How to save Outlook emails in a folder (and sub-folder) to Google Drive

Introduction

cloudHQ can save your Outlook emails (including Microsoft 365 and Hotmail) to Google Drive. You can automatically save emails from a specific Outlook folder and its subfolders to a designated Google Drive folder. This feature is useful for archiving a large number of emails or setting up continuous email backups to Google Drive.

Emails can be saved in various formats, including EML, TXT, HTML, and PDF.

For example, if you have a label called “Clients,” you can set up automatic backups of all emails under this label directly to a Google Drive folder.

Benefits of this approach:

  1. Backup and Archiving

    Automatically saving emails to Google Drive ensures a secure and easily accessible archive of important messages into in various formats, including EML, TXT, HTML, and PDF. If your email server crashes or emails are accidentally deleted, having a real-time backup in Google Drive allows you to quickly recover crucial data. This is especially important for critical labels like “!Clients,” where losing emails could significantly impact your business.

  2. Organization and Accessibility

    Saving emails from a specific label to Google Drive helps you organize them beyond your email account. This makes it easier to locate specific emails or attachments without having to sift through a cluttered inbox. Google Drive’s search and folder features further simplify the process, especially when managing large volumes of emails.

  3. Collaboration and Sharing

    Storing emails in Google Drive enhances collaboration and sharing. For businesses and teams, this means everyone can access client or project-related emails without the need to forward or copy multiple messages. This streamlines internal communication and ensures all team members stay aligned, making it particularly useful for project management and client relations.

How Does It Work?

When you put an email to a specific Outlook folder (which is configured to be synced), cloudHQ automatically converts the email to your chosen format—like PDF or TXT—and saves it to the Google Drive folder. If you have a folder structure in Outlook, cloudHQ will copy that structure by creating the same folders in Google Drive.

For example, a real estate agent might have an Outlook folder named Transactions. If they add a sub-folder called 312 Bliss Way for a specific property or deal, cloudHQ will make a matching sub-folder in Google Drive. Any emails moved to the 312 Bliss Way folder in Outlook will be archived in the corresponding Google Drive folder, keeping all documents organized and easy to find.

Similarly, to manage invoices, you can create an Outlook folder called Invoices for financial emails. If a sub-folder like Vendor A – 2024 is added, cloudHQ will create a matching folder in Google Drive. Any invoices moved to Vendor A – 2024 in Outlook will be archived in Google Drive, making bookkeeping, managing expenses, and preparing for taxes easy.

Setup Steps

You will need to start the cloudHQ sync wizard to set this up.
Follow these steps:

  1. Launch the sync wizard to connect two cloud accounts:

  2. If you want to save emails from a Microsoft 365 Outlook account, click the Microsoft 365 Outlook icon. For Hotmail (personal, free) emails, click the Outlook icon:

  3. Select an existing Microsoft Outlook 365 account or click Authorize Microsoft 365 Mail to add a new account:

  4. Choose Two-way or one-way sync of a specific Microsoft 365 Mail Folder, then click Next Step:
  5. Select the Microsoft 365 Mail folder with emails you want to autosave.
  6. Click the Google Drive icon
  7. Select an existing Google Drive account or click Add Google Drive to connect a new Google Drive account
  8. Make sure the arrow points from Microsoft 365 Mail to Google Drive.
  9. Choose the Google Drive folder where you want your emails, or create a new one, then click Next:
  10. Select sync options for exporting and saving your emails to Google Drive.

    Backup and email storage options are explained as follows:

    1. Backup / Save Email Message Body

      2. This option ensures that the body of email messages is saved and backed up. It provides different export format options:

      • Export messages into EML format

        EML is a standard email format used by many email clients (such as Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail). It retains metadata, attachments, and email structure.
      • Export messages into TXT format

        This would save emails as plain text, stripping away formatting and metadata.
      • Export messages into HTML format

        Saves emails as HTML files, preserving formatting, embedded images, and links.
      • Export messages into PDF format

        Emails will be saved as PDFs, maintaining formatting and structure, useful for legal and archival purposes.
    2. Save / Backup Email Attachments
      This option ensures that email attachments (such as PDFs, images, or documents) are also saved and backed up along with the email messages.
  11. Start the sync.

How to Monitor Sync Status

Follow this link for instructions to check your sync status: How to Monitor Status of Sync.

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