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How to Import Outlook Calendar to Zimbra Desktop? Step-by-Step Guide

  author
Written By Kumar Raj
Anuraag Singh
Approved By Anuraag Singh
Published On September 25th, 2024
Reading Time 9 Minutes Reading

Do you want to sync Outlook calendar to Zimbra email client? Are you one of those guys for whom the calendar plays a very vital role in their day-to-day life? With the change in an email client, you must need to transfer your Outlook data to Zimbra desktop. To import Outlook calendar to Zimbra, follow the blog.

All business users know, that Outlook is one of the best personal information managers, available as a program of MS Office suite. But, the desktop version of Microsoft Outlook is not free. Due to this, many users around the globe looking for a free email client for managing their emails just like Outlook.

For this, the Zimbra desktop is the best choice. It is free of charge and an open-source mail program. It is capable to provide the facility to manage & access email accounts in an offline and online environment. The Zimbra email application is brimming with useful functionality as it runs on a wide range of platforms i.e., Windows, Linux, and Mac.

The users who are planning to import Outlook contacts and calendar to Zimbra application, there is a requirement to migrate data from PST to Zimbra. As we know, calendars are very important to manage important events and meetings. Therefore, in this article, we will majorly focus on Outlook calendars. So, in the subsequent section, readers will know some suitable methods to sync Outlook PST to Zimbra application with ease.

Related Solution: Import Outlook Calendar to Yahoo Mail

Reasons to Transfer Outlook Calendar and Contacts to Zimbra

Flexibility and Customization: Zimbra offers more flexibility and customization than the proprietary Outlook platform. Users can modify and extend Zimbra’s functionality to suit specific business needs, making it a good choice for IT departments looking for a more customized solution.
Multi-Platform Compatibility: Zimbra runs on many operating systems (Windows, macOS, Linux) and integrates with a wide range of applications. It is web-based, allowing users to access their calender and contacts and email through any browser, providing more flexibility than the desktop-oriented Outlook client.
Advanced Collaboration Features: Zimbra offers a comprehensive collaboration suite that includes not only email and contacts, but also shared calendars, tasks, documents, and file storage, improving productivity and teamwork within an organization.
Open Source Option: The open-source version of Zimbra is very attractive to businesses and individuals looking to reduce their reliance on proprietary software. It provides support, customization, and freedom without vendor lock-in.
Easy-to-use Web Interface: Zimbra’s web interface is easy to use and intuitive. Users familiar with webmail systems will find Zimbra easier to use, and because it doesn’t require special desktop software, it’s easier to manage.

Manual Method to Import Outlook Calendar to Zimbra Using Outlook

Here, we have discussed a step-by-step guide in order to move calendar entries from Outlook to Zimbra email client. This solution is classified into two steps:

Step 1: Export Calendar from Outlook

  1. Launch the Outlook application on your Windows System
  2. In Outlook, open the Calendar that you wish to move to Zimbra
  3. Now, you need to click on the File tab and select the Save Calendar option from the Menu
  4. After that, select a Destination Location to save the resultant file and type a suitable name for the output iCalendar file under the File Name box
  5. Next, you will view details of the calendar such as Date Range, Name of Calendar, etc. If you are satisfied with the details, then move to step 7. Otherwise, proceed to the Next instruction
  6. Click on the More Options button to modify the settings. Here, you can set the Date Range in the Calendar that you want to Add in an iCal file
  7. Next, click on OK >> Save.

The next step in the process to import Outlook calendar to Zimbra is to move the extracted ICS file to the Zimbra desktop. Go through the next section to know the exact method.

Step 2: Import Outlook Calendar ICS File to Zimbra Desktop

  • Open Zimbra on your system.
  • Go to the Preference tab.
  • Select Import/Export option.
  • Browse the ICS file that you exported from Outlook in step 1.
  • Select import file in a new calendar folder or existing calendar.
  • Hit on the OK to proceed.
  • Click Import and click OK.

Limitations of Manual Techniques

  • Time-Consuming: Manually exporting contacts from Outlook and importing them to Zimbra requires multiple steps, which slows down the process, especially for large contact lists.
  • Risk of Data Loss: Manual methods may result in incomplete or incorrect data transfer, especially if there are compatibility issues between Outlook and Zimbra formats (CSV, vCard).
  • Limited Format Support: Complex contact data (such as multiple phone numbers, custom fields, or notes) may not transfer accurately, resulting in data inconsistencies.
  • Bulk Import Not Supported: Manual contact import often lacks batch processing capabilities, forcing users to import in smaller batches, which is inefficient.
  • Requires Technical Knowledge: Users may need to know Outlook and Zimbra settings, making the process difficult for non-technical users.

