Installing the Outlook Connector

The Zimbra Connector for Outlook (ZCO) configures Outlook to interact with the Zimbra server, allowing you to access your email, calendar, contacts, and tasks from Outlook 2003, 2007, 2010 or 2013.

Install the connector

If you are upgrading to a newer version of the Outlook Connector, simply run the installer and it will ask you whether you want to upgrade. See Upgrading the Zimbra Connector for Outlook. Your configuration settings are carried over.

1. Close Outlook if it is open.
    
2. Download and run the installer for the Outlook Connector v. 8.0.8.
    
3. When the Welcome to the Setup Wizard page is displayed, click Next to continue.
   
   
    
4. Accept the terms of the license agreement and then click Next.
   
   
    
5. Click Next to start the installation.
   
   
    
6. When the installation is completed, click Close.
   
   

Configuration and synchronization

1. Start Outlook.
    
2. You may see the following warning when opening Outlook after installing the connector. To prevent the display of this warning:
   • Outlook 2010: Click the File tab and then click Rules and Alerts.
     Outlook 2007: On the Tools menu, click Rules and Alerts.
   • Under the E-mail Rules tab, select the rule named Clear categories on messages (recommended) and click Delete.
      
   
    
3. The first time you start Outlook after installing the Outlook Connector for the first time, the Server Configuration Settings window displays.  
   Alternatively, you can access the server configuration settings by clicking the File menu, making sure Info is selected, and then clicking Account Settings. In the  Account Settings window, click the Email tab, select your Zimbra account, and click Change.
    
4. If you see a GAL upgrade recommended message asking you if you would like to rebuild the GAL, click Yes.
    
5. With the Server Configuration tab selected, enter the following information:
   • Server Name: your sunetid.pobox.stanford.edu
   • Use Secure Connection: checked
   • Email Address: your sunetid@stanford.edu
   • Password: your SUNetID password
     ​
   
    
6. Click OK to complete the process for creating your Zimbra profile.
   
   Note: If you have iTunes installed (or upgrade your version of iTunes) and launch Outlook, you may see the Unsupported Addin dialog box. Click OK to disable the unsupported addins.
   
   
    
7. Outlook now needs to synchronize to the Zimbra server. This usually happens automatically and during synchronization the Send/Receive Progress dialog box is displayed.
    
8. The initial synchronization can take a while. Your calendar is synchronized first and needs to finish before any email is displayed. To view the progress:
   • Outlook 2010: Click the Zimbra tab and then click Show Zimbra Progress.
   • Outlook 2007: Go to the Tools menu and navigate to Send/Receive > Send/Receive Settings > Zimbra Show Progress.
      
   

Note: The GAL address book (StanfordWho) is currently disabled for Outlook users in order to avoid negative impact on server performance. ​ The Zimbra Send/Receive Progress will show the GAL syncing  progress as "Failed."

After the initial synchronization, by default Send/Receive updates Outlook and the Zimbra server with changes made since the last sync.

Open an existing .pst file (for existing Outlook users)

Installing the Outlook Connector creates a mail profile named Zimbra and designates it as the default profile. If you are already using Outlook, you can use the following process to open any previous Outlook storage files (.pst files) in which you have messages stored.

1. Outlook 2010:Click the File tab, click Open, and click Open Outlook Data File.
   Outlook 2007: In the Outlook File menu, point to Open, and click Outlook Data File.
    
2. Navigate to the data file you would like to open (Outlook.pst is the most common).
   
   Note: Pst files are created in the following locations by default. Upgrading to Outlook 2010 does not move your .pst files to a new location.
   • Outlook 2010 on Windows Vista or Windows 7:
     C:\Users\user_name\Documents\Outlook Files

   • Outlook 2010 on Windows XP:
     C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\My Documents\Outlook Files

   • Outlook 2007 and previous on Windows Vista or Windows 7:
     C:\Users\user_name\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook\
   • Outlook 2007 and previous on Windows XP:
     C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Local Settings\Applicaiton Data\Microsoft\Outlook\
3. Click the data file you would like to open and then click OK.
   
   
    
4. You will now see your previous files in the the left sidebar. In Outlook 2010, the section heading is the name of your .pst file; in Outlook 2007,  the section heading is "Personal Folders."
   
   
   
   Note: The email and other information that is now available after opening the .pst file is all stored locally on your own machine. In contrast, data available under "Zimbra" section is all stored on the server and can also be accessed via Webmail.

Upgrading the Zimbra Connector for Outlook