Automatically Map Source and Target Mailboxes

How Automatic Office 365 Mailbox Mapping Works

EdbMails compares user information available in the source and target Office 365 environments to identify corresponding mailboxes. When matching information is found, the software automatically associates the source mailbox with the appropriate target mailbox.

The generated mailbox mappings are displayed for administrator review before migration. If a mailbox is not mapped as required, the administrator can manually select or change its target mailbox.

Comparing First and Last Names

EdbMails compares the first and last names of users on the source and destination servers. When corresponding user information is identified, the software automatically creates the mailbox mapping without requiring the administrator to select the destination mailbox manually.

Display Name Matching

EdbMails also evaluates display names during automatic mapping. When corresponding display-name information is identified between the source and target users, EdbMails can automatically associate the mailboxes. Administrators can review the generated mapping before proceeding with migration.

Near Matching Logic:

Source and destination user information may not always be identical. EdbMails includes near-matching logic that can help identify corresponding mailboxes when minor differences exist between source and target account information.

For example, if the source account is abc@source.com and the target account is abc123@target.com, EdbMails can recognize the similarity in the available user information and create the corresponding mailbox map. This reduces the need to manually identify every destination during large Office 365 migration projects.

Administrators should review near-match results before migration and can manually change the target mailbox whenever required.

Automatic Mailbox Creation

Automatic mapping requires the appropriate destination mailbox to be available in the target Office 365 tenant. If the required target mailbox does not exist, it must be created before it can be used as the migration destination.

EdbMails also provides functionality to automatically create and license target Office 365 users. This is a supporting mailbox-provisioning step rather than part of the mailbox matching logic.

 See Automatic mailbox creation and licensing in Office 365 for the complete procedure.

Manual Mailbox Mapping:

If automatic mapping does not produce the required source-to-target relationship, EdbMails allows administrators to manually select the destination mailbox. Manual mapping is useful when source and target user details differ significantly or when an administrator needs to override an automatically generated mapping.

To manually map a source mailbox:

1. Click the target mailboxes column.

2. Click 'Select the Target Mailbox from existing list'.

   

3. Select the mailbox from the available list and click 'Continue'.

   

Auto-Mapping Public Folders

EdbMails can automatically map public folders between source and target Office 365 environments. Public folder mapping operates independently of user mailbox mapping and does not rely on user mailbox relationships.

The corresponding public folders must be available in the target Office 365 environment before they can be used as migration destinations.

 Click here to know the steps to create public folders on Office 365 servers and assign admin permissions.

Mapping Shared Mailboxes

Shared mailbox mapping follows the source-to-target mailbox mapping process. The required shared mailbox should exist in the target Office 365 tenant so that it is available as a migration destination.

After the destination is available, EdbMails can associate the source shared mailbox with the corresponding target shared mailbox. Administrators can review the mapping before starting the migration.

 Click here to the know the steps to create Office 365 shared mailboxes

Mapping Archive Mailboxes

EdbMails supports source-to-target archive mailbox mapping when archive mailbox data is included in the migration. The archive mailbox must be enabled in the target Office 365 tenant so that the corresponding destination archive is available.

Once the destination archive is available, EdbMails can map the source archive mailbox to its target archive for migration.

 Click here to know the steps to enable Office 365 archive mailboxes

Customized Folder Mapping:

EdbMails provides customized folder mapping, allowing you to manually map source folders to specific destination folders in the target Office 365 mailbox. This feature offers greater control over mailbox organisation and helps ensure that migrated data is placed in the correct folder structure.

Follow the steps as depicted below to view list of folders in the target mailbox and to map the required source mailbox folder to the target mailbox folder:

1. In the mapping window, click the dropdown icon and select 'Select the Target Mailbox from existing list'

   

2. Select the target mailbox and click the 'List Target Mailbox Folders' button

   

3. Select the target folder and click 'OK' to proceed to the next steps.

   

Conditional Mapping

EdbMails supports conditional folder mapping, enabling you to define an exact destination folder path instead of using the default source folder structure. This feature allows data from a source folder to be redirected to a specific target folder and can be applied to an individual mailbox or across all mailboxes by selecting the 'All' option.

For example, if your source folder path is '/Inbox/Sent Items' and you are moving the 'Sent Items' folder directly under the mailbox, you can simply set up the target location as '/Sent Items'.

Follow the steps below to set the conditional mapping for your source and destination folders

1. Click the 'Conditional mapping' button in the mapping window.

   

2. Enter the source and the target mailboxes folder paths and proceed.

   

3. You can specify the folder path for each individual mailbox.

   

4. You can add the folder path for multiple mailboxes in bulk using CSV and Browse.

   

Choose the Appropriate Mapping Method

Use automatic mailbox mapping when corresponding source and target user information can be identified by EdbMails. Review the generated mappings before migration and use manual mailbox mapping whenever a different target mailbox must be selected.

When the destination folder structure needs to differ from the source, use customized or conditional folder mapping to direct source folders to the required target locations. Public folders, shared mailboxes, and archive mailboxes can also be mapped to their corresponding target destinations after those destinations are prepared.

Keeping mailbox matching, destination preparation, and folder-level mapping clearly defined helps administrators verify where each source mailbox or folder will be migrated before the actual data transfer begins.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does EdbMails automatically match source and target mailboxes?

   EdbMails compares user information available on the source and target Office 365 servers, including first and last names and display names, to identify corresponding mailboxes. When matching information is found, the mailbox mapping is created automatically. EdbMails also applies near-matching logic, so mailboxes with slightly different addresses, such as abc@source.com and abc123@target.com, can still be matched based on similar user information.

2. What happens if EdbMails cannot find a matching target mailbox automatically?

   If the required target mailbox does not already exist in the destination tenant, EdbMails can automatically create and license it before mapping. If the target mailbox exists but was not matched, you can manually select it from the mailbox mapping window instead of waiting for an automatic match.

3. When should I use manual mailbox mapping instead of automatic mapping?

   Use manual mapping when source and target user details differ significantly, or when you need to override a mapping EdbMails generated automatically. To map a mailbox manually, click the target mailboxes column, choose "Select the Target Mailbox from existing list," select the required mailbox, and click "Continue."

4. Does automatic mailbox mapping also cover public folders?

   Yes. EdbMails can automatically map public folders between the source and target Office 365 environments, independently of user mailbox mapping. The corresponding public folders must already exist in the target environment before they can be used as migration destinations.

5. What is the difference between customized folder mapping and conditional mapping?

   Customized folder mapping lets you pick a specific destination folder for a source folder using "List Target Mailbox Folders" in the mapping window. Conditional mapping instead lets you define an exact target folder path, redirecting a source folder to a different location than the default structure, and it can be applied to one mailbox or to all mailboxes at once.

6. What should I do if a source mailbox does not map correctly in EdbMails?

   Check the exact error reported in the EdbMails log or migration report, since most mapping failures trace back to a specific, identifiable cause, such as the target mailbox not yet being created or licensed, a CSV email address that does not match the target's proxy addresses, non-mailbox objects included in the mapping file, duplicate or overlapping addresses, or a credential or permission problem. The guide to resolving Office 365 mailbox mapping errors lists these causes and the matching fixes, including how to correct and rerun only the affected mailboxes.