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Forum Discussion
Can no longer save outlook emails to Dropbox
In the past I've copied over certain emails from my Outlook inbox into Dropbox just by using copy/paste function. These would bring attachments along with the original message text and are a backup ...
Thanks for this. This one link shows at the bottom how to move the "Documents" folder to dropbox which moves the Outlook data and creates an auto sync. Not what I was doing as I was only backing up selective emails but it might work.
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Files-folders/Can-you-help-me-backup-my-emails/td-p/282911
What is interesting is that while playing with this I found that if I copy and past an outlook email with attachments from my Outlook inbox into the Documents folder in Windows first, I can then copy and past it into Dropbox the way I used to with no third party app.
So this is an extra step and something Dropbox has done created this inability to do the same thing directly from my email inbox. No idea why or what the fix might be but it does work now if I take this extra step. I tested it and I can open that same email from dropbox with a double click and it opens automatically with Outlook so the process break is only one way on the save side.
Fiona
Dropbox Staff
Dropbox StaffCopying and pasting the emails without even opening the email, cannot upload the text of the emails and the attachments to Dropbox. All that is saved to Dropbox needs to be uploaded somehow. Copying the text from your email to a doc, you create in Dropbox would work.
As discussed, our integration with Outlook can forward your Outlook attachments to Dropbox directly but not the body texts of your email.
Where you maybe using a third party app to accomplish this? :thinking:
No third party apps. Simple copy/paste with my mouse. Not sure why this is so surprising to the Dropbox team. It was as simple as the alternative of saving an email with attachments to an external or internal hard drive. Except putting them on Dropbox was an added back up and made them accessable from any of my devices. This is a very disappointing loss of functionality to be honest. If you can't explain how to do this on your improved platform I'll be looking for another cloud application. It seems like your integration efforts may be adding a bit of function but it's no good if it also takes away the most basic functionality that was there before. I have years worth of client email communication details dating back to 2013 stored on Dropbox this way and if I can't do this any longer the platform is not worth keeping for me.
It's not how I feel. You've removed a basic back up functionality that is critical to my business records. All you have to do is look in my folder called "Confirmed Bookings" to see the 7 years worth of email storage. Dropbox needs to stay close to it's roots as a safe back up storage for information as well as multi device access. Too many bells and whistles at the expense of your basic offering will undermine your success. I'm testing this functionality with other cloud providers to see what options there are.
Thanks for this. This one link shows at the bottom how to move the "Documents" folder to dropbox which moves the Outlook data and creates an auto sync. Not what I was doing as I was only backing up selective emails but it might work.
https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Files-folders/Can-you-help-me-backup-my-emails/td-p/282911
What is interesting is that while playing with this I found that if I copy and past an outlook email with attachments from my Outlook inbox into the Documents folder in Windows first, I can then copy and past it into Dropbox the way I used to with no third party app.
So this is an extra step and something Dropbox has done created this inability to do the same thing directly from my email inbox. No idea why or what the fix might be but it does work now if I take this extra step. I tested it and I can open that same email from dropbox with a double click and it opens automatically with Outlook so the process break is only one way on the save side.
- Fiona
Sorry you feel this way Cbray.
Wish I could be more helpful. This is not something I was able to reproduce succesfully, in any way. I still don't understand how it was working for you, without a third party app. I hope the following Community discussions help with clarifying matters:
- https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Files-folders/Can-you-help-me-backup-my-emails/td-p/282911
- https://www.dropboxforum.com/t5/Files-folders/How-do-I-save-Microsoft-Outlook-emails-and-folders-to-Dropbox/td-p/37764
{Edit}
Our integration with Slack is currently the best way to save your conversations in Dropbox: https://www.dropbox.com/app-integrations/slack
- Fiona
I wish I had steps on our end to have your Outlook emails saved. Syncing Outlook emails was never a Dropbox feature. Maybe you had the folder symlinked and symlinks now don't work with Dropbox (read about this here). I am sure there are third party apps that can save your emails in Dropbox.
Alternatively, you can export your emails as files and upload them manually to Dropbox. Hope this Office support article can help: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/back-up-your-email-e5845b0b-1aeb-424f-924c-aa1c33b18833
I am personally using Slack to have my conversations directly in Dropbox but I understand (from the name of the directory) that you might not be able to have your bookings system set up with Slack. I just wanted to add out alternative.
I hope other Community users can suggest a third party solution.
Thank you for your feedback.
- Fiona
Glad to see updates on the matter. :relieved: Your feedback and participation in Community is important to us. This solution can help so many other users.
Truly pleasant to know you found a way for this to work for you. Seems like the Windows Document folder was the key for your Outlook emails.
I will try it myself!
Thank you Cbray!