The technique which is discussed above is the manual solution to sync Outlook calendar to Zimbra application. But there are many advanced options available. Just like one of them is discussed in the next part.

Related Solution: Import Outlook Calendar to iPhone / iPad Calendar

Automated Solution to Move Calendar Entries to Zimbra Without Outlook Client

Outlook saves all of its data items such as contacts, and calendars in a PST file located on the local drive. So, whenever users want to transfer Outlook PST in Zimbra, there is a need for export Outlook calendar to ICS file format. This can be only done by automated software.

For this, Outlook PST File Converter is the finest tool. It is capable of successfully importing the Outlook Calendar into the ICS file. This file format is further supported by the Zimbra client. The powerful algorithm of software can scan orphan PST files and save the Outlook Calendar entries in .ics format without its supportive application. Moreover, the tool is available for Windows as well as for the Mac platform. Here is the complete procedure mentioned to import Outlook calendar to Zimbra Desktop.

For Windows OS

Free Download Purchase Now

For Mac OS

Free Download Purchase Now

Tip: Apart from importing calendar from Outlook into Zimbra application, this utility also supports other file conversions. If you want to convert PST to MSG files or PDF format, use the tool.

Steps to Save Outlook Calendar in Zimbra via ICS File Format are:

Step 1. First, you need to download the tool and launch it on your system
Step 2. Click on Add File in order to add the Outlook PST file
add outlook PST calendar file
Step 3. In case, if the PST file is highly corrupted, then check the box corresponding to Advance Scan. It is used to scan the damaged PST file
Scan Outlook calendar file
Step 4. Now, you need to click on the Calendar folder and if you want to import selective Outlook calendar entries in Zimbra then check the checkbox that you want and click on Export
Import Outlook Calendar to Zimbra
Step 5. Select the ICS format from the list. After that, browse a new location for the resultant .ics file
select ics format
Step 6. Finally, click on the Export button to start the process to Sync Outlook Calendar to Zimbra.
Sync Outlook Calendar to Zimbra

Once the user gets the .ics file, they can simply export that file in Zimbra via. Inbuilt Import tool.

What More Does This Tool Offer?

The software offers large number of amazing features that helps users to accomplish this task. Some of the highlighted features are described below:

  • 100% Safe and Easy to Use: The tool is free from virus or malware. Also, it has simple and graphical interface that can be easily accessible even by novices.
  • Convert All Types PST: It allows you to convert ANSI as well as UNICODE PST file without any compatibility issues.
  • No Limitations: The software is powerful enough to convert large sized Outlook PST file without showing any limitation bar and losing data.
  • Compatibility: It is a Windows based utility and it installs on Windows 10, 8, 7, etc. In addition, it supports Outlook 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010 and other editions.
  • Preview Mode: After loading files in the software panel., it shows a quick preview of all items with all attached details.

How to Import Outlook Contacts to Zimbra Email Client?

If you want to export contacts from Outlook PST to Zimbra web client, you can use this most recommended vCard Export Software to do the job. First of all, you need to convert your Outlook contacts file to CSV format, then export your CSV file to the Zimbra email client.

Download Now Purchase Now

This tool is designed by experts, keeping in mind the needs of all users. It is a reliable solution to convert contacts from Outlook data files to Zimbra files without any errors.

  • Start the Zimbra application on your computer.
  • Select the Contacts tab and select the Import/Export option.
  • Then, you need to choose the import contacts tab and select the generated your CSV file from the panel.

Export Calendar from Outlook to Zimbra for Free

The tool has a free trial version to download that allows you to convert 25 items from each folder of the PST file. This way, it is easy to check how the software is working and efficient before making a payment.

Bringing It All Together

Considering the user’s need of migrating from Outlook to the Zimbra application. In this article, we have discussed a manual way to import calendar entries from Outlook to Zimbra Desktop. But, users cannot use this workaround without the help of the Outlook program. So, we also discussed an alternate solution to import Outlook calendars to Zimbra desktop. The advantage of PST to ICS Tool is, that users can operate the task in the absence of the Outlook client. It only requires the Outlook data file to import Outlook contacts to Zimbra application supported format.

  author

By Kumar Raj

He is an ardent tech enthusiast and has a specialization in simplifying complex tech topics. With a knack for staying ahead of the curve, he provides readers with up-to-date insights into the ever-evolving tech world. When he is not writing, he enjoys exploring new gadgets and is actively engaged in tech communities.