Outlook: Saving sent messages to the server

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By default, Outlook in IMAP mode saves sent messages in the local Personal Folder (PST) Sent Items folder. Use the Rules Wizard to save sent messages in a folder on the IMAP server.

Also, the second part of this solution (Sections 3 and 4) also pertains to problems users may be having in Outlook regarding the fields shown in their Sent folder. A lot of users can only see the "From" and "Received" fields in their IMAP Sent folder, which is useless in most situations. Sections 3 and 4 resolve that issue.

1. Create Sent Items rule

  • On the Tools menu, choose Rules Wizard, and then click New
  • Choose Start from a blank rule
  • Select Check messages after sending, and then click Next.
  • Check the box next to uses the form name form
  • Click on the underlined form name in the Rule Description box.
  • Click the pull down menu and select Application Forms
  • Choose Message
  • Click Add, click Close, and then click Next
  • Check the box next to move a copy to the specified folder
  • Click on the underlined specified folder in the Rule Description box
  • Choose your IMAP server Sent folder. Click OK, and then click Next
  • Click Next again to skip exceptions
  • Specify a rule name, for example, Sent Items
  • Click Finish, and then click OK.

2. Disable local Sent Items

  • Warning: The Sent Items rule will become disabled without warning if there is a network interruption. If local sent items is disabled and the rule becomes disabled, no copies of sent mail will be saved. If local sent items is enabled, one copy of sent mail will be saved locally and a second copy will be saved on the server. It is recommended that local sent items be enabled.
  • On the Tools menu, click Options.
  • On the Preferences Tab, click E-mail Options.
  • Disable Save copies of messages in Sent Items Folder check box

3. Customize current view of Sent folder

  • Select the Sent folder on IMAP
  • From the View menu choose Current View, then choose Customize Current View
  • Click Fields button
  • Remove From and Received from Show these fields in this order box
  • Add To and Sent to Show these fields in this order box
  • Move fields up (or down) as desired
  • Click OK to close the Show fields window
  • Click OK to close View Summary window
  • The Sent folder on IMAP now has the correct view but the columns are not populated.


This information is based on Princeton's University's Office of Information Technology page:[1]

Retrieved from "http://prowiki.isc.upenn.edu/wiki/Outlook:_Saving_sent_messages_to_the_server"
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