Overview
The Vaultastic Outlook Add-in allows you to search, preview, download, and restore archived emails and chat transcripts directly from Microsoft Outlook.
This guide explains how to use the add-in after it has been installed. For installation instructions, see the Vaultastic Outlook Add-in Installation Guide.
Prerequisites
Before using the Vaultastic Outlook Add-in, ensure that you have:
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Outlook | Microsoft Outlook 2013 or later (Classic Outlook) |
| Vaultastic Add-in | Installed and visible on the Outlook ribbon |
| Credentials | Vault ID and password provided by your IT administrator. Note: The vault ID should have Self Service or Full access enabled. |
Important
The Vaultastic Outlook Add-in supports Classic Microsoft Outlook only. It is not supported with the new Outlook for Windows.
Opening Vaultastic Add-in
Open Classic Microsoft Outlook.
On the Home tab, locate the Vaultastic group.
Click Vaultastic.
The Vaultastic window opens.
If you are not signed in, the Login screen is displayed.
If you are already signed in, the Email Finder screen opens.
Signing In
Enter your vault id.
Enter your password.
(Optional) Select Remember Me to keep you logged in across sessions.
Click Login.
After successful authentication, the Email Finder screen opens and displays the first page of archived emails.
Session Handling
To maintain application security, the Vaultastic Outlook Addin requires end users to authenticate using the Vault IDs and passwords.
The following table highlights the points at which end users are required to enter their credentials
| Trigger | Credentials required for | Remarks |
|---|---|---|
| Installation or upgrade of the Addin | Login | End users have to enter their Vault id and password when the plugin was first installed and when the plugin version is upgraded. |
| Restarting Outlook | Login | If the Remember Me option was not selected during the first Addin login, then on every restart of the Outlook application, user's will be prompted to enter their credentials. If the Remember Me option was selected, the addin functionality can be used without a relogin as long as the user's Vaultastic credentials have not changed. If the user's Vaultastic password has changed, then the user will be prompted to re-enter credentials. |
| Logout of the Addin | Login | If you have logged out of the Addin, you will be prompted to enter credentials on the next login. Note: Closing the Addin and reopening does not require you to re-enter credentials. |
| Session timeout | Download or Restore of mail | The Addin session automatically logs out after 9 hours of inactivity. In this case, you will be prompted to enter the password for the first Download or Restore mail operation |
Understanding the Email Finder
The Email Finder window is divided into three main sections.
Search
Located at the top of the window.
Use this area to filter archived emails by:
Subject
From
To
CC
BCC
Message Body
Attachment Content
Attachment Filename
Date Range
Available actions:
Search
Clear
Refresh
Results
Located on the left side.
Displays matching archived emails.
Features include:
Up to 50 results per page
Previous and Next page navigation
Result count
Example:
Showing 1–50 of 1,406
Preview
Located on the right side.
Displays the selected email, including:
Subject
Sender
Date
Message body
Attachment names
Available actions:
Download
Restore
Tips
Collapse or expand the Search panel to maximize screen space.
Drag the panel dividers to resize the Search, Results, and Preview areas.
Click Logout when you have finished using Vaultastic.
Searching Archived Emails
All search fields are optional. Combining filters helps narrow your search results.
Available Search Filters
| Filter | Description |
|---|---|
| Subject | Words in the subject line |
| From | Sender email address |
| To | Recipient email address |
| CC | Carbon copy recipient |
| BCC | Blind carbon copy recipient |
| Body | Text within the email body |
| Attachment Text | Text contained inside attachments |
| Filename | Attachment filename |
| Date From | Start date |
| Date To | End date |
Running a Search
Enter one or more search criteria.
Click Search.
While the search is running:
The Search button displays Searching...
The Results panel displays Loading results...
Matching emails are then displayed in the Results list.
Searching by Date
You can search using a single date or a date range.
| Scenario | Action |
|---|---|
| Search all dates | Leave both fields blank |
| Search a specific day | Enter Date From only |
| Search a date range | Enter both Date From and Date To |
| Enter only Date To | Not supported |
Use the format:
yyyy-MM-dd
Example:
2026-03-15
Clearing or Refreshing Results
| Action | Description |
|---|---|
| Clear | Removes all filters and resets the search results to show all |
| Refresh | Reloads the current search results from the Vaultastic servers |
Navigating Search Results
Results are displayed 50 emails per page.
Use:
Next → View the next page
Previous ← Return to the previous page
Search Examples
Find emails from a colleague during March 2026
| Filter | Value |
|---|---|
| From | colleague@company.com |
| Date From | 2026-03-01 |
| Date To | 2026-03-31 |
Find emails containing invoices
| Filter | Value |
|---|---|
| Subject | invoice |
| Filename |
Find text inside attachments
| Filter | Value |
|---|---|
| Attachment Text | contract renewal |
Previewing an Email
Select an email in the Results list.
