
  

Pre-Requisites For Migration With Hybrid Deployments

• Invest at least 10 minutes for configuring batch mailboxes.
• Retrieve permissions before performing this procedure.
• Hybrid deployment should be configured between on-premises Exchange server and Exchange Online.
• Mailbox Replication Proxy Service is enabled in on-premises Exchange server.

Limitations

• Requires in-depth technical knowledge of Hybrid Deployments.
• This is a very lengthy procedure requiring ample amount of time.
• Slightest mistake can lead to corruption of mailboxes.
  

One method which can be employed to import Outlook OLM to PST file is with the help of an IMAP account. This can be done by following the below mentioned steps:

• Set up an IMAP account like Gmail account.
• Configure Mac Outlook account to IMAP account.
• With the help of Gmail label, synchronize IMAP account to Mac Outlook.
• Migrate all the mailbox data from Mac Outlook to IMAP account.
• Move all the data from IMAP account to Windows Outlook mailbox.

Limitations

• This method ensures migration of only mails from Mac Outlook to Windows Outlook.
• Will not migrate contacts, calendars, tasks, etc. from Mac Outlook.
• Even a slight mistake can lead to corruption of OLM file making it inaccessible.
  

The above mentioned manual procedures do migrate or import Outlook OLM to PST, but their associated limitations make them less acceptable by users. Therefore this calls for an alternate solution like third party software that can do the same. One such alternate solution can be OLM Converter to PST. The utility efficiently migrates all the mailbox items from OLM file directly into PST file format. Additionally, the tool also supports conversion of OLM files to EML and MSG formats as well.