MSOutlook Inbox Subfolders

[CSHTNG]

Can numerous subfolders with lots of email in each subfolder under the Inbox
create problems with how well MSOutlook performs? Is it best to move these
Inbox subfolders from the Inbox into another folder?

 

[David H]

A folder is a folder, it makes no difference whether the folder is under the inbox or not

 

[David H]

To clarify, "a folder is a folder" assumes you are talking about moving from a folder in one pst file or Exchange folder to a different folder in the *same* pst file or exchange folder. In that instance it makes no difference. If a pst files gets very large, compacting and/or archiving old mail can speed things up. I keep my mail in my ost file one year. After that I archive it to a second pst file. So even though I have years worth of email, all the old email is archived so as not to slow down Outlook

 

[Diane Poremsky [MVP]]

How many items (folders and messages) are in the top level of the inbox?
Each folder with a large number of items may take longer to load. In my
experience, somewhere over 3000 messages can noticeably slow the "opening"
of a folder. So if the inbox has 100 folders and 10,000 messages it will be
slow. If each subfolder has 10,000 messages it shouldn't affect outlook
until you open the folder. What will be slow is if outlook doesn't close
properly and needs to check the message store - a large store is slower to
check. It will also be slower if you use Exchange server with the 'classic'
connection to exchange - it needs to pull the messages in from the server to
populate the folder. Cached mode will be faster.

Note that I do not recommend using that many folders. You should use views
and search folders to separate mail, not hundreds of folders.

FWIW, I prefer to keep about 1000 messages I'm working on in my inbox and
move the finished ones to a 'completed' folder in the top level of the
mailbox.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



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[CSHTNG]

Thanks Diane - I guess my concern is if the Inbox should become corrupted
could you lose all the subfolders that are under the Inbox too. But when I
see pst files become unstable where the scanpst does not work or a repair,
but a new active pst file seems to resolve problems I was wondering if the
numerous Inbox subfolders and emails could be the culprit. Sounds like it
could be. Lately I have been seeing outlook saying it has had a shutdown
issue (when infact it appeared to be a proper shutdown and the outlook
process is not running) when it is starts.

How many items (folders and messages) are in the top level of the inbox?
Each folder with a large number of items may take longer to load. In my
experience, somewhere over 3000 messages can noticeably slow the "opening"
of a folder. So if the inbox has 100 folders and 10,000 messages it will be
slow. If each subfolder has 10,000 messages it shouldn't affect outlook
until you open the folder. What will be slow is if outlook doesn't close
properly and needs to check the message store - a large store is slower to
check. It will also be slower if you use Exchange server with the 'classic'
connection to exchange - it needs to pull the messages in from the server to
populate the folder. Cached mode will be faster.

Note that I do not recommend using that many folders. You should use views
and search folders to separate mail, not hundreds of folders.

FWIW, I prefer to keep about 1000 messages I'm working on in my inbox and
move the finished ones to a 'completed' folder in the top level of the
mailbox.

--
Diane Poremsky [MVP - Outlook]



Outlook Tips by email:
(e-mail address removed)

EMO - a weekly newsletter about Outlook and Exchange:
(e-mail address removed)

You can access this newsgroup by visiting
http://www.microsoft.com/office/community/en-us/default.mspx or point your
newsreader to msnews.microsoft.com.

Can numerous subfolders with lots of email in each subfolder under the
Inbox
create problems with how well MSOutlook performs? Is it best to move
these
Inbox subfolders from the Inbox into another folder?