Member Avatar for JonathanM

Hi,

At my office we have 3 Windows PC's running XP Pro sp2 and Office Pro 2003. Most of the office uses Macs so that is what I am used to supporting. Our email is on a POP3/IMAP Linux server. We do not use Exchange or AD or push out any kind of GPO.

When I set up the PC employees with their IMAP account using Outlook 2003 it won't save sent emails in the IMAP sent mail folder, even though I subscribed to it and it is visible in the folder pane. The sent emails are saved in the pst folder. I haven't been able to find any setting to change this.

As an add on question, is there a way to remove the pst file completely? There's no reason for the file to be there and in earlier versions of Outlook the file wasn't automatically created. I tried to remove the file from the local folders path but it reappeared when I restarted Outlook.

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Short diagnosis and why the PST keeps coming back (for ): Outlook 2003’s IMAP support saves sent (and some special) items into the local Personal Folders (.pst) by design rather than always putting them on the IMAP server. There is no simple Outlook 2003 UI switch to force all Sent items to the server, so the behaviour you describe — sent mail staying in the PST and the PST being recreated — is expected under that client. (support.microsoft.com)

Simple, dependable workaround (no extra software): create a client-side “after sending” rule that copies sent mail into the IMAP Sent folder. Steps in Outlook 2003: Tools → Rules and Alerts → New Rule → Start from a blank rule → Check messages after sending → (optionally select “through the specified account” and choose the IMAP account) → select “move a copy to the specified folder” and pick the server’s Sent folder → Finish. That will place a server-visible copy so webmail/other clients see the sent messages. Community guides and MVP writeups use this approach because it is straightforward and safe. (uvm.edu)

Other options and caveats: a VBA macro can automate the same move/copy (Application_ItemSend handlers are commonly used), but macros require lowering security, testing, and maintenance; copies moved by rules or macros can appear as unread on the server or produce duplicates if the server also saves sent copies. To avoid duplicates, you can disable Outlook’s “save copies of sent items” for the IMAP account (Account Settings → Change → More Settings / Advanced options to not save copies). Test changes with one account first. (outlookpower.com)

Operational recommendation (ties to earlier replies): accept ’s point about Outlook’s limited IMAP implementation and standardize a fix: either deploy the rule to each Outlook install and document it, or use a client with stronger IMAP mapping (e.g., Thunderbird) or a newer Outlook build with improved IMAP handling. That keeps sent mail visible from webmail and other clients without losing local calendars/contacts (Outlook still needs a PST for non‑mail items). (outlookpower.com)

Member Avatar for ptetreau

Saving your Sent Items in a local folder is a "feature" of Outlook with an IMAP account, and so is saving Deleted Items there. With these two requirements, you will not be able to remove the PST file from that account.

- Phil

Hi,

At my office we have 3 Windows PC's running XP Pro sp2 and Office Pro 2003. Most of the office uses Macs so that is what I am used to supporting. Our email is on a POP3/IMAP Linux server. We do not use Exchange or AD or push out any kind of GPO.

When I set up the PC employees with their IMAP account using Outlook 2003 it won't save sent emails in the IMAP sent mail folder, even though I subscribed to it and it is visible in the folder pane. The sent emails are saved in the pst folder. I haven't been able to find any setting to change this.

As an add on question, is there a way to remove the pst file completely? There's no reason for the file to be there and in earlier versions of Outlook the file wasn't automatically created. I tried to remove the file from the local folders path but it reappeared when I restarted Outlook.

Member Avatar for JonathanM

A feature? Doesn't this defeat the whole purpose of IMAP? The PST is a local file so it can't be viewed by these employees when they are logged in to webmail at home.

Saving your Sent Items in a local folder is a "feature" of Outlook with an IMAP account, and so is saving Deleted Items there. With these two requirements, you will not be able to remove the PST file from that account.

- Phil

Member Avatar for ptetreau

Microsoft is not as interested as it might like us to think in actually following existing standards, and they support IMAP with Outlook almost as an afterthought. They can say "We handle industry standard POP3 and IMAP4", but you and I know enough to be skeptical.

To be fair, Eudora, one of the first popular clients to introduce IMAP capability, doesn't support server-based Sent mailboxes, even now after a number of major revisions. They are more interested in adding features like emoticons, apparently.

I recommend Thunderbird as an IMAP client. I guess you need to go Open Source if you really want to maintain your "standards". -Phil

Member Avatar for JonathanM

I just have a hard time believing that Outlook doesn't have a preference to map outgoing emails to the IMAP sent items folder. The Mac version - Entourage - has this when set up as IMAP. It must be something I'm missing but I've gone through every preference I can find.

Member Avatar for legrand68

It can be done, although it's not the most clear path to accomplish it. There are step by step directions here:

Leave it to the people at MIT to figure it out :)

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