Using Outlook across multiple PCs

I've set up our Windows Server 2016 domain user accounts to not use any profiles at all. I have redirected all the home folders and AppData to the user's share on the server and most things works well on Windows 10.

 

One issue I do have however, is Outlook 2016 settings. I've manually set up Outlook for some of our users, but when they move to another PC, Outlook is not set up for them. I've checked their AppData folder on the server and there is nothing Outlook related in the folder. The Outlook files seem to be on the locally created profile. I would like to know how I can migrate over just the LGfL email settings, without migrating over .ost files as these seem to grow to huge sizes. Mine is currently at 2GB. I don't mind these sitting on local PCs, but definitely don't want files of that size on the network!

 

Is there any way I can easily achieve this without having to resort to using any sort of user profiles, especially roaming ones!

Simplest answer, do they need Outlook, can they not just OWA?

 

I know office staff may need fat client but other staff maybe not?

Is it based on Exchange / Office 365? If so you can fully automate it using this Outlook group policy "Automatically configure profile based on Active Directory Primary SMTP address"

Simplest answer, do they need Outlook, can they not just OWA?

 

I know office staff may need fat client but other staff maybe not?

 

In truth, most of the staff do use OWA. The office staff are hot desking quite a bit this year due to building works, so it would be nice to get this working for them.

 

Also, it's bugging me and I'd like to get it working and learn something in the process! [emoji12][emoji851]

Is it based on Exchange / Office 365? If so you can fully automate it using this Outlook group policy "Automatically configure profile based on Active Directory Primary SMTP address"

 

LGfL StaffMail is a hosted Exchange system for staff at LGfL subscribed schools. I could give that a go, but would I need any access to the Exchange back end? If so, then this wouldn't work as this is something I don't have access to. Also, would I need to populate the email field in Active Directory for each user?

Edited September 8, 2017 by Zoom7000

LGfL StaffMail is a hosted Exchange system for staff at LGfL subscribed schools. I could give that a go, but would I need any access to the Exchange back end? If so, then this wouldn't work as this is something I don't have access to. Also, would I need to populate the email field in Active Directory for each user?

 

You don't need access to the exchange. But you will need to populate the field in AD.

You don't need access to the exchange. But you will need to populate the field in AD.

 

Would you know of a PowerShell script that I can use to do this automatically if I have a CSV file with the username and relevant email address?

I don't have anything I am afraid. Im not a scripting person really.

Powershell has an import csv function combined with the get-aduser cmdlet and a foreach loop, job done.

 

There is also wisesoft bulk ad users, you can import a csv with it too.

Is it based on Exchange / Office 365? If so you can fully automate it using this Outlook group policy "Automatically configure profile based on Active Directory Primary SMTP address"

 

Realised today that this isn't going to be sufficient as I also need the signature settings to save too, which isn't currently happening. So, I guess it's back to the original question...

One of my deputy heads wants to be able to use outlook on multiple machines (his office and classroom) and i managed it by moving the OST to his home drive and then telling his outlook profile to look for it there rather than in the profile, also cuts down profile size. This is working nicely but you cant leave outlook open on one and then try and open it on the other, you have to have closed it on the other machine first.

 

There is also wisesoft bulk ad users, you can import a csv with it too.

 

I've used this (free) software for years and it's very simple to use. Recommended.

Setup Outlook online mode to prevent those OST's from creating and it also makes Outlook startup more quickly and prevents search index issues... but it has its own issues like sometimes the Office 365 servers are just SLOW and Outlook still is not really internet connection friendly. Sometime may hang a few secs or longer. In combination with setting up the mail attribute for auto profile creation would be a OKish solution. Signatures are stored in %appdata%\microsoft\signatures (and maybe a localized name to make things more difficult).