MRM email archiving

This guidance applies only to staff who are part of the MRM pilot group. 

If you are unsure whether you are included in the pilot, please contact modernworkprogramme@port.ac.uk before taking any action.

Message Record Management (MRM) is an Outlook feature that helps manage your mailbox by automatically moving older emails into an archive mailbox. This allows you to keep important emails for reference without cluttering your main inbox, improving performance and making your mailbox easier to use.

As part of the pilot, you will have access to MRM tags, which can be applied to folders or individual emails. Once applied, these tags will move content to your archive mailbox automatically, typically within a week. The archive sits within your existing email account, keeps your folder structure intact, and remains fully searchable.

This page explains how to apply archive policies in Outlook.

Assigning the UoP Archive Policy in Outlook

1. Open Outlook (both Desktop & Web applications support this feature).
2. Right click on the folder or item you wish to archive, hover over Advanced actions then select Assign Policy – you will then see a list of available policies.
3. From the list, select UoP Archive Policy – the view will look similar to this:
   
4. Once applied, content will be moved to the archive mailbox. When applying to folders, the folder structure will be replicated in your archive mailbox.

Additional information:

• The archive mailbox lives within your email account as a separate location but does not use your main storage quota.

• The archive mailbox can be searched by selecting the All Folders option at the top.
• The archive mailbox has a size limit (100 GB, increasing in 100 GB increments to a maximum size of 1.5 TB).
• Email should not be used to permanently store or archive critical data and information – the University of Portsmouth have dedicated systems for records management.

Need some extra support?

If you need further support with managing your emails or understanding retention and archiving, you can contact the Modern Work Programme for additional guidance.

Email: modernworkprogramme@port.ac.uk