Forum Discussion
Copy contents of one mailbox to another
Good afternoon,
I have a bit of an interesting issue. I have a department that has split into two departments. The "new" department, department1 is keeping the name of the old department, and therefore wants the shared mailbox associated with department1 (department1@domain.com) The new department, department2, has a new mailbox, department2@domain.com. Great. However, the new department wants all of the contents of the old mailbox, including all of the folders from department1@domain.com, copied/moved to the new mailbox, department2@domain.com, and department1@domain.com to essentailly start fresh and blank.
I was thinking I could just rename department1@domain.com to department2@domain.com, and create a new mailbox called department1@domain.com - however that won't work because Exchange Online will keep the previous alias assigned to the original mailbox, and that isn't able to be deleted.
So I thought I'd use Search-Mailbox to move all of the mail - Search-Mailbox -identity department1@domain.com -TargetMailbox department2@domain.com - however, this requires a TargetFolder to be specified. If I try to specify Inbox, it creates a subfolder under Inbox, with all of the folders/messages. If I specify / for root, the messages disappear, because the root isn't visible (they show up in a search).
My question is, is there anyway to copy these messages, and folders, intact, from the one shared mailbox, over to the other shared mailbox so all of the folders etc. show up under root, and the messages that are in the inbox to into inbox, and sent items go into sent items, etc.
Any ideas? I was hoping not to have to export to PST and import the PST.
Thanks,
Craig
- Could you not just change the alias of the mailbox/user as well then create a new mailbox with the old alias once everything has synced correctly (i assume you are syncing AD to Office 365).
Give yourself admin rights to both mailboxes.
Once both appear in Outlook right click on the folders/items and drag-n-drop from department1 to department2. As you get over the destination and release the mouse button select Move from the pop-up menu.
- YEP YEP, did it now moving emails, I think that was the easiest way to do the transfer. I should close the support request I have with Microsoft. LOL
Just an update, I tried with the PST import, and specified / for the TargetFolder in the Input Map File, and it still creates a folder of the old mailbox name under the root of the mailbox.
Craig, Cary is essentially right with the answer:
If you use Outlook then you can grant yourself access to both shared mailboxes. They should appear in Outlook on the tree on the left. Open both mailboxes, go to the folders in mailbox 1 and drag and drop the subfolders from the department 1 mailbox to the department 2 mailbox (Inbox).
The same can be done with the messages that are in Inbox: select all messages (by using CTRL+A) and drag them to the department 2 mailbox. Allow some time to complete the move, so don't close Outlook to quickly.
Do this for all folders (Sent and Deleted items) and your Department 1 mailbox is cleaned up.
