Monday, January 31, 2011

Importing Outlook 2011 to GMail or Google Apps

My company finally made the switch to Google Apps. I have been using Outlook for the last few years to access my email from a FirstClass server and upgraded to Outlook 2011 a few months ago. I love the Google Email interface so now it's time to ditch Outlook completely. Unfortunately there isn't a direct import utility from Outlook 2011 to GMail or Google Apps so I combined a few. Here's  how:

  1. Download, install and run EagleFiler (Free 30-day trial/$40 to buy)

  2. Close the how-to guide.

  3. Create a new library in EagleFiler called Outlook Export (name doesn't matter)

  4. In Outlook, select the emails you want to import (use ⌘-A) and then press F1 (Fn-F1 for most Mac keyboards)

  5. Let EagleFiler do it's work. If you have Growl, you will see notifications as it processes the email into mbox format.

  6. Repeat step 4 for all of the folders you want to import

  7. Open Mac Mail and setup a dummy account if you don't already have one

  8. In Mac Mail - select File - Import Mailboxes and select Files in mbox format and select Continue

  9. Browse to the location that you created your EagleFiler Library (mine was in Documents:Outlook Export) and select the Outlook Export Folder and Choose

  10. After a bit of Searching for data... you will receive an Import box allowing you to select the folders you want to import. Check the ones you want and click Continue

  11. Google makes it easier to get from Mac Mail to GMail by using the Google Email Uploader Mac. Go get, install and run it.

  12. Google Email Uploader Mac will detect the Mac Mail account automatically. Enter your credentials for GMail or Google Apps.

  13. Make sure you have Apple Mail selected and clock Import


It took me about 3-hours to upload 9500 messages but it worked. Special thanks to C-Command software for making a great product. I wish there was a donate button on their site so I could shell a few bucks their way for making this possible.