Transfer Outlook Contacts: Move or Copy to Shared Mailbox

Need to transfer your organization’s contacts to a shared mailbox? Whether you want to move them entirely or just create copies, this guide covers both options. Perfect for small businesses and nonprofits looking to manage contacts efficiently while maintaining flexibility in their approach.

Table of Contents

1. Prerequisites
2. Deciding: Move or Copy?
3. Exporting Contacts from Outlook 365
4. Moving vs. Copying to Shared Mailbox
5. Troubleshooting Common Issues
6. Best Practices for Contact Management

Prerequisites

Before beginning the transfer process, ensure:

• You have administrator access to the shared mailbox
• Your Outlook 365 is updated to the latest version
• You’ve backed up your contacts as a precaution

Deciding: Move or Copy?

Consider your needs:

• Moving: Transfers contacts completely, removing them from your personal mailbox
• Best for: Consolidating all contacts in one location
• Caution: Original contacts will no longer be in your personal mailbox
• Copying: Duplicates contacts to the shared mailbox
• Best for: Maintaining personal access while sharing with team
• Caution: May lead to duplicate updates if not managed properly

Exporting Contacts from Outlook 365

1. Open Outlook and navigate to the People tab
2. Select the contacts you wish to transfer
3. Click “Export” under the File menu
4. Choose “CSV” as the export format
5. Save the file to a secure location

Moving vs. Copying to Shared Mailbox

To Move Contacts:

1. Export contacts as above
2. Delete contacts from personal mailbox
3. Import to shared mailbox

To Copy Contacts:

1. Export contacts as above
2. Import to shared mailbox
3. Retain original contacts in personal mailbox

Import Process for Both Options:

1. Log in to the shared mailbox
2. Access the People tab
3. Select “Import” from the management ribbon
4. Choose your saved CSV file
5. Map the contact fields appropriately
6. Complete the import process

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Issue: Contacts not appearing after import
• Solution: Refresh the shared mailbox or clear cache
• Issue: Original contacts deleted unintentionally
• Solution: Restore from backup or Deleted Items folder

Best Practices for Contact Management

• Clearly communicate to team members whether contacts are being moved or copied
• Establish protocols for updating contacts in shared mailbox
• Regular audits to ensure contact list accuracy
• Use categories to distinguish copied vs. moved contacts