How to Import PST to Shared Mailbox Office 365 PowerShell – A Complete Guide

Summary: In this article, you will find how to import PST to Shared Mailbox Office 365 using PowerShell and an automated tool as well. All the steps to import PST into a shared Mailbox are discussed in detail.

Office 365 is the first choice of users regarding SaaS-based platforms for business productivity. Many organizations and users uses it frequently to manage their various day-to-day tasks. Sometimes, the situation occurs in which the user needs to import their PST data to the shared mailbox in Office 365. Now, the question arises of how to import PST to the shared mailbox in Office 365.

However, there are a few ways using which the users can move PST files to the Office 365 shared mailbox, one is by implementing PowerShell commands. However, here are the quick alternative –

5 Steps to Import PST to Shared Mailbox Office 365

• Step 1. Download and Run the software.
• Step 2. Select the categories to import.
• Step 3. Enter the location of the PST file and destination details.
• Step 4. Select the Users.
• Step 5. Click on the Start Import button.

Thus, to help out all the users, we are going to explain step by step process to import PST to Shared Mailbox in Office 365. Moreover, we will also introduce a reliable and instant way to import PST to shared mailbox in Office 365 without any hassle.

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Table Of Content

• How to Import PST Files to Shared Mailbox in Office 365 Using PowerShell?
  • Step 1: Import PST Files to Shared Mailbox Office 365 – Storage Provisioning
  • Step 2: Upload PST to Import it to Shared Mailbox Office 365
• Challenges Faced while Performing Manual Approach
• What if the Manual Gets Failed to Import PST to Shared Mailbox in Office 365?
  • Step-By-Step Guide to Import PST to Office 365
• Summing Up

How to Import PST Files to Shared Mailbox in Office 365 Using PowerShell?

Microsoft provides Import Service to the users to import PST to the shared mailbox in Office 365. Before you begin, you have to follow some prerequisites:

• Admin account on your Office 365 Tenant
• Import Export Mailbox admin role
• It requires high upload bandwidth.

# Step 1: Import PST Files to Shared Mailbox Office 365 – Storage Provisioning

Step 1. The Import Service feature is built on the Azure storage, which is used to store the PST before importing them into mailboxes.

 

Step 2. A storage account generates for the PST file to be imported. For this, you have to click on the ‘Show network upload SAS URL’. This URL will consist of Storage Account Name, Container Name, and Shared Access Signature.

Step 3. Shared Access Signature consists of the following parts:

• • • sv: storage service version
    • se: expiration date
    • sr: storage type
    • si: storage identifier
    • sig: signature

Step 4. This URL is for AzCopy/Azure Storage Explorer Software to import the PST file

Note: With the passage of time, the URL may change. However, the shared access signature part is valid for 60 days.

# Step 2: Upload PST to Import it to Shared Mailbox Office 365

Once you have stored the PST file, you can begin the upload procedure. Now, it depends on the user which tool he/she wants to use. The user can make use of AzCopy, which is a command-line tool, or Azure Storage Explorer, a graphical tool. Here, Azure Storage Explorer is used.

Step 1. First, the user needs to connect to Azure Storage Explorer.

Step 2. Now, you need to enter Shared Access Signature (SAS) URL or an account key.

Step 3. After entering the required SAS URL, you will be able to see the Connection Summary.

Step 4. Finally, you can import PST via the Azure Storage Explorer Tool.

Step 5. Once, the PST files are uploaded to the Azure Storage, you need to create a CSV file that will map PST files to mailboxes and destination folder

Step 6. Now, you need to import the PST mapping file

Step 7. Finally, click on the Finish button after importing PST to Office 365 shared mailbox.

Sometimes, it becomes difficult for the users to perform the steps without having the proper technical knowledge. Moreover, if any of the steps is performed incorrectly then it can also lead to data loss. Thus, to avoid data loss problems it is recommended to opt for a reliable and automated solution.

Must Read: How to Import Outlook Data file to Office 365

Challenges Faced while Performing Manual Approach

As we all know, the network upload method has multiple stages to import PST into Office 365 Shared mailbox which takes too much time. Besides, the migration process is only performed by Office 365 administrator. Sometimes, this process gets terminated without completing the import process. It happens due to various reasons like weak network connection or the presence of bad sectors. So, in that case, users need to start the importing process from the initial point. Let’s discuss it in detail.

• Uploading large PST files using the network upload method can create a significant load on users’ network bandwidth. Additionally, If you have slow network speeds or limited bandwidth, then it can prolong the upload process and cause delays. Which eventually makes it a time-consuming and cumbersome task.
• PST files being the most fragile in nature can sometimes get corrupted, which can result in data loss or incomplete imports.  Moreover, If the PST file is damaged or has any integrity issues, it may cause errors during the upload process or result in missing or inaccessible data in the mailbox.
• Office 365 imposes a size limitation for PST file uploads. Depending on your subscription plan, there may be a maximum file size allowed, typically ranging from 20 GB to 150 GB. If your PST file exceeds this limit, you’ll need to split it into smaller files or use alternative methods for importing.
• Uploading large PST files over the network is susceptible to interruptions or disconnections. If the network connection is lost during the upload process, you may need to restart the entire process, leading to additional time and effort.
• PST files created with older versions of Outlook may not be fully compatible with the Office 365 import process. Incompatibility issues can result in errors or incomplete imports, requiring you to convert the PST file to a compatible format before proceeding.
• The manual network upload method involves configuring the necessary settings and ensuring the correct permissions and network configurations are in place. This process can be complex and may require troubleshooting if any errors or issues arise.

Also Read: What are the Office 365 Backup best practices to safeguard the data?

What if the Manual Gets Failed to Import PST to Shared Mailbox in Office 365?

After knowing all the consequences of a manual process, users need to search for a reliable professional tool. One such application is Import PST to Office 365 Tool. This tool is use to migrate all PST files into Office 365 mailbox, including the shared mailbox. The best thing about this tool is that it maintains the folder hierarchy during PST to Office 365 migration process. This tool is having multiple advanced features.

Features

• Uses a Date-Range Filter to filter out the data.
• Provides an option of Account Priority to migrate the particular account first.
• Data is safe during the process.
• Import large-sized PST files easily.

Step-By-Step Guide to Import PST to Office 365

Step 1. Download and Run the tool. Select Outlook as the Source and Office 365 as the Destination.

Step 2. Select the categories under the workload you want to migrate and apply the Date Filter.

Step 3. Add the path of the PST file in the source window, validate, and Next.

Step 4. Enter the destination credentials of Office 365, validate them, and Next.

Step 5. Select the users from Fetch User, Import User, and Download Template options.

Step 6. After selecting the users, Click the Start Import button to start the process.

Must Read: How to Export Office 365 Mailboxes to PST Using eDiscovery Export Tool?

Summing Up

In this write-up, we have explained the complete procedure to import PST files to Office 365 shared mailbox manually. However, sometimes, the manual process consumes lots of time and much effort. Thus, in this blog, we have suggested a smart or instant solution as mentioned above for the migration process. Also, we have covered the step-by-step procedure of the tool in an efficient way.

Frequently Asked Questions