There are many techniques for keeping
your Outlook information on two different machines. However,
Microsoft has not released a synchronization utility for Outlook.
Listed below are three methods which do not require third party
tools, along with tools that will sync two Outlook's.
If
you use a Palm device, PocketPC, other PDA, check to see whether your
synchronization software allows you to synchronize the device with
more than one computer. If so, you may be able to use the PDA as an
intermediary to synchronize two computers:
Computer 1 <-> PDA <-> Computer 2
Good backups on both computers would be essential to ensure that
you can always roll back to a previously synchronized set of data. See
Synchronizing Microsoft Outlook with a
PDA for tools.
Windows Briefcase
This
solution comes from F.E. Froelich:
I think I have found a relatively painless way to
share Microsoft Outlook between my laptop, which I
travel with, and my desktop without having to connect
the two computers together.
I created a directory for the two Outlook files
Mailbox.pab and Mailbox.pst. I then copied the directory
into My Briefcase. I then placed My
Briefcase onto a disk. (I have a Zip drive on both
computers, so I keep a Zip disk with nothing but My
Briefcase on it for sharing files between my laptop and
desktop.) I then deleted the Mailbox.pab and Mailbox.pst
files from my laptop and copied the two files from My
Briefcase into a directory on the laptop.
When I am ready to leave with the laptop, I put the
My Briefcase Zip disk into the desktop and update the
files, then put the same disk into my laptop and update.
When I come back, I reverse the sequence. So far it
seems to work.
As an aside, I have copied the entire My Documents
directory into My Briefcase on the same Zip disk. Now
all of my Word, Excel, Powerpoint, and Access files are
kept up to date between the two computers. When I create
a new file or subdirectory on one computer, it is
automatically added to the other computer the next time
I do an update. This approach is much more efficient
than trying to make sure that I have placed all of the
individual files that I need into My Briefcase. There is
no better way to manage My Briefcase than with a Zip
drive (unless you have a LAN).
(Editors note: If you don't have a Zip drive, you can use a
USB key instead.)
Windows
2000 (and later) offer a feature for taking files offline, but by
default, it excludes Personal Folders .pst files. However, you can
edit the system policy that controls the file types so that .pst
files can be included. See
Error Message Files of This Type Cannot Be Made Available Offline.
The Davton Contact Synchroniser will synchronise contacts in one contact folder to another. It is designed to synchronise shared contacts from a ‘Public Folder’ to a personal folder - so that the contacts can be syncronised to a PDA using ActiveSync. It is a one way synchronization - changes made in the local folder or on the PDA will not be reflected back to the Public folder. The synchroniser can filter the contacts it copies to your local folder, based on categories. Free.
Easy2Sync for Outlook keeps your personal store in sync on multiple computers. Try the free version which only synchronizes the inbox and outbox, the Home-Edition to sync all email folders, or the Business-Edition which synchronizes all folder types.The updated version features a reworked "automatic start" dialog and an protection against accidential closing of the program.
EZOutlookSync will keep 2 or more copies of MS Outlook always up-to-date. EZOutlookSync will transfer only changed data, making synchronizations real quick and unobtrusive. Works on Outlook 2000/2002/2003.
Utility for synchronizing and sharing Outlook email, contacts, calendar, and tasks at regular intervals among multiple computers on a local network or over the Internet using FTP. For Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003. Does not trigger Outlook security prompts. (Version 4.1.5)
Toolkit for Outlook developers that provides many features that make Outlook act more like a database (so maybe you don't need that external database after all) -- record locking, generating a unique ID, field-level data encryption, task and appointment synchronization (look for the ItemSync object), and lookup from other Outlook folders or from data maintained as a separate Outlook item. Also includes WYSIWG printing. The same company also offers
TeamWork for
workflow, with or without Exchange Server
Synchronizes data between two machines running Outlook through a small data file that can be emailed, accessed on a shared network folder, or transferred any other way you might transfer a file. Includes conflict resolution feature.
Use PSTSync to perform Outlook synchronizations, helping you synchronize every Outlook folder, even custom created ones. PSTSync provides bi-directional folder synchronization as well as a number of other tools to help you manage your pst files with ease, PSTSync offers SmartMove and SmartCopy functionality as well as Encryption, Password Protection, Online Backup as well as the popular built in PST file viewer. It takes into consideration the time and date in calendar according to GMT, not just your local time ( a PSTSync exclusive)Version 2.6.0
Synchronizes data between Outlook PST files (for example: PC workstation to notebook) and in addition "Personal Folders" of Exchange with PST files in both directions. All folders or selected folders can be synchronized. Supports an "escalation inquiry" by reciprocally changed entries and against the unintentional deletion of data. Supports Outlook 97 through Outlook 2003.
Copies items between Outlook folders. Can be used to synchronize folders between PST files on two different machines, copy calendar entries to a public folder, or back up data to another PST file.
Synchronize Microsoft Outlook data between multiple PCs using external USB device, shared network folder or FTP. Share and Sync Outlook Calendar folders with Google Calendar service.
Synchronize Microsoft Outlook PST files. Sync Outlook folders between multiple PCs without a server using an external USB device or shared network folder (LAN), and a shared PST file.
SynchPst for Outlook synchronizes data between personal folders. Choose either single or multiple folders, with or without subfolders, and synchronize them quickly and efficiently. Version 3.1.4
SYNCING.NET for Outlook is a full featured solution for synchronization of Microsoft Outlook data between multiple computers. All data is transmitted directly between the computers via LAN/WLAN and/or the internet (peer-to-peer). Once selected, the Outlook data is synchronized completely automatically. Users don't need to do anything more and can work with Outlook as usual. Any changes to Outlook items are transferred immediately to all members of the sync network.
Configuration and Maintenance Issues 
