Switching PC Outlook 2007 to Mac Outlook 2011

New iMac arrived. First task is getting Outlook 2011 switched from PC.

Made a copy of my pst file and put it on the Time Capsule for the iMac. Tried to import it using the pst import utility in Outlook 2011 for Mac, but failed because it was ANSI format. Obviously I had not updated the format back in the past during an Office upgrade on the PC. Made a new pst file and copied all my data into it from the PC's pst file, which built a version in the updated format. This time Outlook 2011 for Mac seemed to import all the data fine. But...

When I imported the PC's Outlook 2007 pst file to Mac Outlook 2011, all the data imported but each component was stored in a second folder of the respective component on the Mac. For example, the imported Calendar (call it "PCCalendar") showed up as a folder called PCCalendar under the folder called Calendar in the Mac. I tried to copy all the items from PCCalendar to Calendar and deleted the PCCalendar folder, but then all the items vanished from Calendar.

So I deleted everything I could find in Outlook on the Mac and sat back to think this over before trying again. I have lots of time to make the switch gradually. My thinking is that I would like to have all my data in the standard folders on the Mac, rather than have separate folders. Doesn't seem clean to me to have the imported data in separate folders, especially when I start syncing my BlackBerry and iPad to the iMac instead of the PC. Any suggestions or thoughts for me? Thanks.

Update: I redid import and this time discovered I could right-click to see a context senstitive menu offering "Move". I tried that and all the PCNotes items moved to the Notes folder. Then disappeared when I deleted the PCNotes folder. Hmm.

Microsoft really screwed the pooch with Outlook 2011 and any kind of compatibility with the outside world -- even its Windows namesake.

Rather that trying to cajole Mac Outlook into playing nice with PST files, I would recommend prepping your Windows Outlook data with a utility like O2M. It will convert your data into a format appropriate for the various Mac email apps, including Entourage (which is what Mac Outlook used to be called before Microsoft decided to unify the brands [but nothing else]).

If that doesn't help, you might also try Office for Mac's Outlook forum. Microsoft doesn't contribute to the discussions there, but there are a number of very helpful users that are knowledgeable in Microsoft Mac products.

Good luck!

Fixed! I called Microsoft support. It is normal for imported data to appear in secondary folders. This gives the user the opportunity to select what goes into the primary folders in each section of Outlook on the Mac.

The data disappeared from the Calendar folder because when I clicked on the imported PCCalendar folder to delete it after moving the data into the Calendar folder, that action moved the checkmark into the box beside the PCCalendar folder, which shifted some internal focus to the PCCalendar folder. Deleting the folder took the data with it from the Calendar folder.

The solution is to hold the Control key down and then click on the imported folder that I want to delete. That prevents the checkmark from shifting to the imported folder, which allows me to select it for deletion without affecting the data in the Calendar folder. And so on for the other sections in Outlook. Cudos to the tech support person at the call center who nailed this so quickly.

The process of selecting all the items varies a bit from section to section. For Calendar, use Search This Folder, Advanced, and select any date to see all the items in a list. Then Edit, Select All, then click and drag all the items to the Calendar folder. At least that worked for me. http://www.officeformachelp.com/outlook/faqs/#faq31

Sweet! I'm glad you're squared away, and really appreciate your posting the solution.

Update: I ended up letting go of Outlook and relaxing into Apple's stock email, contacts and reminders apps. Then started using BusyCal and BusyToDo. Miss the all-in one of Outlook, but works fine and keeps my iMac and iDevices sync'd up with no effort from me.