Did you know that Outlook is configured (by default) to eventually corrupt itself and lose some and maybe even all your e-mails?
In this post we will cover few essential tips that will help you to ensure that your Outlook data is safe and protected from software corruption or data failure.
1. Find out where your Outlook E-mails are saved and backup regularly
When you first install and start using Outlook, it creates the data file (PST) on its own and saves it in a location that you are unlikely to include in your regular backup plan.
You can read our earlier post on how to backup your Outlook Data file to locate where your data file is saved and include the location to your regular backup routine.
It is a good idea to back up on regular intervals (I tried to restore from a backup CD a few years ago to find that the backup was corrupt too. I lost more than 12 months of e-mails)
2. Outlook may corrupt itself unless you split your data into at least two files.
By default, Outlook saves all your e-mails in one file. There are a number of problems with this:
- As the Outlook data file gets filled up, Outlook will get slower
- There is a physical limit to the size of your Outlook data file. You can get instructions on how to check the size limit of your data file in our post “How to maintain Outlook data (PST) Files”
- If you reach this limit, Outlook will suddenly stop working and there is a great risk that you could lose some if not all of your e-mails.
The solution is to split your data into more than one data file.
Step-by-step instructions on how you should split your data file is provided in our free e-book “The Professional’s guide to Email Management in Microsoft Outlook”. Refer to Tips 3 and 4.
3. Use QuickFile to simplify shifting e-mails out of your Inbox and Sent Items folders
QuickFile for Outlook is an inexpensive, easy-to-use Outlook add-on that greatly simplifies the filing of e-mails.
- It works inside Outlook by adding two buttons to your toolbar
- It does not require you to change the way you use Outlook
- It will dramatically reduce the time and effort required to file your e-mails.
Click Here to learn more about QuickFile and download a fully functional trail version.
Hope you find this tips useful in keeping your Outlook data safe and protected.
Do you have some tips of your own to protect your Outlook data?
Share it with us by leaving a comment on this blog.
