Two Methods for Migrating NSF Files to PST Files for Free

IBM/Lotus Notes and Microsoft Outlook are two popular email clients in businesses. Many users, however, will need to switch from Lotus Notes to Outlook in certain circumstances.

However, accessing an NSF file directly in Outlook is not possible because the two database file formats (NSF for Notes and PST for Outlook) are incompatible. Let’s go over the requirements and the steps to Migrating NSF Files to PST Files.

What are the Benefits of Migrating from IBM Notes to Microsoft Outlook?

Various reasons have been attributed to the migration of email data from Lotus Notes to Outlook.

• When compared to Lotus Notes, Outlook is more cost-effective.
• Outlook is less expensive to maintain than Lotus Notes.
• Outlook is a part of the Microsoft Office Suite, whereas Notes is an independent application (need to purchase)
• It allows users to set up multiple accounts at the same time.
• Outlook allows you to access your mailboxes while offline, whereas Notes does not.
• In comparison to Notes, Outlook has more security features and data management practices.
• MS Outlook is easy to use. Outlook is suitable for both inexperienced and experienced users. Lotus Notes is difficult to use for inexperienced users.
• Another reason is that your new workplace may use Outlook as an email client.

Why To Migrating NSF Files to PST Files?

There are plenty of reasons for Notes users to migrate to Outlook. Because NSF files use different file formats to save their mailbox data, they cannot be accessed directly in Outlook (Lotus Notes uses NSF file format while Outlook uses PST file format).

How to Migrating NSF Files to PST Files Manually?

It’s a completely free NSF to PST converter. Before performing the manual conversion, make a backup copy of the original IBM Lotus Notes NSF file, as the file may become damaged during the process. The conversion of NSF files to PST files is done manually in two stages.

1. Lotus Notes NSF files are exported to a CSV file as an intermediate step.
2. Open MS Outlook and import the intermediate CSV file.

Step 1: Convert NSF files to CSV format.

Follow the steps below to export NSF files from Lotus Notes.

1. Start the IBM Lotus Notes application.
2. Select File > Open > Louts Notes Application from the File menu.
3. Browse for the required NSF file in the Open Application window and click Open. The NSF file you selected is opened.
4. Select Export from the File menu.
5. Enter the file name, file location, and saving type in the Export dialogue box.
6. For the file, choose the Comma Separated Values format.
7. The CSV Export dialogue box appears. From the How much to export, Export Character Set, and Detail to Incorporate sections, select the required options. Click the OK button.
8. The exported data is saved as a CSV file in the specified location.

Step 2: Open Outlook and import the CSV file.

Follow these steps to import the Intermediate CSV file into MS Outlook:

1. Open the Microsoft Outlook program.
2. Click Open & Export, then Import/Export from the File menu.
3. A dialogue box called Import and Export Wizard appears. From the options, choose Import from another program or file. Next should be selected.
4. Click Next after selecting Comma Separated Values as the file type.
5. Select the path for the CSV file created earlier with Lotus Notes’ Export command by clicking Browse. Choose accordingly.
6. Click Next after selecting the Outlook folder where you want to save your exported data.
7. In the Import a file dialogue box, check the appropriate checkbox and click Finish. By selecting the same name options, you can also change your destination or map custom fields.
8. The “CSV file” data would be imported into “MS Outlook.”

Manual NSF to PST Conversion Challenges

While the free Migrating NSF Files to PST Files method is useful in some situations, it also has a number of drawbacks. Here are a few examples:

• For a novice user, this is a complicated and time-consuming method.
• It takes a long time and does not migrate all of the data.
• The possibility of a manual error exists.
• If not handled properly, the NSF file may become corrupted.
• A case of data loss or incomplete data export can occur.
• It is not possible to convert in a selective manner.
• Only converts one NSF file at a time, making the process slow and tedious.

Converting NSF to PST with a Professional Solution

DataHelp for Lotus Notes to Outlook is a highly effective NSF to PST converter. NSF files (from IBM/Lotus Notes, SmartCloud Notes, and Domino Server) are directly saved in Outlook PST or Exchange Server with this third-party tool. It has a number of advantages over the free NSF to PST converter. It allows you to save NSF files as multiple PST files. The user can also migrate specific data using the tool’s advanced filters. Its not require lotus notes to installed in users system. From each source mailbox, the free version of the same tool can convert and save up to 10 items per folder.

Conclusion

As a result, when migrating NSF to PST becomes necessary, the manual method becomes impractical. That’s the situation. DataHelp NSF to PST Converter is the best, fastest, and easiest tool for converting NSF to PST. To get a feel for how it works, try the demo version, which allows for the migration of the first 10 items per folder.