Import PST File in Exchange Mailbox – A Complete User Guide

As we know, importing pst into exchange 2010/2013 being a task which is frequently performed through Exchange administrator. Thus, for importing PST files many users can use Power-Shell command, a scripting language which was used for task atomization. Moreover, it enables an Administrator to delete the existing import request, go through the upcoming section to learn how to import pst file in exchange mailbox 2010/2013 using new-mailboximportrequest script.

Methods to Import PST files in Exchange 2010 or 2013

To follow the below workarounds for importing Outlook PST files in Exchange mailboxes:

Move Outlook data file to Exchange 2010 SP1

Step 1: Grant User Rights to Mailbox Exchange 2010

Initially, to assign all rights to import PST file within an organization, under the Exchange Management Shell run the below command.

If users are already logged with existing user account simply restart the Exchange Management Shell for granting to access the new cmdlets.

Step 2: Creating a Shared Mailbox in Exchange 2010

Besides, users need to create a new shared mailbox that would be used in a file path for importing Outlook data files. Here, all that is necessary for network share so that to assign the read/write permission to the Group Exchange Trusted Subsystem.

Step 3: Import PST into Exchange Server SP1

Using the New-MailboxImportRequest cmdlet for moving a PST file to the mailbox. For an instance, the PST file named as allen.john.pst has been imported into Devin Smith’s mailbox.

In some situations, users may prefer to import PST file into sub-folder of a mailbox. Even users can execute this by adding this -TargetRootFolder parameter to the script.

The import request might create a target folder and start importing PST into exchange 2010/2013.

Also, users can view the status of mailbox import request by using the Get-MailboxImportRequest cmd.

By transmitting Get-MailboxImportRequest cmd into Get-MailboxImportRequestStatistics users can monitor the progress of import operation also.

Import PST into Exchange 2013 Using PowerShell

As the Microsoft Exchange is the mail server that can use Outlook as email client must enable the feature of emailing process. Outlook can save entire data into a .pst file and in most cases, Exchange administrator needs to import PST file in Exchange mailbox. In order to provide the better ways to manage the Exchange operation.

Before performing the import command users have to assign some rights to the mailbox, So, first of all, let's discuss how to grant all rights to the mailbox.

To assign user rights for mailbox before executing the import command users need to run the following script, keep in mind that even an Administrator's mailbox does not have permission to perform the import operation.

Here 'Stefan' is the user account name in which you can assign the import/export role in Exchange 2013 and this way only gives the role to a single mailbox in case, if you want to assign this role to multiple mailboxes then, you must have to create the group and after this, add the name of mailboxes in that group. You can also create a group by running the below command:

Well, 'MSExchangeGroup' is a group name which has created by users and they have to add mailboxes to this group.

Now, users can use New-MailboxImportRequest cmdlet to import PST file in Exchange mailbox, even they can create multiple mailbox import requests on a single mailbox and they have to mention the unique name for every import request. By default, Exchange generates around 10 unique names automatically for every import request if users want to add more than 10 import request they must specify those unique names as well.

This above-stated command would collect complete data from the source folder to the current mailbox folder structure. Now, the new import .pst file into a targeted folder within Exchange 2013 mailbox will run the command given below:

Also, users can use any folder as a destination folder for importing pst into exchange 2010/2013 and by executing this script the import task will be inserted in a queue. Moreover, users can easily view the progress report in the given below script:

Automated Tool to Import PST File in Exchange Mailbox

If the above-mentioned solution does not work properly, then one can go through to take help of the third party utility named as Exchange Import. Moreover, it is also a reliable and trustworthy solution to importing PST file into exchange 2013/2010 in a proper way.

Wrapping it Up

In this blog, we have covered all information regarding how to import PST file in exchange mailbox 2010 or 2013 using Power Shell command. Even we have already discussed importing process with Exchange 2010 or Exchange 2013 in an easy way. Else, one can go for an alternate solution i.e. Exchange Import software that is helpful during the import process.