The Preview pane displays:
Subject
Sender
Date
Message body
Attachment names
To preview another email, simply select it from the Results list.
Note
Individual attachments cannot be downloaded separately from this view.
Downloading an Archived Email
Download saves the selected email as an .eml file.
Select an email.
Click Download.
If prompted, re-enter your Vaultastic password.
Choose a save location.
Click Save.
A progress indicator is displayed while the download is in progress.
When complete, Vaultastic confirms that the email has been saved successfully.
Restoring an Email to Outlook
Restore imports the archived email back into Outlook.
Select an email.
Click Restore.
If prompted, enter your Vaultastic password.
Select the Outlook folder where the email should be restored.
For example:
Inbox
Sent Items
Any mail folder
Note
Calendar and Contacts folders cannot be used as restore destinations.
Wait until the restore operation completes. Vaultastic displays a confirmation message showing the destination folder.
Additional Notes
Restored emails are placed in the selected folder.
The restored email is not automatically opened.
Some calendar invitations may be restored as email messages with the invitation attached.
Bulk Download and Restore
The Vaultastic Outlook Add-in allows you to download or restore multiple archived emails in a single operation, making it easier to retrieve large sets of messages.
Selecting Multiple Emails
- Perform a search to display the required emails.
- In the Results pane, select one or more emails.
- You can select up to 50 emails in a single operation.
Note
A maximum of 50 emails can be downloaded or restored at one time.
Bulk Download
To download multiple archived emails:
- Select the required emails.
- Click Download.
- If prompted, enter your Vaultastic password to confirm the operation.
- Choose the destination folder where the email files should be saved.
- Wait for the download to complete.
Each selected email is downloaded as an individual .eml file.
Bulk Restore
To restore multiple archived emails to Outlook:
- Select the required emails.
- Click Restore.
- If prompted, enter your Vaultastic password.
- Select the Outlook mail folder where the emails should be restored.
- Wait for the restore operation to complete.
All selected emails are restored to the chosen Outlook folder.
Note
Bulk restore is supported only for Outlook mail folders. Calendar, Contacts, and other non-mail folders cannot be selected as restore destinations.
Forwarding an Archived Email
The Forward feature allows you to forward an archived email directly from the Vaultastic Outlook Add-in using one of your configured Outlook accounts.
Forward an Email
- Select the required email from the Results pane.
- In the Preview pane, click Forward.
- Select the Outlook account that should be used as the sender.
- Enter one or more recipient email addresses.
- Click Send.
The selected email is forwarded as a new email from the chosen Outlook account.
Important
To preserve the integrity of archived content, the original subject and email body cannot be modified when forwarding an archived email. Only the sender account and recipients can be selected.
Notes
- The email is sent using the selected Outlook account.
- The forwarded email retains the original message content and subject.
- If multiple Outlook accounts are configured, you can choose the appropriate account before sending.
Signing Out
To sign out:
Click Logout.
Confirm when prompted.
You will need to sign in again before accessing archived content.
Frequently Asked Questions
I cannot see the Vaultastic button.
Ensure that you are using Classic Microsoft Outlook.
If the button is still missing, enable the Vaultastic COM Add-in using the Installation Guide.
My search returns no results.
Verify your search filters.
Expand the date range.
Confirm that you are signed in using the correct Vaultastic account.
Searches are slow.
Try narrowing your search by:
Date
Sender
Subject
The Preview pane is blank.
Wait a few moments.
Select another email.
Refresh the results.
If the issue persists, contact your IT administrator.
Why am I asked for my password again?
On session timeout, Vaultastic will request your password before sensitive operations such as Download or Restore to verify your identity for the current session.
Can I download only an attachment?
No.
Vaultastic downloads the complete email as an .eml file.
Does clicking Clear delete archived emails?
No.
Clear only resets your search criteria and results. Your archived data remains unchanged.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Suggested Action |
|---|---|
| Vaultastic button missing | Enable the COM Add-in |
| Login fails | Verify your credentials |
| No search results | Clear filters or widen the date range |
| Date validation warning | Enter Date From before Date To |
| Download or Restore cancelled | Retry the operation |
| Invalid restore folder | Select a mail folder such as Inbox |
| Issue persists | Send the Vaultastic log file to your IT administrator |
Getting Help
When contacting your IT administrator or Vaultastic Support, include:
A description of the task you were performing
The exact error message
A screenshot (if available)
Outlook version