How to Extract Data from Lotus Notes Database with Attachments?
Even before emails and applications were a part of our everyday lives, Lotus notes and its partner Lotus domino have been around. They had established their importance in the software industry but weren’t able to maintain it. That’s why users want to extract data from the Lotus Notes database.
Also Read : Import Lotus Notes NSF Data into G Suite
What are the Reasons to Extract Data from Lotus Notes Database?
Here, we are listing few reasons why users want to extract files from the IBM Notes database:
1. As we know that the file format .nsf is highly secure, therefore, nobody can view the data before converting it. Thus, it is mandatory to extract all the data that are in .nsf format and convert it.
2. Another reason can be to backup all the files. This also demands from the user to extract all its .nsf data files Such as emails, documents, attachments from Lotus Notes.
3. Since Lotus Notes are now obsolete and its demand has also decreased, users are willing to move to other email clients or webmail. So, they need to convert their data in a file format accepted by the other email service provider.
What are the Ways to Save Lotus Notes Files?
For those of you who don’t know what a database is, that means all the data that are in .nsf file format. And, from data, we understand everything in Lotus Notes ranging from contacts, calendars, emails, etc.
The requirement of a person using Lotus notes is to download all their data including emails, contacts, documents, calendars, tasks, etc to a file format in which they can easily view it.
This can be done only with the help of a professional tool. Want to know why?
Even though the manual solution gives you a way to do it, the file format in which it saves the data is CSV. There are many problems with the CSV file format like the file size being too large, missing some data from the file resulting in data loss, etc.
Below I am discussing the manual method to make the picture more clear to you.
Manual Method to Extract Emails from Lotus Notes Database
Follow the given steps to extract data from the Lotus Notes database:
1. Run the Lotus Notes application
2. Now, select File > Open > and the NSF file from its current location
3. Press the File button and then select Export
4. Enter a name for this file, choose “comma-separated value” in the save as field, and hit the Export button
5. Now, choose the appropriate option and press OK.
After completing this process, users will notice that all Lotus Notes data has been exported to a CSV file. To access this data in Outlook, simply import a CSV file into the program.
Expert-Recommended Tool to Extract Files from Lotus Notes Database
NSF Converter is the perfect software if you wish to save data from the Lotus Notes database (NSF). This utility has the ability to extract all the emails, contacts, documents, calendars, etc that are in .nsf file format to different file formats along with attachments. The different formats the tool supports are EML, MSG, MBOX, vCard, ICS, PDF and HTML, etc.
This application even gives you the option to export data directly from the HCL Domino server. It is necessary to have Lotus Notes installed and configured on your system beforehand. Although, there will be restrictions on the size of the files that you want to extract. The date-filter option allows you to export only the data that you choose.
Automated Method to know how to extract attachments from Lotus Notes
Download and Install the application on your computer. Follow the steps given below –
1. First, select the “Add File(s)” or “Add Folder” option to add the NSF files that you want to extract
2. This tool allows you to add an NSF file directly from Domino Mailbox by entering your Domino details and tap “Next”
3. Now, choose the file format in which you want to extract your data
4. Now, “Select Categories” from emails, contacts, calendars and apply the “Date Filters”, and then choose Naming Convention options. Hit the “Next” button to procees the process.
5. Lastly, choose Advance Conversion Options and click on the Export button to begin the process.
Conclusion
It is necessary for users to download their data from Lotus Notes Database to either move to some other email client or just to view it. The manual method has also been explained in this blog. However, it is of no use, since
It saves the data in CSV, which is not very beneficial for users. Hence, the automated method in which you can extract data from the Lotus Notes database without any problem is shared here.
