Overview

Some users may experience issues when attempting to transfer emails from the main Inbox to nested folders within the Inbox using Outlook. Instead of being moved to the intended folders, the emails are transferred to the Deleted Items folder.

This issue arises due to the way Outlook handles email transfers, where it deletes the original email and creates a copy in the destination folder. However, the second part of creating the new emails may fail, causing the emails to only be deleted.

The below can be seen in the Operations log whenever an email is moved from Outlook IMAP:

[24/Jan/2024 10:35:43] {DELETE} Protocol: IMAP, User: test@example.com, IP: 127.0.0.1, Folder: ~test@example.com/INBOX, From: "Test User" <test@example.com>, Subject: "[CATCH-ALL] test", Msg-Id: <<16850250-35408@domain.com>>, Delivered: 15/Dec/2023 11:48:53, Size: 1601
[24/Jan/2024 10:35:43] {MOVE} Protocol: IMAP, User: test@example.com, IP: 127.0.0.1, Folder: ~test@example.com/INBOX, Destination Folder: ~test@example.com/Deleted Items, From: "Test User" <test@example.com>, Subject: "[CATCH-ALL] test", Msg-Id: <<16850250-35408@domain.com>>, Delivered: 15/Dec/2023 11:48:53, Size: 1601 

Solution

Given that the issue stems from the way that the Outlook IMAP handles item movement between folders, it is recommended to use the Kerio Connect webmail interface for moving the emails as it interacts directly with the server and is less error-prone. 

Additional things to note:

1. If the limited number of emails visible on each page in Webmail is a concern, change the page size to a maximum of 500 emails.
2. Move the emails in smaller batches to avoid overloading the system.
3. If you prefer to move the emails directly through the server's backend, be aware that this will require triggering a re-index after the move to avoid potential indexing problems.
4. To avoid filename clashes during the move, create the new folders in Webmail first, then move the emails through the backend. This ensures the destination folder is empty before the move.
5. Plan to move the emails during working hours and the remainder outside of working hours to minimize the impact on the user. If using the backend for the move, trigger a re-index during the off-hours.

Summary

It is recommended to avoid using Outlook IMAP for moving a large number of emails due to the additional steps required, which would slow down the process. Instead, use the Webmail interface or the server's backend for moving emails, and adjust the page size in Webmail to view more emails at once.

FAQ

1. Can I use Outlook to move a large number of emails?
   It's not recommended due to the additional steps required, which can slow down the process and is more prone to error. Use the Webmail interface or the server's backend instead.
2. How can I view more emails at once in Webmail?
   You can adjust the page size in Webmail to a maximum of 500 emails.
3. What should I do to avoid potential indexing problems when moving emails through the server's backend?
   Trigger a re-index after the move to avoid potential indexing problems.