How to configure MS Outlook to work with Exchange folders offline and update when online
Summary
If you are using a laptop you may want to add the ability of Outlook to work offline. The offline folders feature lets you copy the contents of a folder from the server to your computer, work with the contents while not connected to the network, and then automatically synchronise your changes when you reconnect to the server.
Description
The Inbox, Outbox, Deleted Items, Sent Items, Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Journal, Notes, and Drafts folders are automatically made available offline when you create offline folders.
Items changed while you are working offline will only be available on the machine you configured for offline use. You will not be able to access those items from any other location until you have synchronized with the server again.
Creating offline folders
- In MS Outlook, go to Tools, Services, select a service to edit (this is usually listed as Microsoft Exchange Server)and click Properties.
- Click the Advanced tab and then check Enable offline use and click <Offline Folder file settings/, as seen in Fig. A.
- In the File box, type the path to the file you want to use as the offline folder file.
- Now click OK to apply the changes.
Configure MS Outlook to automatically detect a connection state
MS Outlook can be configured to automatically detect the state of your internet connection. This enables MS Outlook to recognise when you need to work offline.
- In MS Outlook, go to Tools, Services, select a service to edit (this is usually listed as Microsoft Exchange Server)and click Properties.
- Under the General tab, check the Automatically detect connection state button.
- Save the changes by clicking OK.
Automatically synchronize offline folders
On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Mail Services tab.
Select the "Enable offline access" check box.
Now, select one of the following:
- To synchronize all folders after every online Microsoft Outlook session, select When online, synchronize all folders upon exiting. This is the option that most people will use.
- To automatically synchronize all folders at specified intervals while youre online, select When online, automatically synchronize all offline folders every [n] minutes, and then click a time interval.
- To have Outlook automatically connect to the server and synchronize in the background while youre working with your offline folders, select When offline, automatically synchronize check box. Select a set of folders and a time interval.
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