Content search - how do you show the actual number of results after an export with deduplication?

Question

We ran a content search today that was a simple to/from an external user. The search returned 396 results, and of course duplicate messages were found. We exported the results, and in that process we enabled deduplication. However, the export with dedupe enabled still shows the original number of results at 396 messages, and the search statistics only reports the number of messages found in the search, not the export. I went through the PST file and manually counted the results of the export with dedupe enabled, and that number was 250 messages.

Can anyone tell me how I can show the actual number of messages in the export with dedupe enabled? We are required to inform the requesting entity the actual number of messages they will be receiving, but we can't find this number anywhere.

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

@Ric Turner - Thanks for the question and using MS Q&A platform.

To show the actual number of messages in the export with deduplication enabled, you can follow these steps:

1. Open the exported PST file in Microsoft Outlook.
2. In Outlook, go to the "File" tab and select "Info".
3. Click on "Properties" and then "Statistics".
4. In the "Statistics" window, you will see the number of items in the PST file, which should be the actual number of messages in the export with deduplication enabled.

Alternatively, you can also use the "Export Report" feature in Microsoft 365 Compliance Center to get a report that shows the number of items exported with and without deduplication. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Microsoft 365 Compliance Center and navigate to "Content search".
2. Find the search that you exported and click on it to open the search details.
3. Click on the "Export report" button.
4. In the "Export report" window, you will see the number of items exported with and without deduplication.

I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any further questions.