In this blog, I am going to explain how to import or migrate PST file to Office 365 Exchange Online. However, before that, I am also going to talk about a few things that are important to know.
Table of Contents
What is Outlook?
As you, all know that Microsoft Office is a collection of several applications and MS Outlook is one of the crucial parts of MS Office. It designed for organizations or companies to provide their work environment with security.
What is Office 365?
Microsoft Office 365 is different from Outlook or MS Office. It just like Office, a collection of applications. However, the difference is it is Cloud-Based with some extra added applications and multiple innovative features.
Reason to move PST file to Office 365 Cloud
Below are the few singificants points to know the reason to import PST to Office 365 accounts.
- Highly innovative and is integrated with the latest technology.
- Being a cloud-based, the auto-updating facility always provides the best to Office 365 users.
- It offers a high range of communication; it means one can easily connect with the other anywhere and anytime.
- A source, providing high data security protecting each document or file from damage or loss.
- Low maintenance costs with various features to make the work environment-friendly and effective.
Prerequisites of importing PST file to Office 365
There are two steps to execute before starting with the process of Office 365 PST import.
- PST file sharing permission: It means you need to provide permission to the folder where the Outlook PST file is stored. Below are the few steps for providing this permission.
- Right-click on the folder containing the PST file(s).
- Go to properties and under sharing Tab, click on the Share
- Hit on Add and choose people with whom you want to share. Here, you choose everyone.
- Again, click on the Share Select the folder and done.
- Import Export role (PowerShell)
Now the second important pre-requisite is assigning the Import Export role to Exchange Online Cloud mailbox where you want to move Outlook PST data to the o365 Platform. Here, I am discussing how to provide the import-export role with the help of Windows PowerShell. For this, you need to follow the given steps carefully.
- Firstly, connect to MS Windows PowerShell to remote areas of Exchange Online.
$o365Cred = Get-Credential
$Session = New-PSSession -ConfigurationName Microsoft.Exchange -ConnectionUri https://ps.outlook.com/powershell/ -Credential $o365Cred -Authentication Basic –AllowRedirection
- Now, Import the new PSsession using the below command.
Import-PSSession $Session
Run the following New-ManagementRoleAssignment command to assign the Import Export role to Office 365.
New-ManagementRoleAssignment -Role “Mailbox Import Export” -SecurityGroup “Organization Management” -Name “Mailbox Import Export”
- With the help of the given command, assign a role to the user’s mailbox.
New-ManagementRoleAssignment –Role “Mailbox Import Export” –User “username”
After the completion of the above two processes, you can implement the process of moving PST to Office 365.
How to upload PST file to Office 365 mailbox?
Method-1: How to do PST to Office 365 Migration manually?
Step 1: Go to Security and Compliance page after login the Office 365
After login as an Office 365 Administrator accounts. Enter into Admin and from Exchange Online Admin center option move towards Security and Compliance, you will redirect to https://protection.office.com page.
Step 2: Start with the importing of the new job
From the Data governance click on Importà + new import job, after this you are asked to name the job and hit on Next button.
Step 3: Get the SAS URL to upload to the Azure tool
Choose upload your data option to start preparing with the process of migrating Outlook PST to Exchange Online and hit on Next.
Click on Show Network Upload SAS URL and copy the link to the clipboard.
Step 4: Get the AzCopy tool and import PST to the Azure storage area.
Hit on the link Download Azure AzCopy to get an updated Microsoft Office 365 migration tool.
Run the below command for uploading the PST file to the Azure tool.
AzCopy.exe /Source: network path /Dest: ”SAS URL” /V: give a location where you want to save log file \AzCopy.log /Y
Step 5: Map the PST using CSV file
Check both the option given and needed for PST file mapping- I’m done uploading my file and I have access to the mapping files and Next.
To start with the mapping of the PST files create the CSV with all the needed information. Below is the required format for creating the CSV file.
Browse the CSV clicking on the + select mapping file. Validate it to check the errors of the uploaded CSV. Now, hit on the Save button.
Lastly, go to the import job page and hit the option “Ready to import on office 365” and choose filter options accordingly.
Method-2: How to import PST to Exchange Online with the help of a tool?
The PST to Office 365 conversion is also implemented using the second process that is with the help of a third-party solution. There are numerous reasons I suggest the software. Here are a few reasons to note for knowing all the benefits of the software.
Features:
- Facilitates to add unlimited Outlook PST files and allows scanning each PST items deeply and inserting them securely with care.
- There is no extra effort or permission required in the case of ANSI or UNICODE PST files as the tool comfortable with all kinds of PSTs.
- Export several PST files to various mailboxes of Exchange Online with the options to manage PST data that allows you to create a new folder in a selected o365 mailbox.
- Well-programmed and organized to provide an understandable working interface with several options to control or managed the process.
- Develop with the highly advanced coding formula to offer exact and error-free outcome. It evens keep the internal key elements of PST data protected.
Final Verdict:
Through this piece of my writing, I discuss the various reasons people are moving from Outlook to Exchange Online Outlook 365 and how to migrate PST to Office 365 with the help of two different methods.
