Summary: When organizations switch from Lotus Notes to MS Outlook, migrating the mailbox data from the former to the latter becomes a challenge. An easy way to transfer this data is to convert the NSF files of Lotus Notes into Outlook’s PST files. In this post, we have shared two expert solutions for NSF to PST conversion. 

IBM Lotus Notes is an old email client, but many organizations still use it for information management. On the other hand, MS Outlook is more recent and offers many perks such as modern UI, extensive support for plugins, and community support. In light of these features, many organizations migrate from Lotus Notes to Outlook.

If you want to transfer Lotus Notes data to Outlook, you have to convert NSF files into PST which are native file formats of these applications. You can perform this NSF to PST conversion manually or by using the software. These solutions are discussed below in detail.

1) Manual Solution

If you want a free but best NSF to PST conversion solution, you can apply the manual solution. In this solution, you need to export NSF to CSV, and then import this CSV into Outlook. So, there are two steps to follow:

Step 1: Export NSF Files to CSV

Follow these steps:

1. Open Lotus Notes.
2. Go to File > Open > Lotus Notes Application.
3. In the Open Application window that opens, locate the NSF file on the system and click Open.
4. Go the File menu, and click Export.
5. In the Export window that opens, provide a name for the file. In Save as type menu, select Comma Separated Value, and click Export.
6. In the CSV Export window that opens, select the appropriate options and click OK. Doing this will save the CSV file in the desired location.

Step 2: Import CSV File into Outlook

1. Open Outlook and go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
2. In the Import and Export Wizard window, select Import from another program or file, and then click Next.
3. Select Comma Separated Values and click Next.
4. Click Browse and locate the CSV file. Then click Next.
5. Pick a folder where the NSF data will be saved and click Next.
6. In the Import a File window, select the checkbox and click Finish.

After performing these steps, the NSF data will be exported to Outlook. You can access this data directly, and if you take a backup, you can export the data to a PST file.

2) Automated Solution

If you want a faster and simpler solution for NSF to PST conversion, you can use a dedicated NSF to PST converter software. The software will offer the following advantages:

• No technical or complex steps
• Easy to implement
• Selective conversion possible
• No risk of data loss or corruption
• Time-saving

A good third-party application offers the best NSF to PST conversion solution as it simplifies the process and saves time as well. You just need to provide the location of the NSF file in the application, and the application will convert the file to PST automatically. You don’t have to perform any technical steps, and your data is also protected throughout the process. You may also refer to the table below for a comparison of the manual solution and automated solution.

Differences between manual and automated solution

Note: In case, you want to import an old archive PST file in Outlook then make sure that Outlook data files (.pst) are healthy. You can try PST repair software to fix errors or corruption smoothly.

Conclusion

Performing NSF to PST conversion is usually not easy. However, you have no other option but to perform this conversion to access your Lotus Notes data in Outlook. One way you can simplify this process is to use an automated solution. With this option, rather than performing a series of technical steps, you can let the software do all the work for you. The software can convert NSF to PST with a few simple steps which makes it the best NSF to PST conversion solution. However, if you don’t want to purchase a dedicated NSF to PST converter software, you can perform the conversion yourself by following a technical process.